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School and Library Partnership Delivers Value for the Community
BY ALINA MURCAR
When the new Shaw Middle School opened on September 2, 2021, it included something new and innovative within it’s walls—the Hillyard Public Library. This colocated facility is a cornerstone of the partnership between Spokane Public Schools and Spokane Public Library, and a prime example of sharing resources and stretching the tax-payer dollar.
On Track Academy, NEWTech Skills Center, Northeast Community Center, MultiCare Behavioral Health Clinic, and The ZoNE are all located on or near the campus, perfectly situating the Hillyard Library to support both the students and the residents of one of Spokane’s most underserved neighborhoods.
From September to May of every school year, the Hillyard Library team works alongside John Parks, the Library Information Specialist (LIS) at Shaw Middle School, to provide educational and fun resources for the middle school students.
After working in the Spokane area for 30 years, John has ample knowledge of how the public school system works and he’s never seen a partnership quite like this one. “I applied for this job specifically because of the relationship between the schools and the library. The relationship we have with the Hillyard Library staff has been wonderful. They’ve really gotten to know our students and care about their well-being. It’s a place where kids feel welcome,” said John. Some of the many ways John and the Hillyard Library team collaborate are through their book displays, reading challenges, and even their wardrobes. They appear as a united front to the students so they can give them the best library experience possible.
As part of the school and library partnership, Spokane Public Library manages the collection of all Spokane Public Schools’ middle schools to ensure up-to-date and relevant titles and a comprehensive catalog management system. This collaboration lets educators like John spend more time engaging with students and allows the library to develop a diverse collection that can flex across all locations.
“I love how we’ve merged our collections together,” said Library Assistant Amy Burchell. “I feel like we have a more robust middle grade and young adult collection now. They have a lot of books that we may not have and vice versa. It’s worked out extremely well.”
The partnership between Hillyard Library and Shaw Middle School allows the community to access more resources and will serve as an example for more opportunities to nurture, support, and educate future generations.
