Murray High librarian credits cell-phone ban and library programs with higher book circulation and reading gains

Murray High School librarians reported districtwide growth in student library usage and circulation this year and said the increases coincided with the school’s cell‑phone ban during instructional time. Carolyn Martinez Ross, librarian at Murray High School, told the board that the school checked out more than 10,500 books last year — a 22% increase over the previous year — and recorded about 6,800 library hall passes, a 34% increase for Chromebook-only hall passes and a 52% increase in maker-space use. She said circulation rose for both fiction (about 20%) and nonfiction (about 40%), and that many students who had not previously read were choosing nonfiction and other non-fictional formats that support classroom reading skills. Martinez Ross linked the circulation numbers to broader gains in district testing: she said Aspire (state assessment) reading proficiency at Murray High rose substantially in 10th grade, and while the English department’s work played a major role, library circulation data provided an additional piece of the puzzle. She described a “Get Caught Reading” promotion that earned students small incentive prizes and PBIS points; 138 students had received tickets within the first 11 days of September. Quinn (district staff) and other administrators said hall-pass data allowed the district to gauge student behavior and reading interest more accurately. Board members and administrators thanked librarians and staff for coordinating orientations, maker spaces, and promotional efforts that they said encouraged recreational reading and supported classroom learning.