As we entered Meadowlark School in Erie, Colorado, we were greeted by several eighth grade students and Marnie Steele, Curiosity Coach and Teacher Librarian. Amy Bahlenhorst, Research Analyst for Library Research Service, and I followed them up a wide staircase as they chatted cheerfully. You couldn’t miss the Curiosity Center, as each letter of the name was posted large and vibrant over the windows that helped light up the space. Inside, shelves of books circled the tables, beanbags, and benches where students gathered, and the popping colors and careful layout gave the entire place an open, welcoming feel. We didn’t have long to take it all in before we were sitting down with the eighth grade students that had offered to talk to us before taking off on a field trip. “What would you miss if the Curiosity Center didn’t exist?” we asked them. “Everything!” one student responded immediately. This answer was quickly followed by students chiming in with “books,” “community,” and “a place just to chill,” but throughout the rest of our visit we heard about so much, from coding to cockroaches, that it was easy to understand why “everything” was the first response that came to mind.
Book Joy and Beyond
As the eighth graders headed out, our attention turned to the class of second graders that were receiving instructions for an end-of-year raffle. They were asked to write their name on the raffle tickets and place them in the cup next to the books or posters on display around the Curiosity Center that they would like to win. This raffle was an incentive to clear their accounts before the end of the year. After the students dispersed to fill out their tickets, Ms. Steele made sure to connect with a student who had not returned all their books yet to kindly let her know that she would help sort it out so this student could participate soon.
As the second graders finished up the activity, Ms. Steele played (per request) “The Fate of the Librarian” music video on a TV. This viral music video is a parody of a pop song, “The Fate of Ophelia” by Taylor Swift, that she co-created with her students a few months ago. “How many views does it have now?” one student asked excitedly, and Ms. Steele reported that it had more than 600,000 views! Later, Ms. Steele told us how the words to the refrain popped into her mind the first time she heard “The Fate of Ophelia” and explained:
I think when you’re authentic about it, it works, right? . .. . like the music video, it’s so silly and kind of ridiculous, right? . . . But I think it’s authentic. I think you can sense the joy when you watch it. You can see the kids, you can tell that I’m passionate about what I do and I’m okay with putting myself out there. I mean, that has just connected with people and clearly because people keep watching it, and I’m just floored by that. I’m like, oh my gosh, think of all these people who are seeing this library and celebrating books.
The second graders were enraptured, and you could tell that they had watched it many times as they danced and sang along to every word. It was an absolute joy to witness.
Ms. Steele only gets 20 minutes with each class, so before we knew it, the second graders were on their way out the door, and third graders were gathering in the Curiosity Center eagerly anticipating the day’s raffle activity. During this time, we also had the opportunity to speak to fifth and sixth grade book club participants. At first, only a couple of students came up to introduce themselves but as we began chatting, several more joined until we had a table full of students excited to tell us what they love about the Curiosity Center and Ms. Steele.
Through the many special moments students shared it’s clear that Ms. Steele strives to make sure every student feels welcome in the Curiosity Center and finds an activity or genre that speaks to them. “She’s thoughtful about the books she picks for book club,” one student told us. “There’s backup books,” in case a book isn’t a good fit for a student. Ms. Steele “gets you out of your comfort bubble of only reading certain books,” another student explained. But Ms. Steele says, “If you don’t like a book that’s okay, but you should still try it,” added someone else. “I love all the books that she chooses!” a different student exclaimed. One book club member even told us, “I don’t think I would read at all if it weren’t for Ms. Steele.” When asked about their favorite memories from the Curiosity Center, one student shared, “When she helps you pick what to read, and it’s the best book ever!”
Later in the day, Ms. Steele also spoke to us about her philosophy around guiding students’ book selection, explaining how this year she encouraged students to read different genres by running a Read the Rainbow activity. Each genre was assigned a color, and students earned extra raffle tickets by reading books from different genres. “What’s the worst that will happen if you don’t like a book?” Ms. Steele pointed out. “They can return it and choose a different one.” She also explained that she wants students to feel comfortable forming their own opinions about each book even when those opinions differ from that of their friends’ or even her own preferences:
I think for me modeling that – “Hey, guess what? This is my preference, but I’m open to trying these new things. Just because I love this book doesn’t mean you have to love it.” And so I really do try to encourage that.
