Hoffman Middle School Library Transformation is Changing Student Attitudes About Reading

Disponible en: Español

Move over card catalogs and Dewey Decimal System, a new 21st-century library is in town.

Over the last two years Hoffman Middle School librarian, William Schaller, has taken the campus library from drab to fab. The library, which sits in the center of the Hoffman campus, was outdated, bleak, and nothing to brag about. But now students flock to the library to check out new books, chat with friends, and fuel their new passion for reading.

Traditionally, school libraries are quiet spaces for students and staff to check out books, retrieve resources from digital catalogs, research databases, and study. The once quiet library setting is no more at Hoffman.

“Our library is not quiet and I like it that way,” Schaller explains. “When students pass by the library I want them to come inside and check out what’s new, use their creativity and imagination, and spend time learning new things.”

When Schaller accepted the information literacy specialist (librarian) position at Hoffman in 2019, his first question was, “can we update the space?” To his surprise principal, Jeana Morrison-Adams without hesitation said yes. Schaller immediately started making plans to create a new welcoming space for both students and staff. More importantly, he wanted to redesign the library to get students excited about reading.

Schaller knew any changes he made needed to be budget-friendly. This allowed him to be creative. By adding subtle changes like adding chalkboards to the end of the bookshelves, QR codes to learn more about the books and authors, a LEGO wall for building, and a major overhaul of the existing books. This summer, he even took the time to create original art pieces for the library walls.

Schaller hand drew and painted a few of his favorite novels to update the wall art in the library.

After the district moved to one-to-one, he removed the bulky desktop computers and made space for a makerspace area. A makerspace is a hands-on approach that gives students an opportunity to explore their own interests with either no tools or high tech tools and walk away with a project.

Not only did Schaller transform the library but he upgraded how students learning both at school and at home are able to utilize the library as a resource.

“The pandemic allowed me to create new opportunities to reach our students,” he said. “This year we launched a digital system that allows students to check out books from home. All they do is log on to the system, request the specific title and I will have it ready for them to pick up at the front of the campus.”

Not only does the virtual library reflect what students would see in person, but it also allows students to request books that they might not have, but can request from another library. The online request has been a helpful guide to Schaller. It shows him what the students are wanting to see in the library.

Schaller recalled the first five years of his teaching career as a reading teacher.

“I was not a reader growing up. The book that changed my life was Harry Potter and I’ve been using Harry Potter in my classroom to promote reading. I had success by sharing my story, which proved anyone could be a reader.”

After realizing how much he enjoyed reaching the reluctant readers in his classroom he knew he wanted to get everyone excited about reading.

“At Hoffman, we are cultivating the culture of literacy,” Schaller explained. “I knew if we could just get the students to the library, I could convince them that reading is fun.”

LEGO wall activities emerged into books about engineering. Conversations about Anime created an opportunity for students to look into the latest graphic novels. Students are now begging to come to the library during lunch and before and after school.

Schaller’s enthusiasm about reading and the library transformation can only be identified as contagious.

“William is 150% about serving students,” Marco Zannier Virginillo, Aldine ISD director for library services said. “He has transformed the library space and program to make it a vibrant and vital part of Hoffman, and he is always developing engaging and innovative ways to energize readers. He is an incredible asset to our Aldine library team.”

Schaller hopes to continue reaching students across his campus through literacy. His goal is to help each student find “the book that changes their life” and turn them into readers for life.

Schaller’s transformative library work is a great example of how the district’s literacy initiative is giving students more choices and opportunities.