Cy Creek’s library is one of the many areas on campus undergoing new changes due to CFISD’s recent district policy updates.
“It was essentially just the economic funds – or lack thereof, I should say – that caused the situation we’re in now,” District Librarian Susan Seiffert said.
This past year, the board of trustees made several changes to CFISD’s existing policies due to budget challenges from the pandemic and state legislature. This resulted in the decision to halve the library staff and replace them with four district librarians who will manage all CFISD campuses instead.
“It has been a very different year. It’s been very challenging as far as just being on a campus for only one, maybe two days a week,” Seiffert said.
Being a district librarian means rotating between three different campuses within CFISD, and for Seiffert, that means managing Cy Creek, Cy Falls, and Cy Woods. Depending on the week, she may only have a single day to carry out the tasks that particular school needs.
“We still have all the responsibilities of the [administration] side as far as budgets and management. I also have to do what I can to support the library aide, Ms. [Denise] Farish, as much as possible when I’m here at Creek,” Seiffert said. “Those kinds of things have been challenging since I’m only here for such a short amount of time trying to get everything done, while still doing what I love to do – see kids, see classes, and work with them.”
Farish, Cy Creek’s library paraprofessional, spends most of her days on her own when Seiffert is not on-campus, and according to her, adapting to this new normal has created new challenges to work around.
“We’ve had to limit the number of kids in here during lunch. I receive all the kids that have to wait, and there are times when it’s just too busy,” Farish said. “I guess I miss being able to interact on a more on-level basis, being able to ask questions and engage more with the students. I have to just take care of business and be done.”
Despite these limitations, Seiffert, Farish and the rest of the staff have been working to keep the library the same as it has been in the past.
“I would like for it to be the same sort of resource center where people can come in and I’m able to help them as I was before,” Farish said. “I’ve always liked how the library is quiet and can be a place for people to take a little rest and a little break. But I feel that it’s being limited now.”
Senior Nneoma Agbaghara has begun her first year as a student assistant in the library, and has seen firsthand how these changes have affected students and staff alike.
“I just want to be able to help the librarian as much as possible,” Agbaghara said.
Along with being a library aide, Agbaghara is also involved with Cy Creek’s Theater Department, who will be putting together their production of The Secret Garden in the library.
“We’re using what just happened with the budget cuts to kind of make our play feel a little bit more important, and to make the library feel more important,” Agbaghara said.
Even though these new circumstances are difficult to adjust to, the staff’s main goal is to ensure no one else within Creek feels the change.
“I would like both students and staff to not necessarily see much of a difference in the library,” Seffiert said. “I still want the library to be open and available. I still want the kids to feel comfortable and welcomed here, and I still want classes to be able to come in and use the library.”
These changes have certainly impacted how this academic year will go, but the library staff will continue to do everything they can to provide this safe space and promote literacy and learning.
“I’m not going to be able to create the relationships that I loved having as a full-time librarian at one campus, but you’ll still have the availability of the library, the materials, and the environment.”
