Campion Provides Key Resource for 21st-Century Learning

Campion News recently sat down with one of the new faculty members here on campus—Lindsey Santana—who is working as the librarian at Campion, and discovered some of the exciting changes going on in that arena.

CN: Give us a little background about who you are and your education.

LS: Well I’m certainly not new to Campion! I did a stint of teaching here as the junior English teacher from 2010-2013 and volunteered in the library during that time. While teaching, I was also working on getting my masters in library science (MLIS) online from University of Washington, which I finished in 2012. My husband, Shawn and I have two children, Violette and Caspian ages three and one. We have lived in the Longmont area for eight years now.

Lindsey Santana, Teacher Librarian

CN: I can tell you have a bent for the literary by naming your son after a character in The Chronicles of Narnia!

LS: Yes, I love reading and learning new things constantly!

CN: Which brings me to a question that may seem a bit irreverent to your profession: Since Campion has gone to iPads, is there really any place for books or a future for a library here at the school?

LS: I love it when people bring this up. Certainly there is a transition going on in the library world from the physical concept of books to ones that are digital. There’s also the mentality (especially amongst teenagers) that all you need is Google. But what people forget is that we are living in a world where knowledge is growing at an exponential rate. Virtually anyone can publish now, so that finding reliable, quality information is like trying to find that one drop of water coming out of a running fire hydrant. It’s overwhelming. Especially for students. So that’s where librarians come in—we help you find just the information you need.

CN: I like the fire hydrant analogy. So tell us a bit more about your role as librarian.

LS: I’m working on collaborating with teachers—helping them and their students find the right materials to help support curricular needs. I mentor students in their research and homework needs. I teach information literacy skills to classes that come in for certain projects. I assess and determine how the library collection needs to change and evolve to support the classes offered here at Campion. I champion literacy by helping each reader find his or her book.

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CN: What are you most excited about in regards to your job?

LS: I’m really excited to start implementing a Makerspace here at the Campion Library. It’s a movement that’s growing popularity all over, but especially in libraries. The concept of the movement is simple: get out there and make something. Projects range anywhere from something made using a 3D printer (a technology Campion acquired last school year), learning how to solder, programming robots, building a catapult, knitting a hat, or making a wallet out of duct tape. I want students to learn the satisfaction of making something they dreamed up on their own, instead of just consuming what is so readily available. After Christmas, students at Campion will begin to enjoy Makerspace events probably twice a month. Our first event will involve programming a Sphero (a robot, for lack of a better term) using their phones or iPads. There will be a competition and prizes for winning teams.

CN: That’s awesome! If anyone is interested in coming to these events, what do they need to know?

LS: They will typically be held during the lunch hour, 12:00-1:00, in the library. Look for announcements in the Campion News emails. And if you’re looking for more information, people can definitely email me at [email protected].