School Store & Library Evolution
BY JULIA XIAO '24
Within ABRHS stand two well known institutions: the school store and the library. Adjacent to the main office, the school store’s array of items are available from 8:00am-3:00pm each full-school day. In the floor above, students can be found checking out books, grinding for tests, or just socializing. These two spaces are available to students nearly every school day, and their availability to students of all grades and even staff have made them some of the school’s most popular locations. I spoke with Ms. Rogers, the school store supervisor, and Ms. Secino, the head librarian, for insight into better understanding these institutions’ current roles and impact. How have they changed over time? Are there significant differences between the two?
Common Purpose Neither the school store nor the library exist to earn profit. The store, self-sustaining without a school-given budget, purchases inventory with previous sales, and there is little to no markup on items. Similarly, the library always invests the school-given budget for supplies and books, and any donations from the Friends of Acton Library goes towards student events. Their shared goal is to meet student and staff needs, which may change over time. Structural Organization from Past to Present Back in 1993, the school store was in a closet across from the Stearns Gym. It began out of the student body’s request for basic school supplies: pens, pencils, spiral notebooks and composition notebooks. In a seven-period school day, the store sold candy bars and soda after lunch. In 2003, the school’s front wing was constructed with a space dedicated to a school store. In the past, working at the store was exclusive to National Honor Society (NHS) members. It was almost like an internship as the NHS members actively worked on inventory and pricing. In contrast, being a volunteer nowadays is more accessible, open to everyone with a free period. While most visitors make a quick stop at the school store, people tend to stay longer in the library. How has the library’s structure evolved? Part of its effectiveness lies with an optimization of two sections, active and silent. Ms. Secino, who is in her tenth year at AB, shared that in the past, the silent and group study sections' locations were swapped. Before, visitors were shushed as soon as they stepped in, and the traffic distracted workers. For years now, the layout has been changed towards creating a more welcoming atmosphere. Additionally, the library used to have Dell computers available for public use. They’ve since been replaced by the 1-to-1 chromebooks. A new change this year is the sign-in system. The rationale is that with the library’s growth in popularity, students were sometimes unable to actually work. Especially since the group area is extremely popular, the system is meant to be a pause for students to think if they need to enter the space, or if they should go elsewhere. Although the sign-in rate isn’t 100%, the system is lowering disruptive walking around. Change in Offerings Let’s investigate evolution in the school store’s catalog. Products are carried based on the needs of the students and staff. Offering snacks like hummus and chips, drinks, personal items like chapstick or tissues, and school spirited clothing and merchandise, the school store seems to have it all. Yet, that’s not the entire story. Have you noticed that most foods are relatively healthy? Previously, candy, gatorade, and Arizona tea lined the walls–the store did not have boundaries. Then, in 2010, Michelle Obama implemented the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act towards improving the nutritional quality of school meals and food served to schoolchildren. In particular, Massachusetts mandates the A-List, a document naming every single item that schools are permitted to sell. Each package is under 200 calories. Although the list is restrictive, all products are annually re-evaluated, and the lengthy list is ever-growing (John C. Stalker Institute of Food and Nutrition). A few years after the change in options, the school store started offering online payment options. Ms. Rogers remembers, “students were always asking to pay with the cafeteria code.” However, just as university meal credits are not accepted by outside restaurants or campus stores besides meal halls, the school store couldn’t accept the cafeteria code payment method. Therefore, four to five years ago, Ms. Rogers took the initiative to obtain the Square program, which allows for the usage of credit cards and Apple Pay. In addition, the platform passively tracks the amount of items purchased, whereas the inventory was not tracked in the cash-only era. Ultimately, boasting a higher translation volume than cash, the online payments are received with great popularity amongst the student body, As for the library, Ms. Secino has kindly been offering writing and research appointments that work towards substituting a pre-COVID writing center which shut down due to staffing changes. Additionally, the library is ever-expanding. From the 2020-2021 to 2021-2022 academic years, the collection size grew from 11,873 to 12,266 items. During that same duration, the item per student had a slight increase from 5.7 to 5.8 items per student. Successful or Not & Future Plans A number of reforms make both institutions successful as they self-reflect and adapt. For example, acceptance of non-NHS members is more inclusive, with anyone eligible to gain social and interpersonal skills by manning the cashier, as well as obtaining volunteering hours. The school store has continued to be an ever-changing place. Although the A-List limits selection, new products still come in every so often. In fact, Ms. Rogers discovered the YoDots by Dippin’ Dots at a food show she attended, displaying how the product lineup is flexible. In the past, vendors would sometimes pitch new items such as coconut water, and there would be taste tests. New surveys or taste tests might be on the horizon. At the end of the school year, the library anticipates a summer reading kickoff event. This will include some suggestions from teachers, and the Silver Unicorn and AB public libraries may come in to set up a table for the event. Additionally, figuring out what to introduce is a balancing act, so the library often changes from year to year. A case in point is the craft table. Be on the watch for new initiatives next year! Across my four years at ABRHS, personal experience validates the school store’s and library’s popularity and helpfulness. School is an energy-exhaustive place, and these two places can improve students’ or staffs’ day by providing a boost or comfortable place. While not underrated, they are needed! |