New Inter-Library Loan (ILL) program at PHS broadens access to books

As the new school year begins, the halls of Puyallup High School are buzzing with excitement, and for good reason—our brand-new library is officially open and ready to welcome eager readers. But the journey to this moment was an adventure, and we're not quite closing the book on this story yet.

Over the summer, the PHS library underwent a significant transformation as books were relocated from their original home due to the closure of the PHS Library Science building. While PHS retains a selection of library books on-site, the remainder of our literary treasures found new homes in neighboring high schools, with the lion's share finding a place at Rogers High School.

Our long-term plan is to replace the Library Science building with a new one as part of a master plan for the PHS campus. As thoughtful stewards of tax-payer funds, we decided against investing in costly repairs for multiple systems that were failing within the building, amounting to millions of dollars in estimated repair costs. To compensate for the space loss, we will add six classrooms using three double portables on adjacent vacant property. This solution benefits our school community and accommodates additional student spaces during future construction and projects.

September launched an exciting initiative—an electronic library ordering system known as the Inter-Library Loan (ILL) program. This program will broaden access to books beyond the confines of PHS, benefiting all PSD High School students. The ILL program represents a clever and cost-effective strategy to expand our library's book collections while minimizing the need for duplicate copies. If one high school already possesses multiple copies of a particular book, there's no need for another school to make redundant purchases; these resources become accessible to all PSD High School students through ILL.

In our current Destiny Library System, students have the power to search for a book. If it's available on-site, they can check it out immediately. If not, they can place a "hold" and specify a processing time. The requested book then embarks on a journey, traveling from the library to the student's school via rolling totes transported by our Food and Nutrition trucks. Once the book arrives, the Librarian notifies the student for checkout.

Our primary goal is to ensure all students have easy access to the district-wide library book collection, aiming to boost engagement among readers of all kinds. In addition to a larger collection of reading materials, the new library's strategic location next to the lunchroom ensures that books and the assistance of our library staff are more visible and readily accessible to everyone.

Maintaining our learning spaces is an important part of Puyallup School District’s budget, especially with growing student enrollment and increased use causing increased wear and tear on district buildings. PSD’s capital budget, responsible for major maintenance, renovation, and construction projects, is set to run out by 2026 unless we secure additional bond or levy funding. 

Learn more about our Capital Budget at https://bit.ly/3KGR4Nb

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