JoAnn Martinez

Teacher

Our Collegiate Library/Student Union is a unique place. It is not always quiet, as one might expect a traditional library to be...because it is more than that. We do check out books and always encourage reading. As I personally believe, "Books are food for the soul." And we are building our collection nearly from scratch, our students effectively involving themselves through a book drive they initiated before Christmas break! We also offer on-line resources, printing, computers, and chrome books for student use. Additionally, we are implementing a Maker Space program to support the STEAM focus of our campus. But, even beyond all those things, our space is a gathering place for students to exchange ideas, share knowledge, express their own thoughts (both deep ones and not so deep ones); a place to create and study, brainstorm and contemplate...individually or in study groups. Our hope is that our students will feel a sense of ownership, in that it is a place for them, but also a sense of responsibility for the same reason. As part of the collegiate experience, the Student Union is a vital component to the community, independence, and self-discipline we are attempting to develop in our scholars.