Blandford librarian takes the lead in school, library collaboration

Oct. 7, 2020 | Amy Porter
amyporter@thewestfieldnews.com

Porter Memorial Library Director Nicole Daviau with “Boxbots,” new programmable robots for elementary and middle school students, available for one-week loans.
Reminder Publishing photo by Amy Porter

BLANDFORD – Porter Memorial Library Director Nicole Daviau, who is also an assistant librarian for Gateway Regional High School, is bringing together Gateway students, the school library and community libraries in the six district towns in a unique collaboration.

Daviau explained that there are public libraries in each of the Gateway towns of Blandford, Chester, Huntington, Middlefield, Montgomery and Russell. “All have unique collections and spaces, but not all are (currently) open to the public.”

As an assistant librarian at Gateway, Daviau is able to connect the libraries together using Google Classroom, enabling students to get their public library cards digitally.  She has made a video of herself explaining the opportunities at local libraries, and is working on creating video tours of the libraries in each of the towns.  To date, she has completed the tours of Blandford, Chester, Huntington and Middlefield, and will do Montgomery and Russell next.

Porter Memorial Library in Blandford is also in the C/W Mars network for interlibrary loans, which has access to 150 libraries and 1.8 million items.

Students may request a library book virtually through an online form in Google classroom.  The books will be pulled from the school library, their town libraries, or through the C/W Mars network, which she said may also be used by teachers to obtain books for a whole class to read.

“Because of the size of their collection, we can give students and teachers whatever they need,” Daviau said.

C/W Mars sends orders weekly, and Daviau will be making weekly school deliveries of all the books that are ordered to Gateway and Littleville and Chester elementary schools, where students will be able to pick up their public library book or school library book. When hybrid school is happening she will go into the elementary school to pull the book requests every Friday. Book requests will be made by elementary school students on Wednesdays.

“The opportunities for using town libraries, in conjunction with C/W Mars, provides our students with a wide range of research capabilities, the ability to access reading materials, and the opportunity to work with a librarian during this unprecedented time where students are attending school in a combination of in-person and remote learning,“ said Gateway Regional Superintendent Dr. David B. Hopson.

“This has been a wonderful outreach from a local town library to our students from all six towns in the Gateway Regional School District,” Hopson added.

“I wanted the library to be truly accessible. Finding a book and getting it should never be a burden,” Daviau said, adding that all of the libraries are excited to participate. “Right now, people are isolated and it’s important for libraries to show that networking and connections can still be made and maintained even in our difficult times.”

During the shutdown, all of the town librarians have been working on building their collections, “doing what they were supposed to do,” cleaning and making sure they were ready for the public. “Even though the buildings were closed, librarians have still been very much at work,” Daviau said.

Porter Memorial Library has been open for curbside service since June 1, and prior to that served as a Wi-Fi hotspot in Blandford, which is still waiting for broadband service to be completed. Part of the curbside service included new tables and chairs on the lawn.

“People have been sitting out on the chairs, or in the parking lot to access the internet. We also have chromebooks for people to use.”  She said the Wi-Fi has been an invaluable resource available even when the library is not open

Porter Memorial Library was also one of the first libraries to open its doors to the public on August 24. Masks which cover the nose and mouth are required, as well as physically maintaining social distancing and supplying hand sanitizers.  Any book or item that is touched is quarantined.

“We are obeying all of the local health guidance, working closely with the public health department. The community is so happy, they are being careful to obey the restrictions,” Daviau said.

On Oct. 3, Porter Memorial Library added Saturday open hours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Nineteen people came in for the first open Saturday since the pandemic began.

The library is also offering new programs for children.  “Box Bot” stem kits offer programmable robots for one week lending to elementary and middle school students to learn the basics of coding.  The program was funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.

“Dash,” the robot for kids in first grade and up, can be programmed to say hi, chase your cat and play hide and seek, Daviau said.  It can also be programmed to play a xylophone and make music. Middle School students can program “Cue” with personality traits as well as give it a sense of humor. “It’s all about how to code, from the basics to advanced,” Daviau said.

Another brand new program, “1,000 Books Before Kindergarten” is geared to the youngest readers and their parents. When families sign up, they get a card for keeping track of books read and receive a brand new book. Children also receive bookmarks and stickers for every milestone.  

Daviau said she is motivated to get younger kids and their families invested in the community, and turning local for so many things, including books.

Daviau is fully certified by the State of Massachusetts in Special Training in Basic Library Techniques, a qualification to be a Library Director for towns with a population under 10,000.

She holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in fine arts and is currently pursuing a Master of Library Science degree at Simmons University.

She has been invited to make a formal presentation of her pioneering project with the school and the town libraries at the Massachusetts Library System’s “Small Libraries Forum” in November.

“Libraries are an essential component of the community. To be able to be open is a privilege for us right now,” Daviau said.

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