photo by: Matt Resnick/Journal-World

Amanda McCoy, Sunflower Elementary School library media specialist, is pictured in the school's library on Monday, Oct. 2, 2023.

A Sunflower Elementary School librarian has put a lot of thought and energy into how to fully engage the school’s youngest readers, and her efforts will be recognized on a prominent stage later this month as she addresses librarians from across the United States.

Amanda McCoy, library media specialist at Sunflower, 2521 Inverness Drive, will present her vision Oct. 19-21 in Tampa, Florida, at the American Association of School Librarians’ national conference.

McCoy’s speaking engagement is “the culmination of several years of hard work,” she told the Journal-World this week. Her topic, in a nutshell, will be the formation of a library program that “respects the youngest learners.”

“The kindergarten through second-grade years are pivotal in developing a child’s love for reading,” McCoy said. “We need to respect the fact that they have their own set of wants, needs and desires for the things that they want to read about. It’s our responsibility to get the things on the shelf that they are interested in, and to get them excited about reading at a very young age.”

Beyond trying to procure high-in-demand “Spiderman” books, this includes ensuring that young students are physically and intellectually accommodated in the library.

“Everything from shelf height to the words that we choose for different procedures to other things that we have in the library,” she said. “When we can use simple terms that everyone knows, it really helps kids latch on to the procedures that we do.”

Such a focus — tailoring a library from the beginning to its specific users — will also benefit diversity and equity efforts, as well as students whose first language isn’t English, students who are receiving special education services and students who are simply new to the school, she said.

McCoy said that the ultimate rewards of a well-planned library are those “lightbulb moments” that students experience while browsing and reading — and the excitement they feel when discovering that library materials are theirs to share.

“There is absolutely nothing better than when a student finds out they are entrusted with a book and takes it home to share it with their family,” McCoy said.

The Lawrence school district touted the “rigorous” process McCoy underwent to be selected as a presenter at the American Association of School Librarians conference and expressed pride that she would be representing the district in a national forum.

Her principal at Sunflower, Amanda Green, said the honor was “just another example of how focused she is on her goal of sharing the importance of reading with others.”

“She is passionate about student access to relevant, engaging and appropriate books,” Green said. “… It is an extreme honor for her to share her knowledge with so many and at such a prestigious event for librarians around the country and world. We are so fortunate to have her on our team.”