“Just because something seems impossible doesn’t make it true.”

–A Discovery of Witches.

Here we are, on a page on the thing we call the internet and talking about the magical room known as the CHS library. It opens every school day at 7:15, where over thirty students come in every morning and still report to the first period. Those who go in, not only check out books but also use computers to do work for a class. Anywhere from thirty people and up come in during lunch to work as well to work before it closes at 4:14.

“We provide [needed material]” for classes that come in for class and teach as well as provide a quiet and trusting place to talk to someone. The library is there to help not only students but teachers as well in many aspects such as research, class work, and silence to focus or read in. “[They] are training people to be lifelong learners and lifelong readers so [they try] to make it as comfortable as possible,” the librarians, with the help of the students’ cooperation, are working to make the library as homely as possible and not just another room in a school. Many of the kids going in are going in and actually, have conversations rather than sitting on their device the entire time that they are there. It’s refreshing, Ms. Goodman comments, to see students interacting with each other in an otherwise technology controlled world. Ms. Goodman also expands on the workroom in the back saying that “it is for both students and teachers”; however, the laminator is not in the best condition due to the heating element breaking, but they plan on getting a new one in soon.

“We have also been pleased about the teachers that have brought classes down that said that they really had not done that much…”

We asked her about the new technology and books that are in the library this year, and she says that there is “nothing is new technology wise, but we are getting more graphic novels in.” As many of you know, graphic novels are nothing but comic books: a quick read with illustrations along with the story. “In our society today,” she comments, “where everything is fast paced, you can get into a story and not spend a lot of time visualizing and coming up with [images] if you don’t have the time to do it, yet if that is a route you want to go to, you can.” These graphic novels are from the 2015-2016 collection as the 2017-2018 collection has not come in as of yet.

The library had cataloged, barcoded and shelved over five hundred books from 2015-2016; these books are ready to check out and read at your convenience; as stated, we are waiting for the 2017-2018 collection. “We have been very pleased,” Ms. Goodman says, “with the number of students that come in and check out our new books, especially our fiction, and they seemed very pleased that we have current titles available and ready for them.” Many books are from contemporary authors and are relatively recent in publication.

To utilize the resources that you are given all you have to do it “come on in, just make sure you have your student ID with you, but if for some reason you forget it or leave it in the car, we will gladly accommodate and look up the patrons, and we can check books out that way.” Ms.

Goodman comments that they are very open about their resources and will help in any way they can, all students have to do is ask.

“Our expectation is that you are here to learn and we are going to help you do it with whatever it takes.”

Some fun facts about Ms. Goodman are: she considers herself as a “public library patron” that doesn’t have enough room or money for all of the books she wants, her favorite genre is mystery, every book is her favorite—but The All Souls Trilogy trumps them all—along with book is the author, and “this is [her] 48th year to be [with] education in Corsicana ISD, and [she is] a 1965 graduate of Corsicana High School,” twenty-five of those years go toward the GT programs. She strives to make sure that every student finds comfort in the library rather than having it like an ordinary classroom with four walls that close in during a test or important assignment.

“My favorite part about the mysteries is seeing if I can figure out who did it before it’s revealed; I really prefer an author that surprises me.”

Ms. Goodman and Ms. Betts—who I was unable to interview—are there to help students and teachers in more ways than checking out books. I do, however, suggest you go and see what’s there; you might find something life changing.