Meet Ms. Rice, Westview’s first librarian

The library has a wide selection of books to choose from. An open layout and natural lighting was implemented to make it visually pleasing. This is all run by Stacy Rice and Debbi Clark.  

Rice started out with an office job in marketing and public relations, but she ended up loving the variety that being a librarian has to offer. She loves the layout of the library and says it draws people in the moment they see it.  

“All day long there is somebody in here and that’s good news for a library,” Rice said. 

One thing they do to make sure it always is new and exciting in our library is color coordinated books on the tops of shelves. If you look right now you will see an array of pink, red, and white but make sure you look soon because they rotate it out every month. 

Westview’s opening created so many opportunities for students and teachers, but also our librarian too. 

“It’s fun to start with a bunch of people who are just as excited about it as you are,” Rice said. 

 Rice started Westview’s first ever book club. 

“You get to spend really focused time just enjoying the book, when you’re an English teacher you have to teach them, when you’re a librarian you just get to really enjoy them,” she said. 

There has been a plan in the works for the possibility of having a book club homeroom next school year. 

Rice read 65 books last year. Librarians have to read a variety of books for their job, they don’t get to read just their favorite genre.  

“You have to read a graphic novel and a sport book and a fantasy book. You are reading about dragons, you are reading about the history of basketball. Whether you are interested at all in any of it, it doesn’t really matter because there are going to be students that are,” Rice said. 

She shared that to be a librarian you need to love the books and the kids. It takes a great passion for reading to be a librarian. 

It’s inspirational to hear about the love Rice has for reading and the hard work her and Clark put into running the library. Rice provides regular book talks that are played during homeroom. Make sure to stop by sometime and find a new book to read.