By: Cali Hall

Amanda Brenner is sure that the library at BHS is a very welcoming place and a way to make friends. BHS library is a place to use your time if you have nothing else to do during study hall.

“I like to call the library a ‘school community hub,'” librarian Amanda Brenner said. “I focus on supporting students (and staff) in a variety of ways. I strive to create a welcoming environment where students want to be during study hall. Here they can work on schoolwork, play games, read, and even socialize.”

“The library belongs to the students, so I want them to use the space,” Brenner said. “I also meet the needs of the students through the library collection.”

“I try to instill a love for reading and show them how to choose correct books and books they want to read because as we get older we tend to read less,” Bellbrook Middle School librarian Nicole Stewart said. “If I can get kids to try a book and to get into it they might turn into readers.”

Stewart has a lot of options for the BMS library. She likes to keep kids occupied and hands on with reading. “I am showing either book trailers, first chapters, or new books in every library class to expose them to as many different books as possible to hopefully find one they want to try,” she said. “I also just got some audio books and looked into options for the students because some find it easier to read with audio and some prefer ebooks.”

“BMS library and BHS library are completely different,” Stewart said. “BMS is more geared towards grades 5-9 with young adult books being 8th grade only where the high school is more upper reading and maturity levels are higher to fit the ages and maturity age group.”