On a Friday morning, before class starts, students rush to print assignments for the day. One frantic student is having trouble printing, but librarian Susan Augustine quickly approaches to help. A second later, the printer is up and running, and soon Ms. Augustine is on to the next panicked student. This is a typical scene in the Pritzker Traubert Family Library, as the librarians and staff work to keep the library running like a well-oiled machine.

Whether assisting with research on student papers, recommending novels for curious minds, or setting up beanbags and puzzles for students to wind down with, Ms. Augustine and librarian Shirley Volk are always available for students and teachers in U-High. 

The library’s main purpose is to serve as a place where students can read, research and work, which the librarians accomplish through their curation of both the content and the space. They try to balance the collection with books that support the school curriculum, as well as match students’ personal interests, working with faculty members and students to accomplish this.

​This is especially helpful for new faculty, who are working to create a unique curriculum.

“We have a new music history teacher this year, and she, for the first time in years, is having students do research projects, so I’ve been purchasing a ton of books on music history to try to support those students,” Ms. Augustine said. 

For those seeking online resources, the librarians also operate an online research database and are currently assembling an e-book collection. The library provides around 70 databases spanning all areas of interest, either purchased by them or provided by the University of Chicago. They also have a collection of newspapers, magazines and journals for students to utilize. 

“We try to make sure we have five print newspapers, and we also have about 45 print periodicals,” Ms. Volk said. “We used to have a lot more, but once COVID hit, we had to pull back on them and a lot of smaller presses stopped publishing in print.” 

Outside of school-related curation, the librarians actively work to make the library a place of relaxation and community. Through themed decorations, comfy seating and fun activities, like puzzles and coloring sheets, they satisfy different student needs. And, as the hub of student life, they are also actively involved in clubs and other student activities.

Sophomore Ledya Wreden enjoys the library’s balance between studying and relaxation, and particularly enjoys working on the puzzles provided in the library. She works on the puzzle every day during lunch with her friends as a way to wind down after classes. 

“I puzzle a lot with my friends and it’s a good, relaxing activity to do,” she said. “I think it becomes a place where people can work because it’s quiet, but they can also just relax on a beanbag.”

Ledya appreciates the calming and supportive environment that the librarians have created, viewing the library –– and the librarians — as welcoming and friendly.

“We’re really trying to be this sort of support system for the students across the school in all sorts of ways: places to rest, places to work, places to create, places to read for pleasure, places to do research,” Ms. Augustine said. “There’s not really another place in the school that tackles all of that, so our jobs are really multidimensional.”