Benevento, Anne

English

DigitalCommons@Kennesaw State University

Georgia Library QuarterlyVolume 55Issue 3 Summer 2018 Article 67-1-2018Georgia Library Spotlight - Tapestry Public CharterSchool LibraryAnne BeneventoTapestry Public Charter School, abenevento@tapestrycharter.orgFollow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/glqPart of the Library and Information Science CommonsThis Columns is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@Kennesaw State University. It has been accepted for inclusion inGeorgia Library Quarterly by an authorized editor of DigitalCommons@Kennesaw State University. For more information, please contactdigitalcommons@kennesaw.edu.Recommended CitationBenevento, Anne (2018) "Georgia Library Spotlight - Tapestry Public Charter School Library," Georgia Library Quarterly: Vol. 55 : Iss.3 , Article 6.Available at: https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/glq/vol55/iss3/6  Tapestry Public Charter School Library  There is a new library at Tapestry Public Charter School. This wonderful school was started by two moms, both of whom have neurotypical developing children as well as children on the autism spectrum. They were searching for an inclusive place for their children to learn. Not finding any, they decided to start their own.  Tapestry started in rented classrooms of a local church. It was there that Anne Benevento, one of the parents, first saw a sad, crooked bookcase with a few books on it. That was the “library.” Anne felt this was not good enough for these amazing kids. Being a brand new school, there were no plans nor a budget for a library, so Anne mobilized.  She began filling the shelves by shopping at yard sales, Goodwill, library book sales, used bookstores, and digging through friends’ basements. Anne held book drives and ran Scholastic Book Fairs to earn money and to get donations. The support and encouragement of the principal and many of the parents has been outstanding.   Starting in 2014, Tapestry has grown from only a middle school to including a full high school. The first senior class will graduate this year! Tapestry is now located in the old Northwoods School building in Doraville, which they have made into their home. Having more room, they were able to turn one of the larger rooms into an official library this year! This was made possible because a private family donation allowed Tapestry to be able to purchase new chairs, tables, rugs, paint, and more books and supplies. This serene new space now seems to be the heart of the school where kids can come in individually or in groups and work on tables, on high tops, or sit cozily in one of the modern wing chairs and read!   Almost all of what Anne learned has been from the welcoming library community! She asked many questions of different school librarians, retired librarians, research librarians, even some that were librarian friends of friends—they all took the time to share what they knew, answer questions, and give advice and encouragement. Starting a library from scratch was a much bigger project than she originally realized! From them, Anne learned how to: enter books into the system, make barcodes and spine labels, cover books, put in reading levels, separate them into color coded genres, and so much more. Because of all the support Anne received, there is now a new library for these amazing kids at Tapestry—one where they find favorite new authors and discover new stories every day! For more information about the Tapestry Public Charter School go to: http://www.tapestrycharter.org 1Benevento: Georgia Library SpotlightPublished by DigitalCommons@Kennesaw State University, 2018

Georgia Library Spotlight - Tapestry Public Charter School Library

https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2113&amp;context=glq

Georgia Library Spotlight - Tapestry Public Charter School Library

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