Love Learning in the Library!

We have a beautiful new library at Park East High School in East Harlem, New York City, thanks to a renovation funded by the Manhattan Borough President’s office in 2012. Since we opened last year, the library has become a hub of the school. Students fill the facility before school, after school, and during lunch to use the computers, consult with the librarian on research projects, and check out books for assignments and recreational reading. Teachers have been vying for time to use the space and collaborate with the librarian on research lessons. Access to technology in the library media center is especially crucial for our student population, as 50% of them do not have computers and printers at home.
Unfortunately, due to a severely constrained budget next year, we do not have the funds to support important needs like additional technology, books, and staffing for the library. Imagine a high school of 400 students without a fully operational library and full-time librarian! These kids deserve access to technology, research tools, books, and a librarian who will support them as they strive to become digitally literate and prepare for college. We desperately need your help to provide this basic resource for our underserved students.