Across every LASD campus, our library specialists cultivate welcoming, dynamic spaces that blend literacy, technology, and creativity. From the first days of Transitional Kindergarten through 8th-grade promotion, students build skills that extend far beyond reading:

• Developing joyful, independent reading habits
• Learning research and digital literacy skills
• Practicing critical thinking
• Exploring creativity through games, makerspaces, and student clubs
• Discovering stories that reflect and expand their world

Thanks to funding from the Los Altos Educational Foundation (LAEF), our school libraries remain staffed, expertly curated, and deeply integrated into classroom learning.

"Strong school libraries build strong students. Librarians support students in academic achievement, literacy, and lifelong learning.”
– AASL, a Division of the American Library Association

Library specialists help students develop a passion for reading, investigate topics that interest them, and foster a love of learning. Students who read for enjoyment will be on their way to becoming lifelong readers. An added benefit is that they will improve their writing skills and vocabulary. 

“I have only just started here at Covington, and already the library is my favorite place. I love it so much!” – 4th-grade student

Library specialists teach students to use information and technology to answer questions, solve problems, and increase understanding. 

Each elementary school library specialist is in a unique position of interacting with every student throughout their TK-6th-grade school journey, seeing them grow as readers. Our school libraries are open every day at lunch and recess. Students can check out books, enjoy a community space to hang out, deepen friendships, form student clubs, engage in makerspace projects, and create art.

TK-4th graders visit the library with their class weekly. 5th-6th graders visit the library with their class 2-4 times a month, sometimes focusing on special projects.  

Junior high school libraries are open all day, including brunch and lunch, and for an hour after school on Monday through Thursday. Classes like English occasionally come to the library for projects, and books supporting the curriculum are displayed or brought to classrooms.
 

Cultivating a Lifelong Love of Reading

Elementary library specialists across the district:

• Craft and teach engaging library lessons
• Guide students in finding “just-right” books that spark excitement
• Introduce exciting and award-winning books
• Create themed displays and reading challenges
• Host author visits and literacy events that energize entire campuses

The result? LASD libraries are consistently among the most beloved spaces in our schools.

Preparing Students for a Digital Future

LASD library specialists teach our students grade-appropriate research skills - whether it’s for 2nd-grade animal reports, 3rd-grade impactful people reports, or 6th-grade and beyond.
 
Students learn how to 

• Access and search the LASD Library catalog from anywhere to search for books and write and post book reviews
• Utilize the Santa Clara County Public Library's portal to 
  • Check out ebooks/audiobooks 
  • Research topics on digital databases
  • Receive homework help/online tutoring

Students don’t just consume information—they learn to find, analyze, and create it.
 

A Powerful Return on Investment (worthy of your support)

LAEF funding helps ensure:

• Dedicated library specialists at every school
• Access to digital resources and databases
• Innovative programming that supports district curriculum goals
• Warm, accepting spaces where students can pursue their interests and find community 

The impact is measurable—in reading engagement, academic confidence, and equitable access to resources for every child.

Perhaps most powerfully, the impact is emotional:

• A TK student falling in love with the library.
• A student discovering their first favorite series.
• A reluctant reader asking for “just one more chapter.”
• A 6th-grader confidently presenting research they’re proud of.

LASD libraries are more than rooms filled with books—they are vibrant learning hubs where curiosity is sparked, community connections are forged, and lifelong readers are born.

Our LASD library specialists are passionate about their jobs. They are educators, collaborators, and champions of literacy. But beyond that, they create inclusive environments where every student feels seen, supported, and inspired. Just ask our students!

“I like how you read us stories in different voices. It makes me feel like I fell into the book.” – 2nd-grade student

“Thank you so much for being not only my teacher, but my friend” – 6th-grade student

Thank you to those who've donated to LAEF this school year to help fund our school library specialists.