By David Stahler Jr.

Lyndon Institute’s library has evolved over the years. In my time as a student in the late ‘80s, it was limited to the lowest-most level of the school’s basement, reached by a set of stairs descending from the bottom floor of the main building, a space that in earlier decades housed the school’s tiny gymnasium. By the time I returned as an English teacher in the late ‘90s, the library had expanded to include the floor above it, though its main collection still occupied the bottom level. Librarian Dollinda Lund, with her assistant Lynn Santangelo, had worked hard to make the library not only an inviting place for learning and study but a focal point within the school to foster literacy, research, and a love for reading.

Then, in early 2008, disaster struck. On a fateful January night during Christmas vacation when the school was closed, a hot water pipe on the main floor above the library broke. For over 70 hours hot water poured down through both floors of the library. Lund arrived to discover a ruin of stifling steam, soggy furniture, and floating books. The library, along with its entire collection, was more or less destroyed.

In a short time, the school, with the financial help of alums and local benefactors, rebuilt the library, creating a facility bigger and better than before—three full floors, incorporating the spacious top floor with its famous stage and mural of the Parthenon, a conference room on the second floor, and a computer lab and offices on the bottom floor. Collectively, the space was renamed the Elliott Memorial Library in honor of Dr. John Elliott, an LI alum and well-loved physician who had served the community for many years, while the top level was named the Monahan Academic Commons (the “MAC”) in honor of Vivian Rae Smith Monahan.

Not long after the work was completed, Lund retired. Her assistant, Santangelo, helped manage the space for a time before retiring herself, leaving the school without a librarian for the last several years. That is, until this fall with the arrival of Trisha Jackman.

“There’s a lot to do,” Jackman said about her new role. “We’re kind of starting from scratch.”

One of the first things Jackman has done is adopt Follet Destiny as the school’s new library management system (LMS) to manage the collection and has spent much of the semester cataloging books into the new database. Coupled with this has been an effort to expand and refresh the library’s offerings. When most of the school’s original physical collection of books was lost to the flood, many of the original titles were not replaced.

“While there’s definitely a place for online resources, e-books, and audio books, students tend to prefer physical books, and they are still very much the heart of our library,” Jackman said. “We’ve been working on updating our collection, working on getting books that students are eager to read, especially ones that offer more diverse perspectives.”

Physical books may still be students’ preference, but technology has become a key part of every modern library. With the new LMS in place, Jackman is working to provide the LI community with expanded online resources through Follett’s Destiny Discover portal, including new subscriptions to newspapers, online databases, and citation tools—resources that students can access remotely from anywhere on their Chromebooks.

Also on the agenda is reconfiguring aspects of the library’s physical space, replacing some of the more traditional tables and chairs with couches and lounge chairs to encourage a more communal—and comfortable—environment. “We want the MAC to provide a quiet study space students want to spend time in,” Jackman said. This also includes redesigning the bottom two floors, where tables and chairs in some areas have made many of the bookshelves not easily accessible.

One of Jackman’s special goals for the library is to utilize an area in the back of the MAC that in the past has offered Keurig machines for student and staff use. “I would love to have the school open a small cafe in that space, perhaps even have students step up to run it as a business.”

Getting students more involved is an important part of Jackman’s vision. Over the next year, she plans to offer opportunities for students to work as library aides and to host a regular book club and open mic opportunities on the MAC’s homey stage. In the meantime, she’s been introducing students to the library’s new resources through their English courses and collaborating on current event activities with Freshman Humanities classes on alternate Fridays.

As a member of the class of 2016, Jackman is no stranger to LI. She was one of the first group of students to complete LI’s Lyndon Learning Collaborative (LLC) program, which allowed her to complete her studies and graduate early from NVU with a BA in English and Secondary Education. After completing a long-term substitute teaching position at Danville, she stayed on as the school’s librarian and completed her teaching certification at the school before eventually returning to her alma mater. She is currently in the process of completing her Vermont Library Media Specialization certification through a program at UVM, which she plans on continuing to eventually earn a master’s degree.

As for how Jackman feels about being back at LI? “When I think about my experience at LI as a student, what stands out to me is how my teachers made me feel. LI's teachers connected with me first and then inspired continuous education. I feel honored to now call some of those very teachers my colleagues. In the library, I hope to give students the same feeling of connectedness by creating a welcoming environment where students are represented and have equitable access to information, resources and a diverse collection of literature.”

Nearly one semester in, Jackman seems well on her way to doing so.

Caption: Pictured here is the Monahan Academic Commons, the top floor of Lyndon Institute’s Elliott Memorial Library. The library is now managed by recent hire, librarian Trisha Jackman, a 2016 graduate of LI. Photo by Javin Leonard - Lyndon Institute.