On today's podcast episode, we have Holly Hatton.

Holly is TCA's Middle School library media specialist, but she is much more! Today she talks with us about the fantastic new library space in the MS 7/8 building and how she uses that space to give students a much-needed break in their day.

The new middle school library is for grades 5-8, and it is 3,800 square feet, including a teaching space, library shelves (of course), two collaboration rooms, and a soft seating area that can fit a whole class. It is also the tornado shelter for the Middle School.

While grades 5-6 have a designated library/tech class where they rotate through the library, grades 7-8 have Holly come to their classrooms to promote books and help them with research. However, with the appeal of the new library space, seventh and eighth graders visit the library during their school day.

The Middle School Library has a wide array of resources you would expect, including direct access to an online catalog to the library on their iPads which includes online and print books.

The library also has costumes, props, and even a bubble machine that can be used for lip sync, projects, etc.

The new library doors are right by the outdoor recess fields. Holly wanted to provide an additional location at recess time for students to recharge and reset in the middle of the day. Students can play board games, play cards, do crafts, or sit and read a book on the couches.

Holly notes that some of our middle schoolers are carrying stress and anxiety, and many are just dealing with typical middle school drama of friends or fear of missing out.

She wants to give them a break and peace in their lives. The regulars coming during lunchtime enjoy this time and are empowered and energized from the time in the library.

Part of Holly's job is to collaborate with teachers, help them execute ideas for their classroom, and help them come to life. One example of this is how she helped eighth-grade Bible teacher Chris Thelen put together a father/son dodgeball tournament and a panel of dads with older sons to advise on how to disciple their sons.

This is part of TCA's mission to develop the whole child and to partner with parents.

Holly loves to work with middle schoolers as they move from children to young adults and all that goes along!

Middle School parents can find all library resources on the MS Library Resource Board.