Rochelle Township High School hosted a ribboncutting Monday, Sept. 15, for its recently remodeled library media center.

Back in January, the RTHS board approved a bid of $746,050 from Stenstrom Construction in Rockford for the remodeling work, which began in late April and concluded a few weeks ago. The remodel includes versatile space, flexible furniture, a content creation room, updated technology and modern design. The LMC had not seen major changes since it was constructed in 2004.

The ribboncutting was attended by members of the community and RTHS staff, administration and board members. Speakers included RTHS District Superintendent Jason Harper, Rochelle Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Tricia Herrera and Rochelle Mayor John Bearrows.

“We’re extremely proud of this,” Harper said. “Sometimes it felt a little slower than we would have liked, but we’re here in September welcoming students and our students are enjoying this space, which we love to see. This space is for us to help prepare students for their tomorrow. This space is the Hub of Hubland. It’s welcoming for every single student, regardless of what year they are or what they want to do after high school.”

Harper thanked recently retired RTHS Librarian Ann Marie Jinkins for her work on designing the new library. Jinkins started the process in 2023. He also thanked current Librarian Amber Cravens and Library Aide Jennifer Simmons for their work to bring the space to life this year. Harper also thanked RTHS’s board, maintenance department and District Business Manager Kevin Dale for their work on the project.

Herrera called the renovated LMC “a great addition” to Rochelle and thanked RTHS for investing in the community’s youths. Bearrows commended the school on the project and said the city will do everything in its power to support RTHS.

“As a city, we need to take a serious look and make sure that our community continues to grow, not only economically, but residentially,” Bearrows said. “It’s our job now to provide the things to support the sustainability of all of our schools and to see growth in youth numbers. I commend you for what you’ve done and we give thanks to our schools for shaping our youth of tomorrow. That’s the most precious commodity we have in our community.”

Cravens said students started to use the renovated LMC space two weeks ago. It saw 889 check-ins by students the first week and 1,413 the second week.

The LMC now has study rooms where students can connect their Chromebooks to televisions, a Makerspace studio, sewing machines, print stations, digital resource catalogs, charging stations and supplies for projects.

“We have just about everything students could want or need to be successful at school,” Cravens said. “ Everyone has been thrilled. We’ve had lots of students coming through the doors. Every seating area and room gets used. The kids love the space and want to be here.

“I like that there’s something for everyone here. Even kids who aren’t readers. I’ve had kids bring in fabric and go sew during their study hall.”

Jinkins attended the ribboncutting to see the product of her years of work on designing the new library.

“Since 2023 I’ve dreamed of this and I’ve pictured it and walked through it in my head so many times,” Jinkins said. “It’s so exciting to be actually in here and seeing that it has all come together, all the different spaces for all of the different kinds of students. I am excited by the sheer number of kids who can be in here comfortably. We could pack the old library with people, but it was not a comfortable situation. There can be many different groups of people here doing different things at the same time now.”

Cravens said the renovations will set RTHS and its students up well for the future due to its amenities and technology. She called the content creation room, which students can use to record podcasts, “cutting edge.”

The new RTHS librarian has welcomed her new students into the new space this fall.

“I love it here,” Cravens said. “The administration is so supportive and the teaching staff has been wonderful. The kids have been great. I would have thought there would be more bumps with it being a new space and me being new, but it’s really been super smooth.”