The student newspaper of, by, and for Ames High School.

The WEB

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The student newspaper of, by, and for Ames High School.

The WEB

The student newspaper of, by, and for Ames High School.

The WEB

Media Center

Since the age of time, at the end of the main hallway in this desert that we call “school”, the Media Center served as an oasis. Whether you wanted to print a paper, read a book, or just hang out with your friends, the Media Center allowed an average student to accomplish all of this in one mere study hall. “I like going into the Media Center because it provides a nice working environment, plus the cafeteria is cold,” junior Carrie Packer said. In the winter when it is too cold to go out into the courtyard and as always, too cold to work in the cafeteria, the ideal place for students to go during their study halls is, of course, the Media Center. However, changes to the Media Center were surely put into place along with all of the other changes made by the new administration. Most noticeably, the absence of the beloved Mr. Gelhaus, who frequently handed out candy to students. With the number of students in the Media Center as well as the the need for a place to prep for finals increasing simultaneously, many students encountered these changes in a negative manner. As the librarians and other staff are set on performing a coup upon the once-student friendly Media Center, tensions between students and the Media Center staff have peaked. Juniors Carrie Packer and Hannah Nelsen are two of the many students that have experienced difficulty with the changes. “The new administration trusted the librarians to do their job as they did in the past, but this year they are more anal about everything,” said Nelsen. “I didn’t really take notice of them until this year.” One of the main changes is that students are excessively reminded that the Media Center is the place for “quiet study”, and if you aren’t being completely focused on working, you are to go to the cafeteria. “I’ve been told twice by the same librarian to leave while I’m ‘not working’ because she is getting paid to work in a quiet environment,” said Packer. Librarians have also been frequently accused of not performing their jobs, and value themselves and their work over the students’ work and freedom. “One time, me and my friend were working on homework while quietly having a conversation. A nearby librarian told us we needed to leave because she did not approve of what we were talking about,” Nelsen said. “It’s insulting and made me really angry that that was held against us.” Packer and Nelsen agree that the lack of respect given to students by the librarians gives them no reason to respect them in return. The Media Center has indubitably become a less favorable place for students to go to work. The new administration will have to consider reverting its rules back to its norms in order to ensure the continuation of a successful Media Center. “I’d like to see exactly what librarians are getting paid for before they shove it in my face,” Packer said. “ Without us students, they would have no job.”

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