The ANHS library experienced a few major upgrades this past year, thanks to the hard work of librarian Ms. Cortez and the new library clerk, Ms. Stauffer. Ms. Stauffer has been putting up decorations in the library since the start of the year, greatly improving the atmosphere of the room.

In an interview with Ms. Stauffer, she identified what she added since her arrival at the school, the reasons behind refurbishing the library, the reactions she has gotten, and the plans for the future.

When asked what she changed in particular with the library, she mentioned the seasonal decorations, such as Halloween-themed spiderwebs and paper cutouts in the fall, Christmas trees and fake snow in the winter, as well as hanging strings of paper flowers for Spring. She mentioned that she “tries to do a monthly theme” to invoke the spirit of each particular season.

Other than the seasonal decorations, Ms. Stauffer has also put up a home decor-inspired welcome wall, fit with wood-printed wallpaper and posters of positive affirmations. Next to this wall, she added a display of book pages cut and folded into intricate shapes, surrounded by leaves, adding a nice, cozy space for students to sit next to.

Ms. Stauffer has also created the Resource Center by the library’s entrance, which provides students with concise and helpful posters and flyers on the most recent events at ANHS, such as College and Career Center meetings or school dances. The Resource Center also contains posters advertising the new school policies such as Wolverine Plus, which are beneficial to students confused about any new information regarding the school.

In the window of the library, there is an artful display of books folded into charming shapes. These were done by Ms. Stauffer and Ms. Cortez over the course of the past school year, and took “anywhere from five minutes to 15 minutes each.” The pieces appear to be very intricate, providing an alluring display for students to enjoy.

When asked why she decided to remodel the library, she made this statement.

“I just thought that the library needed more life in it, to make it a more warm and welcoming place for students to relax and get work done.”

Productivity certainly increases when an individual’s surroundings are comfortable, and the students’ reactions to these new decorations prove it. Ms. Stauffer explained that “some kids are very appreciative of the decorations, but the biggest draw of attention here is definitely the art we display from Mrs. Brown’s class.”

Mrs. Brown, Aliso Niguel’s draw and paint teacher, allowed the library to feature some of her students’ works underneath the main desk, showing off the talent of some of the school’s best artists.

All of these renovations take effort, though, as Ms. Stauffer describes the process:

“It takes a lot of hard work to put the decorations up and to fulfill the plans we have in mind when we also have so much work to do regarding the regular library duties. It requires a balance of work.”

The work done with the library is still ongoing, with new plans for the next school year underway. 

“We are planning on adding an activities center where the computer lab is. We’ll keep some computers, but we want to turn that corner into a space where students can relax before or after school, adding couches, coffee tables, board games and puzzles,” Ms. Stauffer explains.

The library received many great upgrades since the start of the year, transforming it into a welcoming and uplifting place for students to get work done. Future plans show that this transformation will continue, turning the library into a pleasant study lounge for ANHS.