NT_051619

14 | May 16, 2019 | The Northbrook tower news
northbrooktower.com
Westmoor library goes beyond reading books
Chris Pullam
Freelance Reporter
Refreshing the library
options at Westmoor
School in Northbrook
could’ve been a pretty
simple process. Then
again, “simple” would’ve
meant wasting a valuable
learning experience.
During the 2018-2019
school year, Westmoor
librarian Tara LaCerra
launched Northbrook
School District 28’s firstever
Library Advisory
Committee, made up of
12 students in grades
3–5, to develop leadership
skills while simultaneously
building their
self-confidence.
“The students (on the
committee) are ambassadors
of the library for their
respective classes,” LaCerra
said. “They go back to
class after spending their
lunch period in the library
and talk about the author
who’s going to visit or
the new programming or
books we just got.
“But most importantly,
they’re able to put
their mark on our school
through the library, which
touches every student.
Their ability to leave here
knowing they did something
tangible that will
help future students is
invaluable.”
While the experience is
invaluable, the books cost
real money. With approximately
$1,200 to spend on
new books this year, LaCerra
tasked the committee
with surveying students
and staff about their book
needs, creating graphs
and charts to outline the
requests, considering the
budget, and figuring out
which books were already
in the library.
Then, they spent nearly
two hours exploring
genres, debating titles,
calculating funds, and researching
reviews at a field
trip to the Book Bin, 1151
Church St., Northbrook.
Now, thanks to their efforts,
Westmoor’s library
is stocked with a host of
new titles for current and
future students to enjoy.
“Throughout this entire
process, they learned so
much about what goes into
a library, that it’s so much
more than just a place with
a lot of books,” LaCerra
said. “… It’s important for
kids to see that libraries
can evolve with them and
their needs.”
At the end of the field
trip, the Book Bin’s owner,
Alli Gilley, gave each student
an advance copy of
a book from his or her favorite
genre, allowing the
students to read the titles
before almost anyone else
in the world. And as an
added bonus, according to
LaCerra, some of the kids
learned about the existence
of brick-and-mortar bookstores,
opening a whole
new world of possibilities
to these early learners.
In order to join the committee,
students had to
pitch themselves to LaCerra
and her assistant, Kim
Burnson, through writing
or an audio recording. The
librarians initially expected
to accept three students
from each grade level,
3–5, but since so many of
Westmoor’s 350 students
applied for the committee
positions, they eventually
accepted 12 students
without considering age.
“We went through and
used a rubric to see if any
of the students’ answers
were innovative or different
form the others,” LaCerra
said. “We wanted to
know what each student
As part of Northbrook School District 28’s first-ever Library Advisory Committee,
Westmoor School students traveled to Northbrook’s The Book Bin to buy books for
the school’s library. Photo Submitted
Westmoor students help pick out books at the Book Bin.
would bring to table that
no else would. In the end,
we thought it was more
important to focus on the
answer and student rather
than trying to represent a
certain grade level.”
With five committee
members graduating
from Westmoor this year,
LaCerra encourages both
new and current students,
who may have developed
or changed over the past
nine months, to apply for
the opening spots. While
she will ask the other current
members if they want
to stay on the committee
next year, she doesn’t
expect any to give up the
opportunity.
And with a successful
first year in the books,
LaCerra, who has been the
librarian at Westmoor for
15 years, hopes other D28
schools will create their
own committees based on
their model.
News Briefs
Library to launch
new collection
featuring work
of Northbrook
residents
Submitted Content
Northbrook Public Library
patrons will soon be
able to get an added touch
of Northbrook.
By the middle of this
summer, Library-goers
will be able to check out
materials created by authors,
musicians and filmmakers
who currently
reside, or have spent a significant
part of their lives
in Northbrook.
Works that feature
the Village of Northbrook
in an interesting
way will also qualify for
the library’s new local
collection.
A space dedicated to local
collection materials,
including novels, nonfiction,
short stories, music,
scores, and films will
be set up for patrons to
browse and check out.
Local creators can donate
print, audio, or visual
items. To submit an item,
fill out an online form at:
northbrook.info/localcollection.
The library will accept
up to three items per
person for the collection.
The hope is the collection
will be set up during the
summer, on the library’s
second floor.
News Briefs are compiled by
Editor Martin Carlino.