Changes

Key achievements and new developments for the library program in 2025-2026.

Meetings

52%

The library is becoming a hub community life. On any given day, the odds of an after school meeting happening in the library were 50-50. Frequent users include Academic Decathlon, D&D Club, Spanish Honor Society, and the Board of Education.

Full Days

22

There were 22 days when 4 or more classes used the library on the same day. Last year that total was 9. On the flip side, there were 44 days with no classes, compared to 28 last year. For various reasons, projects concentrated in certain months. October and March are possible times for new collaboration.

5th Period Attendance

↓68%

Study hall numbers were consistent throughout the day, after years of imbalance. Average attendance 5th period dropped from 40 students to 13, likely due to the gym being available. Overall study hall attendance dropped 13%, mostly due to the change in 5th period. 

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Top Reader

5X

With 66 checkouts, this year's top reader, Ashley, borrowed more than 5 times as many books as last year's champion.

Circulation

↑5%

Circulation rebounded slightly after a big drop last year, but is still down significantly from previous years. This may in part be due to teachers assigning fewer required readings.

Commendations

2

Two supporters of the library program received regional awards for their work. Assistant Superintendent Jenn Raux was named SLS Admin / Advocate of the Year, and Katie McGinnis was named a CNYSL Super Librarian.

Collaboration

Teachers can bring classes to the library to use the books or workspace. They can also collaborate with Mr. Wightman on lessons involving research, media literacy, tech tools, or literature. In 2025-2026, teachers booked the library or invited Mr. Wightman into 313 class sessions.

Collaboration Summary

English classes still use the library the most, but the other departments nudged their share over 25%.

10th grade is a major year for research, with students completing big projects in both English and Health.

Collaboration Changes

Lessons with the PE and science departments fueled a 2% increase in collaboration.

The 10th graders overtook the 9th graders for the collaboration lead. This is the 4th straight year the lead has flipped between the two.

Top Collaborators

Mr. Murlin

78 Classes

Ms. Chiarello

71 Classes

Mrs. Moesch

47 Classes

Collaboration Highlights

The 10th grade soared to the collaboration lead, as Mrs. Moesch and Mr. Wightman took a more hands-on approach to guiding through students through the source selection and citation steps of the research process.

Behind the scenes, there were also some positive developments 8th and 9th grades. Ms. DiNapoli brought back a mini end-of-year research project, Mr. Kelly added AI instruction to his September lesson on reliable sources, and Ms. Chiarello streamlined the 9th grade research unit, so that students were able to accomplish the same goals in less time - a reminder that quality doesn't always require quantity.

Capacity

The library is available for many uses, including classes (549 periods), meetings (89 sessions), testing accommodations (97 periods), and open space for study hall students (913 periods).

Classes

Classes used the library space or met with Mr. Wightman about 35% of the time, down from 44.5% two years ago.

Projects tended to concentrate at the beginning and end of each semester.

​Study Halls

The library was open to students

86%

of the time.

On the average day students filled

86

study hall seats.

On the average day the library served

56

unique individuals.

Traffic Patterns

Study hall attendance was more consistent throughout the day than it has been in previous years.

5th period is still an outlier in terms of class use, but not to the same extreme as last year.

After School Meetings

52% of school days had an after school meeting in the library.

The State Champion Academic Decathlon Team made frequent use of the library.

Impact

On the average day class and SH students filled

124

library seats.

Between classes and study halls the library served about

95

unique individuals every day.

Records

The library hosted four classes in a single day on 22 occasions. The busiest day was October 24, with five classes and 237 students. The busiest study hall day was May 28 (170 students). 

Collection

The library maintains a collection of print books & magazines, ebooks, audiobooks, text & multimedia databases, and equipment. The collection is constantly updated: with new copies added every month, and outdated, worn-out, and unused titles periodically removed and offered to students and teachers for free. The Cazenovia community has a strong record of supporting intellectual freedom. No library materials were formally challenged this year.

Scope

Print Books

6,601

12.29 per student

Ebooks and Audiobooks

4,103

19.93 print & digital per student

Databases

81

Copies Added

240

Copies Aged Out and Donated

449

Titles Formally Challenged

0

Fiction and nonfiction were perfectly balanced last year, but a big cleanup project over the summer excised many aged and unused titles from the fiction section. Nonfiction is due for a similar cleanup next.

Top Readers

​Top Print Reader

Ashley B.
66 checkouts

​Top E-Reader

User 9190166
The e-reading system doesn't track real names.

Top Titles

1984 continues to stand out on required reading lists, reclaiming the top spot after a brief hiatus last year. Three other classics and a Natasha Preston dark horse also rose to the top. Mr. Murlin's Valedictorian​ entered the field late, but will likely contend for the lead in the future. 

Titles marked with an asterisk appear on reading lists for honors English.

#1

14 Checkouts*

#2

10 Checkouts

#3

9 Checkouts

#4

9 Checkouts

#5

9 Checkouts*

#6

8 Checkouts​

#7

7 Checkouts*

#8

7 Checkouts

#9

7 Checkouts

#10

5-Way Tie 

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 The Hate U Give 
Illuminae
Project Hail Mary
Soldier X
They Called Us Enemy

​6 Checkouts 

Circulation

Cazenovia HS students borrowed 5% more books than last year.

Circulation was up 2% at Burton St., and 3% at the Middle School. The gap between print and e-reading continues to widen at the Middle School, and Burton St. broke the 15,000 checkout barrier.

Impact Beyond Cazenovia

446

Ebooks and Audiobooks can be shared across the BOCES region. This year, CNY students utilized Cazenovia HS materials 446 times.