The library space is typically viewed as a quiet place. Most libraries are used only for checking out books or studying, but at Ipswich High School, Mrs. Heather Chang has reinvented the library. From new paint to new technologies, the library has changed for the better. We are coining the term “the hub”. “The library is here to help students for whatever they need,” says Chang.

Mrs. Chang is fairly new to the halls of Ipswich High School. She stepped into the position roughly 3 years ago, and hasn’t stopped improving the library since. Not only does it have a fresh coat of green and purple paint, but there is also a newfound interest in the minds of the students. In the past year, roughly five thousand total students from both the middle and high school have signed into the library; During the past month over a thousand students have signed in.“People don’t like signing in,” says Mrs. Chang, “but what the students don’t realize is that it is for their benefit.” Mrs. Chang collects this data to know what’s being used the most and what she needs to get more of.

Mrs. Chang has worked tirelessly to promote the library. “I am totally trying to use technology that kids are happy to use and be interested in,” says Chang. Starting this year Mrs. Chang is running a video production class.  She says, “I think kids would prefer to make a podcast or video project, so I want to be able to give them the equipment and skills they need to succeed.” We asked Hannah Herron, a student in the video production class and producer of Clamtown TV, what she thinks about the new program. “Mrs. Chang has helped many students learn and be successful with video production especially for me because I plan on pursuing a career in video production,” Hannah expressed her gratitude toward Mrs. Chang and all she has done.  Over the course of the past two years, Mrs. Chang has been given two grants where she has purchased video equipment. Her latest purchase was new iPads for student use. She is very excited to introduce this new technology to all the students.

As well as the video production class, Mrs. Chang is offering an open mic program on Wednesdays after school. The program consists of recording your open mic performance and learning how to edit and upload your videos. 

“I do let people eat lunch here,” says Mrs. Chang. This is a fairly new feature introduced to the library. Mrs. Chang is working hard for the library to be used as a place where everyone can be themselves. “I like that students want to come here. I wish that when I was in high school there was a place like that because not everyone is comfortable in the cafeteria.  I hated [it]. I think when I was in high school we had an open campus, so I would leave and go to the store because socially I wasn’t comfortable walking into that environment,” said Mrs. Chang.

It is clear that Mrs. Chang is turning the library into a place everyone can feel welcome. “I feel like it’s becoming the “hub” of the school,” says Chang, “a place for students to go and have a quiet space but also have access to different technologies.” In a way, the library and Mrs. Chang have brought our student body closer together by having this common meeting place.