As the new school year begins, one popular spot at school will have a different look this year. Following the retirement of Dr. Fuhrman, State High has hired a new librarian, Ellen Stolarski. Stolarski will work alongside librarian Mark Morath and paraprofessionals Anne Kapinus and Katie Van Varick to give all students access to the resources the library has to offer.
Stolarski’s interest in the library began in middle school when she helped volunteer at her local library. This interest grew in high school through volunteering at her school’s library, drawn to how libraries meet the needs of the communities.
Stolarski, who is from Elma, New York, began her career as a librarian by receiving her Bachelor’s in Education in 2011 and her Master’s of Science in Library Science in 2014, both from Clarion University. Most recently, she was a middle school librarian at Saint Mary’s Area Middle School for 13 years. She decided to come to State High after hearing about the program.
“I had heard about the type of work that was happening here, so I just kind of decided to take a leap of faith and go have an adventure,” Stolarski said.
As a former middle school librarian, Stolarski brings a different perspective to the high school library. She is heavily involved in the Pennsylvania School Library Association and is one of the managers of the Mountain Laurel Book Award.
Stolarski explained her motivation for participating in a variety of programs.
“Especially in a lot of other school libraries, you’re the only one of your kind in your building. So it is very easy to feel stagnant or feel like I’m not doing enough. I help out with different advocacy committees. I try and pitch in wherever because I was so grateful to be able to lean on other librarians, and it’s really nice to compare notes with other people who are doing amazing things and figuring out how to bring those initiatives to the school that you’re at,” Stolarski said.
Librarian Mark Morath described how Stolarski will help shape the library.
“Mrs. Stolarski is very active in our professional community and comes with a strong middle school background. This means she’s an exceptional asset in developing a certain angle of our texts as well as interacting and working with teachers in different ways,” Morath said.
The library plays a fundamental role in assisting teachers with research and other class projects. Stolarski and Morath work together to adapt to teachers with different needs. Stolarski explained what she has learned so far.
“The game is you have to study the teachers and figure out what energy they want you to bring. If you’ve got a teacher that’s very structured, they might struggle with someone who’s kind of loosey goosey. Whereas if you have someone who’s more free-spirited or more fluid, and you try and bring that super structured, strict energy, that would be off-putting to them as well. So, trying to make sure that you’re meeting teachers where they’re at, making sure they feel safe and supported,” Stolarski said.
Morath explained the transition from working with Fuhrman to working with Stolarski.
“I would say it’s been a fantastic adventure. It’s always a great opportunity to expand your professional network. Every librarian I get to work with helps me do that and helps State High thrive. Mrs. Stolarski and Dr. Fuhrman are very different people who are both a huge asset to students and the faculty in the community of State High,” Morath said.
Although the goals of the library will stay the same, they may be achieved in different ways. This year, it will be critical to build on the strong foundation the library already has.
“With every new person comes enthusiasm and excitement about entering into a new space. I expect Mrs. Stolarski to inject fresh energy and a ton of ideas that will help us flourish and take where we’re at now, even steps further,” Morath said.
Stolarski is excited to be a part of the school community and looks forward to seeing the growth that will occur.
“I love the community of readers that I’m seeing here. It makes my heart so warm and fuzzy, seeing kids recommend books to each other, and it’s nice trying to figure out how to sustain that energy,” she said. “In any profession, everyone wants to be innovators; everyone wants to do the new thing. But when you’ve got something good going, figuring out how you can sustain it and expand it, that’s a fun thing.”
