Early in the morning, as students begin to trickle in the front doors, a flurry of movement can be seen behind the media center’s glass panes. The hum of the computer, the faint smell of freshly printed paper and the shelves of books set the stage for a busy day ahead. In the middle of the center sits media assistant Magda Rabbat, the clock ticking as she hurriedly gets ready to open the library doors.
Although the hallways are not yet filled, the media center requires a lot of preparation before students can be welcomed through its doors. For Mrs. Rabbat, this means turning on the Chromebook attendance and check-in for students, preparing Chromebooks to borrow and shelving any returned books. “I’m the first one to come in the morning,” she said. “And then we wait.”
Mrs. Rabbat has been working at RM as a librarian for close to a decade now, but her passion for education extends far beyond this position and school in particular. Before stepping into her current role, she had worked at various elementary, middle and French immersion schools as well as a city college. Her experience and dedication to education have helped her immensely for a job that revolves around assisting students. “My favorite part of the job is talking with the students. Everyone comes with a problem and I enjoy solving them.”
The media center opens at 7:25 a.m. and welcomes a wave of bustling staff and students. Mrs. Rabbat and the other media center staff start by returning and lending books, followed by the entrance of teachers seeking some material or another. “They sometimes need laptops and sometimes we have teacher meetings in the back,” Mrs. Rabbat said.
The library mostly stays quiet in the early morning, but soon enough, more and more students begin to enter. Many view the media center as a comfortable and chill spot to hang out with friends and have fun, and Mrs. Rabbat is no exception. In fact, Mrs. Rabbat cites the social aspect of managing the media center as her favorite part of her job. “I love socializing, and the students are very nice and like socializing,” she said. “So this, for me, is better than being in class.”
However, the library is also an enriching space for people to study and catch up on their work. Homework Club meets after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays and provides a space for students to work on their homework and get help, either from fellow student tutors or teachers. IB History teacher and club sponsor Todd Stillman is also there on both days to not only provide counsel in history and adjacent subjects, but to also help keep students focused. For many students, the positive work environment of a quiet atmosphere and everyone working hard helps to motivate them to also do their work. As a certified teacher herself, Mrs. Rabbat is readily available to help students and even prioritizes doing so. “[Prioritizing] means helping with their studying, their everything to finish, more than putting order in the library,” Mrs. Rabbat said.
That doesn’t mean she neglects her duties, however. As the library fills up even more, Mrs. Rabbat is busy organizing and keeping the library in order. “If we are testing, it should be quiet,” she said, managing the noise levels while also offering her needed assistance.
Luckily, she has many media center helpers who are given small jobs as they stop by to help Mrs. Rabbat keep up with the library’s busyness. “They sometimes do their homework, but they put some order in the media center,” she said, assigning them tasks such as shelving books or other quick jobs.
When the final bell rings, the media center bursts into activity with the entrance of clubs, teachers and students who want a quiet environment to study. Beyond Homework Club, there are many after-school events in the library discussing topics like college, academics, school events, etc. Even without events, many students enjoy the peaceful and studious environment that the library offers. In something as busy and overwhelming as a school environment, the media center is rare and important. It provides students with the much needed balance between quiet and liveliness, which is one of the reasons why you can always find a student or two hanging out there. “Our work is also to supervise people when they are here,” Mrs. Rabbat said. “[But] it’s more quiet.”
After clubs and events have finished and the last stragglers have left, it is time to return everything back to their original location. “First, we return all the Chromebooks and then we shelve the books again,” Mrs. Rabbat said. “Some students also stay to help organize after school.”
The media center also holds special events, such as workshops, class lessons and club meetings. “We just had, this month, a community night held for parents,” Mrs. Rabat said. “Unfortunately, there were not enough people who came.” Events such as these help transform the library into more than just the quiet space everyone has perceived it to be. They help foster a sense of community by bringing strangers and friends alike together, so the media center encourages student participation. The media center also provides many resources for all kinds of subjects, from free AP textbooks to AP review flashcards.
Even though being a media specialist is by no means easy and comes with several challenges, Mrs. Rabbat loves her job anyway. It’s less stressful than other jobs and provides an opportunity for her to do what she loves, help students, and have fun all at the same time. “I love my job and the students,” she said.
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