By Diane Lee
Staff Writer
In the past, the Mira Costa library has often been an unpopular destination for students. However, the new librarian, Jane Lofton, is making some major changes to reverse that.
Lofton is confident that she can make the library a more effective resource of both books and technology for students.
“I knew it was a good school and would be a place where I would make a difference to the students. I wanted to make the environment more inviting and user-friendly,” Lofton said.
Lofton is taking the library to a new level by making it more technological. She calls it the “virtual library.” In the virtual library, students can find many online resources, which include online databases for a variety of subjects and helpful website links.
“I like how there are more databases I can use. They help me out a lot because they are easy to find on the Costa website, and I don’t have to run around trying to get information,” sophomore Victor Vu said.
Lofton has also made a blog, a website, a Twitter page, and a Facebook page for the library. When she noticed that parents seem to use Twitter more often while students prefer Facebook, she decided to use the Twitter page to connect with parents and the Facebook page to connect with the students.
“Everyone is different in what they use, and I wanted to reach out to everyone whether they use Facebook or Twitter. I hope the virtual library, including Facebook and Twitter, will make it easier for parents and students to access the library’s resources and future events,” Lofton said.
Since her arrival, Lofton has incorporated new visual and artistic elements into the library’s décor. Students in Costa’s art classes got the chance to display their artworks in the library to help its aesthetic elements. Also, Lofton has been decorating the library based on themes such as el Dia de los Muertos and the 1950s era.
“I think the artwork is a nice way of showcasing the talent of our gifted artists while giving the library something new and interesting to look at,” sophomore Neda Neshat said.
Another addition to the library directly involves the students. Lofton created The Library Club for students who love the library and reading in hopes that they will provide feedback on the changes she has made as well as suggest other ideas.
“I like TLC because it’s a great way to help out the library and a place for students to discuss ideas and books,” TLC president and junior Kirby Beaton said. “The meetings are laid back. We talk about our favorite books while discussing ideas for the club.”
During the club meetings, members come up with ideas for future events and plan them out. They are currently working on a new display for the library, and in the future they hope to host book fairs, book drives, contests and author visits.
“I want to make the club a fun place for book lovers to meet and talk. I also want to make the library more student-friendly and encourage students to use the library for more recreational purposes,” Beaton said.
Lofton says that other changes are coming to the library, including special events such as a book fair. She also plans to add to the collection of fiction and non-fiction books and improve the computers in the library.
“I enjoy inspiring students to read and teaching them information on digital literacy. I have put some changes in place and would love to have more students’ input on what they want in their library,” Lofton said.
You all are so lucky to have Mrs. Lofton as your Teacher-Librarian! Not only is she super tech-savvy, but she loves great YA Literature and she enjoys students and staff! YAY for Mira Costa!