After joining the library staff this year, librarian Debbie Sellars has recently announced drastic alterations to library procedures. Due to printer abuse in recent years, the library has decided to return to charging 10 cents per side of the page for black and white prints. In addition to these printing charges, seventh period will now serve as a library-wide study hall for students who seek to do homework and learn.

This decision to charge for black and white prints was not made solely by Sellars but was a joint decision between her and retired librarian Sally Ray. Due to the large volume of printing, printer drums and ink cartridges had to be replaced often, a task made difficult by recent budget cuts and the high cost of equipment. According to Sellars, Ray attempted many times over her 11 years to regulate printing by moving the printer behind the front desk, but students continued to print for purposes other than school. Ray also tracked statistics about printing, which contributed to the decision to charge for prints.

“We had a student that printed 180 pages in one sitting. It was a combination of personal things, some school things and things where the student kept hitting print,” Sellars said. “When we have many students doing this, we can’t support having free printing anymore, especially because it was damaging our equipment and the printers were breaking down. One just went out even though it wasn’t very old.”

Students like senior Paloma Guajardo feel uninformed about new changes and think that charges should only occur past a few pages, like Clark High School allows.

“I feel like a lot of people don’t know about the charges and the library should probably announce something saying we have to pay,” Guajardo said. “Even though it’s not fair about pricing, it makes sense.”

While some question the fairness of the 10 cent charge, Sellars believes that the price is stable and the cost of printing is not expected to rise.

“10 cents is pretty accurate. We just about break even,” Sellars said. “The money goes to the ink cartridges used to support the printing. It’s not really money making for the library but it limits printing to students who are using it for what they are supposed to be doing.”

Although printing charges are not necessarily new, the seventh period study hall has never been tried before. Plano East enforced a similar policy last year, where the number of students in the library was restricted to 50 people. Contrary to the belief that the library only allows 50 people during seventh period, Sellars is testing this new idea and is willing to be flexible with the amount of students as long as they are doing what they are supposed to be doing.

“Way too many students were actually using the library as a place to socialize and not keeping it a place for learning and studying,” Sellars said. “Here are a few examples in the past weeks – students were bringing in and playing their instruments, gamers were bringing in entire gaming systems, groups of six to eight people were in groups playing cards and students were coming in and talking.”

The new sign in asks for the student’s name, student ID number and reason for being in the library. The first day, Mon., Sept. 8, allowed about 75 students to do what Sellars said the library is intended for – to act as a location for students to study and do homework who wouldn’t otherwise do it.

“Students can socialize downstairs in the cafeteria,” Sellars said. “There are tables set up. The students can plug in, play cards and play instruments.”

According to Sellars, the entire administration team, including the principal, sub-school principals, office managers and library staff, met the week of Sept. 1 to ensure successful results for the new policies. Senior Prachi Patel, who studies in the library in the afternoon while she waits for her bus, said she is pleased with the new procedure.

“The library is quieter from having fewer kids and can be used more productively,” Patel said.

Senior Dallas Miata said she dislikes the changes for seventh period library use.

“I don’t like the new study hall because it fills up too quickly and I never get there in time to make the list,” Miata said. “It makes it inconvenient.”

Sellars plans more changes in the near future, including the idea of peer tutoring beginning with the math and sciences. Sellars, who started out wanting to help kids as a counselor, hopes to enhance library experiences in ways by offering book recommendations, hosting book clubs and authors and having sessions to help students improve their writing skills. According to Sellars, the changes that have occurred in the library support her mission.

“I support students first and foremost,” Sellars said. “I want to support the environment that I work in and foster a level of learning and help students get through their last two years of high school.”