Envisioning the Library’s Future

By Jennifer Boudrye, Director of the Audrey Bruce Currier Library

A study space. A gathering place. A knowledge base that fosters academic excellence. With its vast resources and central location on campus, Audrey Bruce Currier Library is truly the “heart of the School” at Foxcroft, and it is important to note that the value of this Library extends well beyond the books and the dynamic space itself. This is especially true during this time of distance learning.

Great libraries provide a venue for students to gather, collaborate, discover, explore, create, and learn. The foyer of Currier Library welcomes the Foxcroft community and visitors, encouraging them to experience the School’s rich culture and history through everchanging displays from our extensive archive collection. But the archives are not just collections that stay behind glass. Throughout the year, teachers and librarians collaborate to incorporate these rich resources into the curriculum. Students, too, are encouraged to use these primary sources and often browse through pictures to discover how girls dressed and what activities were popular “back in the day.”

The bright central area on the main floor of the Library, with its stunning spiral staircase, is an inviting setting for our community to gather for Morning Meetings, guest speakers, and group conversations, while smaller groups may choose the Library Classroom or Goodyear Room to meet or study. Students collaborate around tables and on sofas throughout the Library, and there are plenty of quiet spaces for reading and reflection.

With ubiquitous access to ever-increasing amounts of information at our fingertips, digital literacy skills are an essential component of the library program. We work with teachers to design learning experiences that hone students’ skills in inquiry, evaluation, and critical examination of information while emphasizing the importance of privacy and appropriate, ethical use, and creation of information. Established routines utilizing online databases and curated resources mean that as students pivot to distance learning and researching from home, they continue to access appropriate resources. We have also established one-to-one librarian assistance via Zoom to support our students.

Inspiring and promoting a rich culture of literacy is a fundamental aspect of Currier Library. The book collection is extensive and it is essential that we provide access to up-to-date, high-interest materials in order to meet the academic and personal needs and interests of the Foxcroft community. Distance learning has created a unique opportunity for the Library staff to carefully analyze the collection to ensure that a balance of diversity, perspectives, and genres are available in a variety of formats.

Literature has the power to help students develop awareness and empathy, and we are committed to curating diverse, inclusive, and accessible collections. We promote student agency to discover and create across media formats and platforms often utilizing literature as windows, mirrors, and sliding doors to learn about and experience myriad cultures and perspectives. We can see that digital books and resources have become a vital link to support students and staff in discovering and sharing information and stories during distancing.

To maintain the historic integrity of the collection, we are exploring options to digitize some materials which will increase accessibility to books, as well as other audio and visual media that students may not otherwise discover. Our commitment to developing the digital archive collection ensures that many of these resources will be available even when students are learning from home. In addition, we are actively curating a “Foxcroft Collection,” which will highlight books that feature Foxcroft through authorship, content, or connection.

Looking ahead we will continue to balance the rich history of Foxcroft and Currier Library, great literature, and everevolving technology and information. As the needs of the community change, during the pandemic and beyond, so too will the resources housed in Audrey Bruce Currier Library. •