Additionally, Ms. Steele understands that reading isn’t going to excite every student, so she varies her plans each week so all students can find something that captivates them in the Curiosity Center at some point. Art projects, building blocks, and coding all have their own designated weeks, among other topics. Ms. Steele was a science teacher before becoming a teacher librarian, and she weaves her passion for science into the lessons as well. We heard all about Reptiles and Reading – an event where Ms. Steele partnered with My Nature Lab in Louisville to bring in animals, such as lizards and snakes, for students to hold and see up close – and Earth Week when, for the past four years, she brought in Madagascar hissing cockroaches for the students to hold and to celebrate insects, the most abundant and diverse group of organisms on the planet. These experiences clearly left a lasting impression on students and were brought up over and over again when students shared their favorite memories.
A Student-Centered Space
The variety of activities that Ms. Steele facilitates is truly impressive, but what really makes the Curiosity Center special is how she helps students find their own passions. “She knows each of her students,” said one. This is particularly impressive as Ms. Steele teaches over 750 students, from preschoolers to eighth graders. Some students like the personalized help finding books because, as they explained to us, “A computer can’t give you a book recommendation [from] knowing you personally.” But beyond recommending books for students, we also heard from a student who appreciated how Ms. Steele takes the time to teach them “how to actually find the books we want.” The shelves in the Curiosity Center were organized very intentionally to be user friendly for all ages.
Ms. Steele has even involved students in weeding, which is the process of removing damaged and outdated books. She provided slips students could fill out after they read a book to explain why they did or didn’t think the book should be weeded. Students also had the opportunity to participate in the Colorado Children’s Book Awards. Ms. Steele read the nominated picture books to her kindergarten through fourth grade students so they could all join in, pick their favorites, and vote. This past year, she even added a pizza party celebration for students who read at least six of the junior titles. She loves how the CCBAs create so much discussion and energy around books in the Curiosity Center.
It was clear that students are able to open up and be themselves in the Curiosity Center in part because Ms. Steele is so genuine herself. One student described her as “very sciency” then went on to say, “and she encourages us to talk about our passions.” We were also told that, if their teacher librarian wasn’t so excited about topics (like birds, for example) they may not be either – her enthusiasm is contagious. And Ms. Steele fully embraces her “nerdy” interests: “It’s cool to be a book nerd. I think it’s fun. I love it. And I think it’s [about] finding your thing and owning it,” she told us.
The Advice of the Librarian
After Ms. Steele’s first two morning classes wrapped up, we had a chance to sit down and chat with her. One thing she made sure to bring up was the importance of the community she’s found while working with Boulder Valley School District (BVSD):
So we have an amazing group of BVSD teacher librarians. And we meet and we share out. . . It’s a really cool community to have. . . And I think once I really connected to this community and got focused on that it changed everything for me.
In fact, finding a supportive community was the number one thing Ms. Steele would recommend to anyone in a role like hers:
If there are teacher librarians out there that read this article, and they don’t have someone to connect with and partner and collaborate with, that would be my number one thing. Be brave, find someone so that you’re not doing it alone. Because, when you’re doing it alone, it’s really daunting and overwhelming. And it’s still a tough job even when you know people. . . It’s so helpful to find your people that can help support you and you can support them and you don’t feel alone in it. And I think that is huge. And that’s what libraries are about, right? The community.
Ms. Steele has also found community among Meadowlark’s teachers and parents. During our visit we spoke with both a volunteer and an art teacher who both had high praise for the Curiosity Center and Ms. Steele. One of Meadowlark’s art teachers told us that it’s great to work with Ms. Steele. Collaborative student art projects were displayed all around the Curiosity Center. The volunteer in the Curiosity Center who stopped by to speak with us described it as “the place to be!” Throughout our visit a couple of different parent volunteers came in to help shelve books, and Ms. Steele told us that this help is vital:
The other huge thing is really connecting with your parents. I literally have the best parent community. I have over 25 volunteers that come in here on a weekly basis. . . And they help support so much. They help me shelve the books. They help me check out books with kids.
