Why did it take me so long to figure this out? Perhaps it was a fresh perspective in a different building with an even more diverse population of kids that made me realize 1.) I don't have the room to decorate as I have done in the past; 2.) Some months are busier than others, and it is hard to change out decorations every 3-4 weeks, and 3.) The holiday decorations reflect those that I celebrate.
I try to be diverse, but this group of kids I have at Summit is really opening my eyes to different customs and traditions. I have had some really interesting conversations with students who have lived in Mansfield all their lives to those who recently moved to America from the middle east. It is a true melting pot that works for Mansfield Summit High School.
As I try to make the library neutral so that all my patrons feel comfortable coming to see me, generic/seasonal decorating made sense.
We had a "Welcome Back" display to start the school year.
We also did a sports theme to start the year.
And we rounded out September with a Hispanic heritage display.
As you can see, it is not just about seasons. There is still a little bit of me showing through. At Halloween, we did display our Mystery and Crime books...
but we also had a Fall display.
We decorated for Veteran's Day in November due to the Veteran's Day lunch we had on Nov. 10th.
From there, we went straight to a Winter theme.
I guess we will concentrate on Spring and Summer themes when the time is right. I'm not saying the library will be void of cut out hearts or shamrocks when the time comes because those are my favorite holidays; however, I am trying to be more inclusive when establishing the library environment.
I know the library is not completely neutral, but this year I have become aware of my biases and am trying my best to make the environment welcoming to all. We'll call this a transition phase.
Every day is an adventure!
