Reading is a top priority at Sam K. Hailey Elementary School in The Woodlands, Texas. For the last four years, members of the school Reading Committee—teachers from every grade level and subject area, along with paraprofessionals, administrators, and parents—have worked tirelessly to plan year-long reading enrichment programs. These programs revolve around a central theme that varies from year to year, but the enthusiasm generated by the multitude of ongoing activities never diminishes.
In an effort to help the community encourage this emphasis on reading, members of the school's Community Involvement Committee created the Hailey Book Share, a children's lending library established in a rent-subsidized apartment complex within the school's attendance zone. We hoped that this project would not only nurture a love of reading among Hailey students who live in the complex, but also promote early literacy for our future students.
Plans are now under way to celebrate the library's first anniversary. Based on the outpouring of community and staff support and the children's enthusiasm so far, a big party is in order.
Businesses Lend a Hand
How did we make Hailey Book Share a reality? We began by brainstorming our needs and organizing subcommittees to handle various aspects of the project. One group was charged with finding a place for the library, and another with organizing a book drive. A third subcommittee arranged a schedule for the teachers and other staff who volunteered to work in the library each Saturday morning from 10:00 to 11:30.
Finding a home for the library was easy. Once the apartment manager learned of the committee's plans, she provided a vacant apartment for Hailey Book Share. A parent volunteer then turned to other members of the community for assistance in transforming the apartment into a library.
The complex's maintenance crew painted the walls and installed track lighting. A local home builder donated materials and labor to build bookcases. Another community business agreed to install new carpet, and yet another provided tables, chairs, and a sofa. A local artist painted intricate designs of insects and flowers on the shelves and also donated several large signed posters to decorate the walls.
Books by the Stack
The book drive was held during the first two weeks of January, with people dropping off their donations at the school office. The subcommittee in charge had asked all the families in the school to look through their books and identify those that were no longer wanted or used but still in good condition and appropriate for the library.
The result: Several thousand books poured in over two weeks, and the boxes and shopping bags kept coming even after the drive officially ended. Teachers volunteered to help sort the books by age appropriateness, subject, and type, and to transport them to the new library.
Next on the agenda was publicity. Flyers were distributed to all apartment residents informing them of the library's hours and inviting them to join the opening festivities on February 9. The party, unfortunately, had to be rescheduled when a severe cold snap and ice storm gripped the city. When it finally was held a week later, the party was a resounding success.
When word of Book Share reached the intermediate and the junior high schools in the neighborhood, book drives were initiated there to provide reading materials appropriate for those grade levels. The collection grew by hundreds of books, expanding into an adjacent room. A local Boy Scout, in search of a project for his Eagle Scout badge, came to the rescue. He worked tirelessly for more than a week to reorganize the library so that older children could enjoy it as well.
More than a Reading Room
The Hailey Book Share Library now has both Saturday and Wednesday hours. During the summer, Wednesday mornings are especially geared for preschoolers, who take advantage of both quality literature and many hands-on activities. During the school year, staff members volunteer on Wednesday afternoons to help children with their homework or tutor those who are experiencing academic difficulties. Parents and older siblings have also begun to volunteer to work in the library and help tutor students.
Teachers have also set up a listening center and purchased 73 books and tapes using a $500 grant donated by the Greater Houston Area Reading Council. Local businesses have been generous as well. One donates gift books for children celebrating a birthday; another gave us a computer, which will add new dimensions to the many opportunities available to the children.
More than 80 children regularly use the library to check out books, listen to tape-recorded books, and hear special guests read books. The children also use the many references to complete research assignments. They take advantage of the tutorials offered on Wednesday afternoons. And Hailey students often bring younger or older siblings along.
Cataloging the Results
It is too soon to predict the library's long-term effect on the academic achievement of the children living in the apartment complex, but early signs are positive. Children's enthusiasm for the library has not diminished with time. They often line up at the door waiting for the library to open.
A 2nd grade resource teacher reports that the spelling test grades of students who attend the Wednesday tutoring sessions have improved significantly. These children share their successes every Friday with the school secretary Sue Dove, who works with them in the library on Wednesday afternoons. The library has also helped make pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students feel more comfortable at school because they have already met many of the teachers and staff.
Hailey teachers and staff members continue to generously donate their time and expertise. Some have suggested expanding library services to include classes for parents to help them work with their children at home. The possibilities are limitless as Hailey Elementary encourages the gift of reading and connects with its community in a powerful way.
