You won’t hear ‘shhhh’ in Central's library

The old idea that libraries should be quiet enough to hear a pin drop doesn’t work for Lisa DiChiara. The Central High School librarian believes it should be a place where students and teachers gather to share ideas, work together and, yes, make a little noise as long as a little learning is taking place.

There was plenty of noise there on April 17 for Bring a Book to Life Day, an annual event at Central to celebrate National Library Week. Teachers shared with students passages from their favorites books and discussed how they incorporate reading into their daily lives.

DiChiara has been hosting the event in the library for nearly 20 years, and said it is something the teachers and students look forward to. She explained that the purpose of the event is to encourage the students to read more outside of school. After last week’s presentation, several students took out books that were recommended by their teachers.

Special education teacher Jennifer Buonagurio shared “Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn with a group of sophomores. She read it over the summer and described its as the type of book that would make someone want to read another.

“I want the kids to know how important reading is,” she said. “It’s another way to increase their opportunities.”

Buonagurio said that there are so many electronic gadgets to distract students from reading, but they can’t forget how crucial the skill is. She wanted them to understand that reading can be fun and actually make a difference in their lives.

Cristina Canle, an English teacher, has been taking part in Bring a Book to Life Day for more than a decade. She read to two groups of students, sharing “Divergent” by Veronica Roth.

Canle said she selected that book because students can relate to the subject. Among the themes the book deals with are choosing sides and being left out, issues that are not unfamiliar to high schoolers.

She made her presentation lively, which Canle said is important in being able to reach students. “You have to connect with them,” she said. “You have to speak to them, not at them.”

English teacher Justine Chan used music, pictures and her own personal experiences when presenting the book “The Dragon Can’t Dance” by Earl Lovelace. She said that Central has a large West Indian population, and the book is one of the few out there which relates to them.

Chan said she has taken part in the event every year since 2001 and looks forward to the interaction with the students. “I enjoy opening up their eyes to books that they don’t have to read in class,” she said.

Buonagurio added that the day puts teachers in a different light. “Students always like to see their teachers beyond the classroom,” she said. “They get to see another side of their teachers.”

For National Library Week, DiChiara also had a workshop for teachers about eBooks that are available at the school.

DiChiara said she enjoys the chance to celebrate the importance of Central’s library media center every year. She said it is a place where much happens on any given day. Students come there to do homework, do research, debate topics and work together on projects. Teachers use the brand new computers and SmartBoard for in-school field trips and the Languages Other Than English department displays cultural artwork there.

Put all that together, she said, and it’s hard to keep the library quiet. But she wouldn’t want it any other way.