Kids are saying. . . . 
BEFORE the funding project - statments supporting the need for funding AFTER the funding project - statements illustrating the impact of the funding

  Our school library is a great place to gather information on school projects. It is also a place where I have an opportunity to get books for personal enjoyment. I'm pretty sure, even though I haven't done it, you could use the library to get your grades up. The school library is an important resource and I'm very glad we
have it. Tim R. (middle school student)		  
   
Our school library means means many things to me. An example is a resource for research like I-Search and science research. It also has a variety of books for reading like biographies and fiction. It is also a very productive place to work with the resources at minimal distraction. More books would provide better research, more reading, and more productivity - so getting more books would be an enhancement.
Ammar H.  (middle school student)		  
   
I think the school library is very important and helpful. I think the books and computers are very valuable resources. The librarians are very nice and helpful, too. I enjoy using the Internet computer lab. I think we should take care of our library so that it is here for a long time.
Katherine M. (middle school student)		  
   
The school library means a lot to me because I need a lot of books for my research projects and essays. So if our school library was not there, I would not be able to do my needed research to complete my tasks. So if we get more money for more updated books and references, it will help me and my fellow classmates get better grades.

 Book c1988 = B
  Book c2000 = A+ You should be able to figure out that more money = better books for students. That is why I think we should get more money for students so that they can study and get better grades. Keith G. (middle school student)
 
   
Our school library is a very important place. WE should et newer books because some of the old books are tearing apart. We should also get more updated encyclopedias because we have 1992's and 1997's. We also want more updated encyclopedia CD-ROMS for the computers. We also want new books because we read a lot of books and need new ones to read. We also would like more than one copy so more than one person can check the same book out. So please won't you help us. Heather G. (middle school student)  
   
As a student, I feel our school library is very important to our school. Our library is used everyday by the students for important reasons. Whether it is for research or just to check out a book for enjoyment. The school library could use money to buy updated books and more computers. Also, consider that sine we have about 1400 students in our school, library books get used a lot and worn out. Money would help our library become more updated. Julia T.  (middle school student)  
   
I think that our school library is a big inspiration to our school. This is my opinion because, according to experience our library provides us with various types of sources--one of which are used as research for project like I-Search and some for just enjoyment. Some of the various sources the library give us is CD-ROMS which we can use to get information for research. For example, today I used Encarta to research various items for my project. Also, our library provides us with things like books to read and the Internet to browse. Megan G. (middle school student)  
   
Our school library means a lot to me because it is a place to get books in which you can travel to another time or place. The library is a place where learning is fund. You can get information from books, encyclopedias, CD-ROMS, or the Internet. It is easy to see that the library means a lot to me.
Caitlin S. (middle school student)		  
   
Our school library means a lot to me in many ways. It helps me by giving me something to read for classwork to get points that will higher my grade. The library is always there to help! One thing people don't notice is the wonderful librarians that work there.  Kaylee S. (middle school student)  
   
My school library means a lot to me because at my old school it was so small and didn't have a lot of books to choose from. But this school has many more and they are neat books. I don't like to read, but this library inspires me to read. I'm not exactly sure why, but it just does! The computers are great, too. I look forward to going to the library at this school. Brianna F. (middle school student)  
   
Our school library means a lot to me. We use it for books, computers, and for a place to work on important projects like the I-Search. Otherwise, I would have to do my research as home and that would not be good for me because I don't have many resources. The library has many different resources for information. With our library, research is a piece of cake and I enjoy it. Ashley L.  (middle school student)  
   
My school library means a lot to me. I use the library for many things to help me out on projects, reports, classwork, etc. I use the Internet lab, the books, and also the CD-ROMS. The librarian is very nice and very helpful to me when I am doing my research. I really think our school library needs to be taken into consideration by putting more money into it. Brett N.  (middle school student)  
   
The school library is a place I can go for pretty much everything involving reading, writing, and computers. Whenever I have a project, I can go there to read and do research. I think the library is a great part of school and one should be in every school because it helps kids learn. Timmy W. (middle school student)  
   
My school library is very important to me because at the beginning of the year we used the Internet Lab to find information on oceanography for science class. Now we are using the library for I-Search. It has provided other students and me with information about food and animation.   The library is also important to me because for our South American country projects for World Cultures we got to get crucial facts about the country's religion and foods. I feel without the library we couldn't get information for projects . So with more money to buy books and CD-ROMS would just be important to me, but for other students.
Justin M. (middle school student)		  
   
What my school library means to me is a new world with books and computers that helps me learn about different things and to do research. The school library is extremely valuable with information I need to do work in school. All my research for I-Search has been done in the library and I am almost done all my research. Without the school library and new books, the students learning would not be at it highest point. Chris V. (middle school student)  
   
The library helps get the information we need, but as for reading for entertainment, there isn't too big of a selection. (high school student)   
   
  The computer lab is beneficial to our education. Access to copy machines is great . We need more books and updated encyclopedias!!* (high school student)  
     
  I use the school library to research materials for projects I have in school. I think it is a good library; however, the only improvement would be a larger collection in a wider range of books. (high school student)  
     
  To me the library is a means of research. It is a way of learning about all things, past (books), present (magazines), and future (Internet). (high school student)   
     
