Launched in 2004, the Westerville Public Library has been delivering books (and more!) to all Westerville City Schools daily for 20 years.
When asked about what this milestone achievement means to her, Geneva Tran, School Media Specialist at Walnut Springs Middle School, shared stories about how much this service has meant to her and her students.
“I was a refugee and arrived here when I was 1 ½ years old. Every Sunday, the library was my favorite place to go. At Walnut Springs, my goal is to foster a community of readers. I just want to provide a way for them to pursue their passion so that they want to continue to learn and they want to continue to read. This partnership with the library for school deliveries makes that possible.”
Student passions in recent years are far and wide. “I have a student who is so into robotics – he'll finish a robotics book in a day. And another kid who wants to know everything about the stock market. I don’t have enough money in my budget to buy 30 books on the stock market. There’s a girl who wanted to learn about welding. Another student who is interested in forensics. There are bakers who want to learn to cook because they’re cooking for their families. I can lean on the Westerville Public Library for these specialized books.”
The Ultimate Kids' Baking Book
Manga series are a student favorite. Some students are more advanced and like to request books that are more challenging, while reluctant readers can request books like Dog Man to help strengthen their reading skills.
Another benefit is being able to access ebooks and audiobooks instantaneously without waiting in line, since the Westerville Public Library can sometimes purchase “simultaneous use” licenses for popular titles.
A major factor in the service’s success is its ease and reliability. “It’s so convenient for our voracious readers who can’t get transportation to the library.”
It’s also a way to connect kids and families to the library’s robust collection of books in over 40 different world languages. As our Portuguese-speaking community expands, Tran is helping bilingual students request books using the library’s online catalog. These books can often be a source of comfort for those who are new to the United States.
“I also have a student whose grandfather came to visit from Nicaragua. He didn’t have anything to do during the day so we found Spanish language books we could order from the library for him. He went through the entire collection at our school library and the public library! He was especially interested in learning about United States history.”
An interesting trend she’s witnessed since the pandemic is how much kids hunger for print books. “They were so overstimulated by all the technology. With books, it’s just you and the print escaping into another world.”
When thinking about this service and partnership, Tran said, “I don’t know another school system who has this kind of partnership. It’s revolutionary. We are truly a city of readers. And it speaks a lot of the Westerville community that they support this.”
To learn more about school deliveries, visit this page.
To learn more about the world languages collection, visit this page.
