OUSD Featured Library: Cleveland Elementary
Karen Papais worked to reopen the library as a parent volunteer just before winter break in 2022 and was officially hired that January once the position was created. She’s been there for the past 3-½ years. We interviewed Karen about her work at Cleveland Elementary.
What do students call you?
Ms. Papais. Like the fruit (papaya) with an SSS sound at the end.
What is something you’d like folks to know about your library? What makes it unique?
Cleveland Elementary School is a very special place. The community is tight-knit with many different cultures represented, and the campus is small, so everyone crosses paths often. The library isn’t a separate room, but instead consists of 2 separate open spaces (surrounded by hallways) that have been transformed into the libraries with the help of strategically placed shelves. When I started the library reopening process, I had to rebuild the library culture, because books were just being taken off shelves, as there is no door to lock, or walls to hide them. The libraries are small which makes them cozy and intimate (and sometimes crowded!). We try to schedule library visits around music classes and lunch times, because without walls, the noisy surroundings can be challenging at certain times of the day.
What is your favorite thing about working at Cleveland Elementary’s library? How do you see it enriching students’ education?
I can never decide whether it’s the kids or the books themselves that bring me more joy. I feel so lucky that I get to read to the kids. I try to instill the love of books in the students so that they associate reading with love and joy and will be motivated to keep learning to read.
What are some of your favorite books to share with students?
My students are very diverse in their interests and reading levels and I love asking what they already like to read and finding something similar they haven’t discovered yet. My favorite feeling is when a student falls in love with a new book or series I’ve recommended. A few of my go-to reada-louds that never fail to engage the young kids are: The Nian Monster by Andrea Wang, My Lucky Day by Keiko Kasza, Baby Goes to Market by Atinuke, I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen, Guji Guji by Chih-Yuan Chen, and any book about kids names.
Why are school libraries important to you?
To me, libraries have always been more about the thrill of discovery and the joy of stories for young children. I used to get so excited to bring home a pile of library books and get lost in them when I was little. As I got older, the library became a safe space to explore things I’d never been exposed to before, and it represented freedom of information. This information access isn’t as relevant for our youngest elementary students, but if they develop an understanding of the library as a safe place and they learn to love reading and discovery, the access to information will be waiting for them as they grow. I also see libraries as a significant in offering students windows into other cultures and experiences (expanding their capacity for empathy and compassion), as well as providing mirrors where kids see themselves or their own experiences in books and thus feel seen, heard, represented, and valued.
Tell us about your journey to working in the library.
My previous career was in graphic design, but I left the industry to give my eyes a rest from screens all day. In college, some of my favorite jobs were working in libraries, and some of the most meaningful were the ones where I worked with children. After moving to California, I dabbled in a few creative ventures and then was fortunate enough to stay home with my daughter when she was young. We read piles and piles of books and I was inspired to start taking classes in children’s book publishing and began writing children’s books. When she entered Kindergarten, I was ready to return to full-time work, and while looking around, I offered to lead the parent volunteers to reopen the Cleveland library. Then the position was officially created and I stepped into it as I started classes for my certification as a library tech.
What do you remember about your school library?
I have this one joyful memory of piling with my classmates into a teeny tiny one-room library with lots of beanbags and drinking chocolate milk while the librarian read Tom Sawyer in a loud funny voice and made us all laugh.
What are YOU reading now?
I like to balance a good realistic fiction drama with non-fiction memoir or something that will challenge my mindset, such as books about creativity or habits. I’m currently enjoying novels by Liane Moriarty. They are fun because she’s good at getting inside different characters’ heads. And it’s a hilarious wake-up call when I catch a character thinking something ridiculous the same way I would.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I love to take nature walks and listen to music or audiobooks. I have lots of creative interests including writing, pottery, and painting. I dance and sing to make my daughter laugh or roll her eyes. Anything related to art, books, or nature tends to make me pretty happy.