Helping Middle Schoolers Find Their Place at the Library
- Jul 15
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 20
For nearly two decades, every third grader in Kitsap Regional Library's service area has been introduced to the Library through Third Graders to the Library. But as students enter middle school, their relationship with the Library changes. Along with new academic expectations come significant social and emotional changes as students develop greater independence, form new friendships, and begin discovering who they are. They need spaces to study, librarians to help with research, welcoming places to gather with friends, and a safe community space where they feel they belong.
Launched countywide during the 2025–2026 school year, Middle School to the Library reconnects students with the Library at this pivotal stage, reminding them that it remains a place where they are always welcome. Every first-year middle school student is invited to explore their Library's spaces, meet staff, learn about resources created just for them, and take home a free book to keep. The program is fully funded by the Kitsap Regional Library Foundation.
What makes the program so special isn't just what students learn. It's how they feel.
During visits this year, students explored the Library through scavenger hunts, discovered spaces for creativity and study, and enjoyed time simply being themselves. Some were surprised to find books about their own culture. Others made lists of books they wanted to return and borrow.
One student exclaimed, "It's actually chill here!"
These experiences create connections that extend far beyond a single visit. A sense of belonging is one of the greatest gifts a community can offer a young person.
When young people feel welcomed, they begin to see the Library differently—not simply as a place to borrow books, but as a trusted community space where they can study, explore new interests, connect with friends, and discover resources that support them throughout middle school and beyond.
Receiving a free book to take home helps students begin or grow a home library of their own. That matters because research consistently shows that owning books and having access to them at home is one of the strongest predictors of educational success. A March 2023 white paper from Scholastic Education Research, Home Libraries, highlights the powerful role home libraries play in supporting literacy, improving academic outcomes, and helping close the achievement gap. By placing books into students' hands, Middle School to the Library extends the impact of a single library visit long after students return home.
We invite you to watch the presentation below to hear directly from the librarians who brought Middle School to the Library to life. Their stories capture the excitement, curiosity, and sense of belonging this program is creating for students throughout Kitsap County.
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