Benz Honored for Championing Webster Schroeder Library

On Friday, May 2, Webster Schroeder High School Principal Dr. Paul Benz was awarded the New York Library Association's Section of School Librarians Secondary Administrator's Award. The award recognizes a secondary or district administrator who has been responsible for initiation, maintenance, and/or the improvement of a secondary school library program in a New York State school district.

 
Webster Schroeder Librarian Jennifer Strege nominated Benz in recognition of his student-centered approach to the library’s 2022 capital improvement project. During construction, Benz identified a double-sized classroom in a prominent location to serve as Schroeder’s temporary library. The space allowed library staff to continue to host classes and study halls, while housing a physical collection of over 3,000 books. Having a fully staffed, functional library led to increased book circulation and teacher collaborations.
 
Meanwhile, as final decisions for the new space took shape, Benz centered on student needs to ensure that the library would be a thriving space upon reopening. Benz supported breakout spaces and the library classroom being reserved for student use. As a result, students have taken ownership of the space and have risen to the challenge of autonomy. On any given day one will find students tutoring one another, rehearsing for a presentation, or drawing up a storyboard for a film project. Clubs and student leadership groups use the library for meetings, projects, tabletop games, and cultural celebrations. When students have a new idea to pursue, they inevitably come to the library.
 
Benz has also demonstrated a commitment to student agency through introducing a work study program to the library. Students in the school’s 12:1:1 program run the library café as well helping with library displays and general upkeep of the space. This program has led to increased interactions with the general student population and staff, and has proven one of the greatest sources of joy for the library.
 
“Paul has championed the library as a space where every student has a place. He consistently draws on student voice, champions library media studies across the curriculum, and nurtures a culture of continuous improvement in our library,” Stege said. “His unwavering support is what allows Schroeder Library to strive for excellence in the services that it provides.”