The Ellinwood School/Community Library operates with a unique dual purpose: functioning simultaneously as a school library and a public library.
This combined model allows resources to serve students, educators, and community members alike.
Books are purchased, processed, repaired, cataloged, and shared across multiple funding sources. Materials move between school classrooms, grade school collections, and public circulation. Interlibrary Loan systems through both the Central Kansas Library System and statewide networks expand available resources far beyond local shelves.
Library staff maintain collections, process incoming materials, sanitize books through established cleaning procedures, and manage circulation for both students and public patrons.
Shared resources include:
- Interlibrary Loan services
- Digital reading apps
- Meeting spaces
- Research tools
- Historical archives
- Microfilm access
- Displays and exhibits
- Technology services
- Social media communication
- Extended library hours beyond school schedules
The library also functions as a gathering place where community agencies meet clients, tutors work with students, and residents access information and services.
Balancing school responsibilities with public library services requires flexibility in staffing, scheduling, and hours of operation. Discussions about future library hours and funding structures often center on maintaining strong support for both groups.
The result is a library model that serves as far more than a collection of books—it acts as an educational partner, community resource center, technology hub, and public service point for Ellinwood.
Sheri Holmes is the director of library and media services for the Ellinwood School and Community Libraries. She can be reached by email at sholmes@usd355.org.