Beanbags and Bright Futures
Meadowlark School opened in 2017, and Ms. Steele has been the only teacher librarian since the very start. She even showed us a picture of the space on her first day when the books were still in boxes. She built the Curiosity Center from scratch while learning librarianship skills along the way. Now she has a Teacher Librarian Endorsement (from University of Colorado Denver) and the State Library’s HESTL (Highly Effective Schools Through Libraries) credentials for Environment, Planning, and Management. In April, Ms. Steele won the Colorado Association of Libraries Distinction in School Library Services Award for going above and beyond to inspire curiosity, foster connection, and support the school community. Her deep belief in this mission is beautifully captured in her May 26th speech at the BVSD Superintendent’s Honor Roll, where she speaks on why school libraries matter so much. This past school year was Ms. Steele’s last year as Meadowlark’s teacher librarian – and what a chapter it has been.
The viral music video, “The Fate of the Librarian,” is Ms. Steele’s most widely recognized accomplishment in her final school year at Meadowlark, as it has delighted and inspired viewers everywhere. But another clear highlight that emerged as we talked to Ms. Steele and her students were the author visits. The idea formed when Ms. Steele visited a local bookstore and asked if they would be interested in partnering with school libraries. Through building relationships and following connections, Ms. Steele has been able to bring in authors such as Jolene Gutiérrez, Audrey Hartman, Neil Sharpson, Dan Santat, and Katherine Applegate. For Sharpson and Santat’s visit, the author and illustrator of the national bestseller “Don’t Trust Fish,” Ms. Steele’s younger students colored “Don’t Trust Fish” signs that they held as they paraded into the room to meet the authors. When you hear her tell the story, you can tell it is a moment that Ms. Steele will always treasure.
As she starts a new chapter in her career, we asked Ms. Steele what her hopes are for the Curiosity Center going forward. She hopes kids will continue to use the space for all sorts of different things and that the book collection stays current and accessible. And she went on to say, “But I think honestly, just the positive experience in here. I think you can feel it. You guys were in here, right? Kids love being in here. I hope kids continue to love being here.” When we asked eighth graders how they feel when they walk into the Curiosity Center the first response was “Happy.” They also described it as a safe harbor, and one student explained how, when they come into the Curiosity Center, “Everything that happened in the day that was bad floats away.”
Clearly students are comfortable in this space, and the beanbags are many students’ favorite spots. “And maybe we need some new beanbags,” Ms. Steele added with a smile, referring to her future hopes for the Curiosity Center.
Those are the favorite place and they’re on their last legs. . . when I survey the kids – “What is one of your favorite things about the CC?” – It’s often “reading on a beanbag.” So hopefully, the next time I come back, they’ll have some new beanbags that the kids can sit on while enjoying some good books.
She also hopes that the joy students experience in the Curiosity Center will leave a lasting impression. Earlier in our conversation Ms. Steele explained:
My hope is that they will have had this positive experience in the library when they were younger so they will know it is a safe, good place to visit when they’re older. Honestly, I think that’s my long-term goal.
This led perfectly into a core question we’re asking throughout the Colorful Colorado Libraries blog series: What is the role or responsibility of this library to the students?
I want it to be where all kids feel safe and welcome and an opportunity to be curious about a variety of topics, right? So whether that’s books this week, or you get to go build, or you get to create this, or learn about whatever topic. I want them to have that space. [It] makes me happy that kids are excited to be here and that they, hopefully, feel seen and they feel valued.
Ms. Steele has clearly done an incredible job helping her students see the Curiosity Center and, by extension, libraries as a trusted resource and a place they will always be welcome. She accomplished this in part through facilitating engaging activities that encourage students to explore what inspires them while being a role-model for celebrating your passions. Ms. Steele is “one of the most trusted adults in the school,” a student told us.
Thank you for reading this chapter of Colorful Colorado Libraries: Stories from our Centennial State. A huge thank you goes to Marnie Steele and Meadowlark School for hosting us and Valerie Mosley, CDE multimedia manager, for the photos. To join the Library Research Service’s Colorado Public Library Data Users Group (DUG) mailing list and receive posts via email, please complete this form.
If you would like your library to be featured in a post please reach out to Sara Wicen at wicen_s@cde.state.co.us. Thank you!