News – Sheridan Media
As reading and literacy are important parts of what schools are focusing on teaching, the Clearmont School library has been going through some changes. Most of the old books are gone, but the shelves are filling up again with newer books.
At the August 13 board meeting, the board heard from Zachary Smiley, Branch Coordinator from Sheridan County Fulmer Library, who attended the meeting and talked about what they planned to do bringing books into the school.
This is coming to fruition; Justin Hansen, who works at the SCSD#3 library, described what is happening in the new school library room. He said with the partnership between the school and the Fulmer Public Library, there will be a rotating selection of books for student reading and along with books that will support the teacher’s curriculum.
If the students are studying the Civil War, these reference books can be requested from the SCFPL. In this way, the school can have a large selection of reference books, without having to purchase them.
He added that the center of the room would be opened up with tables for study groups and a reading corner will be added. “We’ll get some furniture and nice stuff in here to make it a more inviting environment.”
He said the books will be in the school library for quite a while, giving the students time to check them out. He said when they get everything set up, they can began cycling the books, moving out the ones that have been checked out, or those that the students showed no interest in and replacing them with new ones.
He said he ran a report on what was in the school library before, and some of the books had not been checked out for ten years. “Its not up to me to decide what kids want to read, but I need books in here that kids will want read, and be interested in.”
If a student has a favorite author, they can request it from the Sheridan Library and even put a hold on the book at no charge. With this new system and having the books rotate from Sheridan will give the students a wide range of reading materials in the school.
Students can also use the Clearmont Branch Library,
Hansen said they are working out a system where at some point, he can take kids over there earlier in the day. But, for elementary library has always been at the end of the day.
If a student has a favorite author, they can request it from the Sheridan Library and even put a hold on the book at no charge. This change can open up the entire Wyoming state library system to Clearmont students.
With the new system and having the books rotate from Sheridan, it is giving the students a wider range of reading materials in the school.
More Like this
Last modified: November 29, 2025