In her roughly five years as Reed Intermediate School's library/media specialist, Pia Ledina said she has "been watching kids become readers." Often that includes watching students become frustrated when they have not been able to find a book that they want to read. In response, Ms Ledina and volunteers spent time this summer rearranging Reed's library.

"This is the most beautiful library on the planet," Ms Ledina said on August 9, standing near the center of her domain, "but they can't find what they want."

Ms Ledina said she has learned that a number of libraries have been switching to a "more bookstorelike model," rather than the more traditional alphabetical order in fiction or nonfiction categories. The Dewey Decimal Classification System, Ms Ledina said, was created at a time when librarians were retrieving books for patrons.

"We want students to be able to find their own books based on what they want or need," said Ms Ledina.

Instead of using the Dewey Decimal Classification System, Ms Ledina said the library has been rearranged in a "genrefication" order to make it more accessible to students. She also said the Dewey Decimal Classification System will still be in use for nonfiction books in the library. Some students begin learning how to find books using the Dewey Decimal Classification System between first and third grade, according to Ms Ledina, but elementary libraries are smaller and most students rely on help from the elementary librarians. Maintaining the Dewey Decimal Classification System in an area of the library will help students continue using the system. Most students, she said, do not begin structured learning of the Dewey Decimal Classification System until third to fifth grade.

"We want to make sure what they learn in elementary follows them all the way to the high school," said Ms Ledina.

Reed students use the Accelerated Reader program in their classrooms to track independent reading. When students come in to the library to look for a new book for independent reading, Ms Ledina said they can be frustrated when browsing for books. After a "readers advisory discussion," Ms Ledina said students will frequently search from one end of the library to another to look for books based on her recommendations.

With the new organization of the library, Ms Ledina said if a student is looking for books like Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series, she will now be able to point the student toward a fantasy section, rather than have the student traverse a "giant serpentine trail through the entire fiction section."

Before the process began, Ms Ledina said she shared a note with the entire Reed faculty and staff and she only heard supportive feedback.

Many have helped rework the library's layout this summer. Former students, parents, staff, and incoming students have all helped make the organization possible.

Rising seventh grader Matthew Lokey said he wanted to help rearrange the library this summer because he needed community service hours and "it is fun."

Incoming fifth grader Izzy Hill said she helped with the effort "because I wanted to get to know the library better."

"It looks like we might finish it this summer," said Ms Ledina, looking around her. With roughly two weeks left before the start of school, volunteers were working to sort books on shelves and scan books into the system.

Ms Ledina said she is excited to see the change for readers when they start the new school year.

While Ms Ledina said the new "genrefication" system is "not a solution for every library, it is a solution for ours."

For the incoming fifth grade students who have been helping with the process, Ms Ledina said volunteering at the library this summer gave the students a preview of their new school.

The student volunteers have been helping to place books in their proper genre category, and Ms Ledina said she will also ask this year's students for input once they report for the 2017-18 school year.

"We're making readers and that is why this is going to work," said Ms Ledina.

Ms Ledina said a number of people and local businesses helped with the effort to reorganize the library this summer, including her family members D.J., Ethan, and Anika Ledina. Reed staff members and their family members also helped, including Sarah Beier, Elise Beier, Kirsten Strobel, Sarah Martin, Pam Kohn, Jillian Grustas, and Gavin Grustas. Members of Reed's custodial staff Jim Lynch, Steve Carlson, Ray Medina, Gary Tetu, Rich Mills, and Maria Ruggiero led by Mark Pirozzoli and Darren Pierre also helped the effort.

Others who helped included Barbara Formica, Filippo Formica, Emma Formica, Stacey Lokey, Mark Lokey, Matthew Lokey, William Lokey, Laura Brennan, Kevin Brennan, Kelsey Brennan, Justin Brennan, Grace Lynch, Emily Savo, Abby Savo, Nick Ferrara, Grace Sholtes, Sydnee Savoie, Juliana "Parker" Miraldi, Sofia Giusto-Sandy, Karla Bernstein, Addison Cordova, Abby Hill, Tyler Hill, Connor Hill, Izzy Hill, Nora Murphy, Lauren Murphy, Sadie Baimel, Eleanor Cruwys-Hayes, Erin McGrath, Sophia Martinez, Ellie Minor, Annie Minor, Tina Mitsos, and Cassie Mitsos.

Castle Hill Chocolate, Dunkin' Donuts, Fairgrounds Wine & Spirits, Garbage-eez, and Yankee Wine & Spirits also provided support for the effort.

Ms Ledina also thanked Big Hearted Books & Clothing, Inc for its assistance in managing the donation of discarded materials to those who need them.