Talk to us about the library – how do you use it? how does it feel?

The library is one of my favourite spots in the school. I’ve attended Meadowridge since Grade 8, but it wasn’t until Grade 11 that it became a place I visited every day. The Diploma Programme (DP) is a large jump from the Middle Years Programme (MYP). The courses are harder, you need to study more, and there’s more research required. At lunch, almost everyone in my grade would pour through the doors trying to get to our spots – some of us a place that was by quiet and by ourselves, others more open and with our friends. The best use of the library must be right before a math test when everyone is scrambling to work out the last problem or rushing to check an equation with a friend. The library is our preferred study spot because it is comfortable, quiet, and organized and the individual rooms are especially helpful when you need to focus.

How has the library supported your learning?

With resources and with staff, the library has supported me during my many years of learning at Meadowridge. The teacher-librarians are always enthusiastic to help and will try every solution to find the right resource for you. To be honest, I rarely borrow physical books from the library, but the online Library Catalogue has been my go-to. Although the websites were a little hard to use at first, they offer high-quality, academic sources that you know will pass the works cited test.

How did the library support you during the Extended Essay?

The library and its resources were especially helpful during the Extended Essay (EE). The library provided a physical place to meet with our supervisors, while the librarians helped with a research workshop that became the backbone of our 4,000-word papers. Due to the academic nature of the EE, it is a requirement for all sources be peer-reviewed. This could be a hard requirement to meet if you are simply searching for random articles on Google, but much easier if you do your research through the Meadowridge Library. Mrs. Storgaard was particularly supportive. For my own research, I wanted to read a study conducted by a university, but needed a special account to access it. Mrs. Storgaard offered to contact the university and other library to help me access it.