By David Vitrano

L’Observateur

LUTCHER – While libraries in general seem to be trending more toward the technological side of things, the brand new library at Lutcher High School has a certain back-to-basics approach that is simultaneously quaint and refreshing.

“I have a lot of kids that just like to check out books,” said Librarian Adrienne Schexnayder. She said outfitting the space with an abundance of computers was not necessarily a priority when designing the new library.

“In two years, all of the students will have laptops,” she said, referring to the district’s one-to-one laptop program for its high school students. The new tables and desks in the library do contain plugs so laptops can be charged and other devices can be accessed. The library also contains a central printer and copy machine.

Still, she said some computers will be set up in the library eventually. In many ways, the library is very much a work in progress. Although the space, which was culled from the school’s old gymnasium, was finished in time for the start of the 2011-12 school year, long delays in getting the furniture delivered and installed meant it could not be used by students until recently. In fact, a delivery of comfortable reading chairs with attached desks did not arrive until two weeks ago.

“We’re excited with it,” she said. “We’re just getting settled in, so who knows what it’s going to become.”

Regardless of which direction the library heads in, few will argue that it is not a marked improvement over the library’s previous space. The library was previously crammed into a classroom space and hardly offered any room for leisurely reading for Lutcher’s students.

“I didn’t even have my books on shelves,” said Schexnayder. “They were just in boxes.”

Ashanti Coleman, a 10th-grader at Lutcher High, said she likes the fact that the new library has more space and more books at her disposal.

“It’s very comfortable,” she said. Her classmate, Daija Johnson, agreed.

“It’s quieter to study for tests,” she said.

“The other one was just so small and noisy. It’s a better environment. I can actually sit down and do my homework.”