What’s a common enjoyable activity for kids? Answer – heading down to the local library to check out a stack of books. The excitement to crack open a novel may have been just a chapter in our lives, with our bookmarks still holding onto a page we may never return to.
But somewhere between middle school and high school, this trend dropped. As a volunteer at the Moraga Library, junior Drew Kirchner is a firsthand observer of this: “I would say libraries have definitely been forced to evolve.” But to him, the core function of libraries will always be the same. “Libraries have always been about expanding access…It’s all about creating a more equal playing field for people of different [socioeconomic backgrounds],” he added.
Has the decline in library visits been the result of a lack of interest, or other factors? Libraries have traditionally served as community hubs, but libraries are much more than bookshelves. Many don’t realize that they can take advantage of free access to information, learning, and culture, providing books, digital media, quiet work spaces, and above all, social programs that bring communities closer together. The Moraga Library, just along St. Mary’s Road, hosts cultural activity events that spread awareness of holidays in multiple cultures, while the Lafayette Library hosts an annual summer reading challenge open to all.
But as students enter high school, there’s a profound lack of engagement with these community events or reading for pleasure, and the majority of visitors are seniors. This could be attributed to a number of reasons: as we take on harder classes, we struggle to find meaningful downtime outside of studying, or we find ways to turn simple pleasures – take reading, for instance – into impressive extracurriculars that gradually lose their original meaning.
With a focus on the Campo community, it is fair to say that local libraries are no longer being utilized as they were years ago by students. Take a look at the school library – now known as the Library Student Center – which has undergone a significant amount of renovation in the past year. While it has successfully served its purpose of bringing students together during breaks or after school, the number of bookshelves dropped drastically, and books are no longer the reason why people flock inside.
“I used to go to the local library in my neighborhood a lot,” reflected senior Mya Lewis. “I think that overall, libraries are really great places for people to read a book or just come together. There are other spaces like that, but to me, libraries are pretty irreplaceable.”
While the role that libraries play in our lives has, to many of us, undeniably shifted, their relevance hasn’t disappeared. To Campo students, they still hold the potential to host or attend community events – senior bingo or volunteering at book sales in the Moraga Library, to look at a couple examples. Whether through cultural programming, shared workspaces, or civic engagement, libraries can be meaningful if students choose to engage with them in other ways. The decline in traditional library use just presents a new challenge as to how the next generation can redefine how libraries fit into our lives.
