Ever checked your inbox on a Friday and noticed a Featured Fiction Friday email? Every week, Creative Writing teacher, school librarian and Library Crew leader Tina Ehsanipour, sends a weekly book recommendation and video presentations about the books, presented by Library Crew members.

The Library Crew is a group of about 10 members from all grades, who share a passion for reading. Library Crew members help plan schoolwide events. Last May, they organized an all- school read of “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe”, and last March, they held a cookie-decorating event, at which students decorated cookies inspired by their favorite book characters.

Aside from planning events, members of the Library Crew influence which books the library acquires by making suggestions.

“I want to make sure that the books here aren’t just books that I like, and they’re books that students will like,” Tina said.

Founded online during the remote-learning school year of 2020-21, the library always promoted a wide range of literary genres. Recently, it has added new genres, such as Manga, thanks to the Library Crew members.

Tina believes that having students suggest books will help create a space where students can feel comfortable and secure. She recalls her own experience growing up and wants to ensure that students feel represented in the books they read.

“(Growing up) there were not a lot of books by people of color, I didn’t see myself in literature,” she said. “So it’s really important to me that we have a lot of new contemporary books, where people can connect even if the writer is not from (their) culture, seeing other protagonists, like main characters of color and being able to connect (with them).”

Freshman Emmanuella “Emma” Adjei is one of the newest members of the Library Crew. Her love of books led her to join.

“I like reading books about people with similar backgrounds because I have something to relate to,” she said.

Junior Angie “Renn” Marquez has been a member of the library crew since their freshman year, when the library was virtual. They even helped start the library’s Instagram account earlier this year, because they want everyone to have access to information about the library, even those who don’t regularly check their emails.

It’s not too late to join the Library Crew — just go to the Library in Room 208 and talk to Tina. The library is open Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.