  The school library has been a convenient asset to my research and projects; however, if more research materials (books, magazines, etc.) were available, it would be even better. The Internet Lab is also useful, although it could be improved by having faster and non-freezing computers. (high school student)   
     
  The library is the "gateway" to the rest of the world. For example, when I want to read about another country, then I read about it in the library. (high school student)  
     
  The library is a way for me to explore the world without going anywhere. (high school student)   
     
  The library is a great resource to have to fall back on, especially  when I am running low on time for a project. (high school student)  
     
  The library is a highly sophisticated place where books of all sorts are and "all" people can gain an enormous about of knowledge for free (unless you have an overdue book!). (high school student)   
     
  I do research and educate the mind. (high school student)   
     
  The school library helps because it is actually in the building. I don't have to pollute the environment by driving to the public one. (high school student)  
     
 

Students from Lansdowne High School

  • "This is really a library now. the shelves look so nice and new!" 
  • "This is what Iu cal, "informationat yiour fingertips."
  • "Wow! These books for reasearch on endangered species are phenomenal!"
  • "This is super! I can do my entire GPI project using the resources at my school library."
 
  The library shelves are SO FULL! It is fund to come to the library and find new books that no one has ever checked out. There are so many good ones to choose from! (Stemmers Run Middle student)   
 

6th grade students from Ridgely Middle School

  • "The new books that I read are great. The books helped me do research."
  • "The new books on Korea helped me learn about how Korean people live."
  • "The books that we were able to get influenced my ideas. They gave me other point of views."
  • "The new books have been very helpful. I have gotten almost all of my information for my school projects from the new books. I think it was a very good idea to give us the money for the books."
  • "The library's new books help people in school by letting us have more notes to write down for our projects."
  • "I think that the new books were a great success. Thank you so very much."
  • "The new book were very valuable to me because instead of using old books with old information we have new books with new information."
  • "I think the money was worth it because I have found a lot of information on my topic, mostly in the new books."
  • "These new books mean a lot to me because they have been helping me with my I-Search. Also, I have read new books that I have really enjoyed. Some have helped me cope with my feelings about my parents being divorced because that is my I-Search topic, plus my parents really are divorced. Thanks very, very much."
  • "I think the money for the new books was important because they helped me a lot on my research project. Without the new books, I would have been still struggling to find notes. Thank you very much for the money we received from you for the books."
  • "The new books are better than the old books."
  • "The new books have a lot of information that I needed."
  • "I got out the book Clockwork and it was a good one!"
  • "I got a book call Pet Parrots. It looked like it might be for kids, but it really helped with my I-Search."
  • "The new books are really up-to-date."
  • "I like how they had a lot of new veterinary books."
  • "These books have helped me in many ways. I found up-to-date research and good information."
  • "Having all these new books helped me on my research because some facts could be outdated. Also, one book might have new and more information than another book."
  • "I have learned a lot about many things from the new books."
  • "I have gotten information for my science project and my I-Search project. Also, I got to read interesting books."
  • "The new books have helped me on research for projects. I also like to read books that aren't going to fall apart the minute you pick them up."
  • "I like having new books because I like reading them a bit more instead of torn up books. Also, I have read a lost of the old books and like the new books' information."
  • "There seems to be something for everyone."
  • "It's really like going to the public library."
  • "You now have several books by my favorite author."
  • "I don't have trouble picking out a book on the days when my class goes to the library."
  • "The new books have helped me so much on my two reports for school. They have taught me tons of new information."
  • "The books that Ridgely has purchased have been a great help when doing projects
    (Science, I-Search)."
  • "The new books have helped me to find more resources and more books to read just for fun."
  • "I like to read the new fiction books. They don't fall apart as easily. I had to be extra careful with some old ones. The non-fiction books are really helpful with my I-Search and science report."
  • "The new books have helped my a lot with my projects. They are GREAT!"
  • "When I first came to the library at Ridgely, there were NO GOOD BOOKS! Amazingly, the library now has all of my favorite books."
  • "The newer books have more up-to-date information, so they are more reliable of research."
  • "The new books are nicer and easier to look at and read. They helped me do all of my projects and have been very enjoyable."
  • "I like the new funny books like Last Chapter and Worst, by Gary Larson."
  • "Thank you for the books. I have really enjoyed them. I have learned so much from these new books. They have helped me with my projects. It is so convenient to have books about a lot of topics in our school library."
  • "The new books have impacted me because when I read a book for research there is always information on my topic."
  • "I think the new books helped me a lot. I used a new book on my I-Search project. I like to read so when I see something new I might like to check it out. Getting new books was great for me as well as the school."
  • "I found what I was looking for and most of the books are new, Actually, I think all five of them are new!"
 
 

Students from Owings Mills High School

  • "The new books in the library are really great! They have been so helpful for my class assignments. They are awesome because they have so much new information....last year our library was full of outdated books. I appreciate being able to use such a new innovative library filled with great resources!"
  • "The new books provide a sense of giving back to the students, furthering their need for education."
  • "The new books provided a source of updated information for my research paper. They were quite helpful in obtaining information for the development of my thesis statement."