by Ryan Kohlhof
Knowledge is power, and a major key to unlocking knowledge within yourself is through reading. So where does a PCM student go to read a book? A student can find the library located fairly close to the epicenter of the school. But unlike the new technological advancements in other areas of the building, such as the improved water fountains, the computers or the TVs with announcements on them, the library has not been improved in many years. Even with the new millions of dollars in grants received to improve the school, none of it has been scheduled to go towards our tattered library.
When you enter the library, a change is almost observed. Once inside, it feels like you’ve traveled back in time upon viewing the ancient tables, book cases and well, even the books. You then begin to wonder when the last time we have even received books was. There’s not actually a librarian in there, in case you need professional book-finding help. The card catalog, used for finding what books we have and where, if you can find it, is itself outdated.
“The selection is not very exquisite,” senior Payton Pool said, “And on that note, I’ve only found myself checking out a book on one occasion and that was only because a school assignment required it.”
So what is the library used for? During school, it is used as a study hall, where students are to sit and work in silence during the duration of the period. Before and after school, the library is used as a place for holding meetings. More students go to the library to print off papers than to look at the books.
What can we do to change this? Well, applying for grants to help on updating the library would certainly help. Reinvesting resources toward the library and inventing ways to help insert the library more into students’ daily lives would help to influence the library use. More students reading more books means more students gaining knowledge and forwarding innovation and success on a worldly scale. Isn’t that what is needed? Less ignorance, more enlightenment to brighten everyone’s future.
