Goldsboro High students get chance to pick their own books for library
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on November 15, 2006 1:46 PM
When it came time to pick new books for Goldsboro High School's library, media coordinator Jocelyn Whysall decided she needed some help.
So, she gathered up some students, and headed to the local bookstore.
"Students so often come into a media center and think there's nothing good. So, I'm giving them an opportunity to select books that they and their fellow students would like to read," she said.
Ms. Whysall decided to start with ninth graders and held a drawing to select students to go on the shopping trip. So, last Friday on a day off from school, she and media assistant Mamie Atkinson took the youths to Books-A-Million.
Armed with $107 from the media budget, the shopping cart quickly filled with an assortment of books that would be pared down for the final purchase.
Malcolm Sutton prefers horror books and said he was glad that "We get to pick out the books that we like."
Phontesa Love chose a book on basketball and another that featured different stories about teenagers.
"I just picked out my own books, something that's appropriate for school," she said.
She said she loves basketball but was also trying to think of her fellow students and what they might enjoy having in the school's library.
"A lot of people read. It takes a lot to interest me," she said.
"I'm thinking that I'm not the type of person that really reads and if something catches my interest, maybe others will be interested, too."
Octavius Cox also kept that in mind.
"I love to read. You go to a bookstore and then find a title that clicks in your brain, 'I want to read that book, it sounds interesting,'" he said.
Among the books he chose were one about a boy who loves basketball, another about a girl who returns to her old neighborhood, and one about having a good relationship and finding the right person.
"We're in high school now. For people that are dating people, I thought it would be good for them to read," he said.
Ms. Whysall said the shopping trip was more than a chance to spend money.
"Hopefully this will promote a better sense of ownership of the collection and will stimulate their interest in checking out books and reading," she said.
"It was nice to know that the school gave us money to get what we want for a change," Phontesa said. "That was real good for us."
Ms. Whysall said she hopes to be able to make similar trips with students throughout the year.