“Not open”, “can’t be in here we are having a meeting”, and “I can’t print my paper”. These are the things you would hear from a Phoenix Military Cadet, why? The library is a place where cadets can go to study, use the computers, check out a book, and even print a paper or two. The library has many resources for the cadets to progress and thrive through their high school years at Phoenix Military Academy.

As a cadet of this academy I have heard “can’t be in here we are having a meeting” or “she’s not here I think she is in a meeting” several times. This is not something a student should hear during finals week or during the times the administration posted that the library would be available on the Phoenix website. I have talked with cadets who have been in the academy for 3-4 years and they all say the same thing. The library is just not open to us as much as it should be. This is something that needs to change. It may be too late for the senior class, but not for the underclassmen.

Now I do understand that we do have access for major events like homecoming or military ball and we can also receive supplies for whatever decorations we may need for the school hallways and for the parties. Also I know what Mrs. Tobias does more than her job requirement as a librarian and that’s great for the school. She makes sure we are recognized from all over for our greatness. I think she does a great job at that and many also agree.

Finally for CPS or the Academy itself to take away Chromebooks that was promised to us as a graduation gift without notice is ridiculous. Students have paid hundreds of dollars in fees to make sure we keep the Chromebooks and they were taken away. I’m not saying that it was the fault of the librarian. A PMA alumni who comes back to the school for work, while  studying at Loyola University, takes time out of her day to open computer labs to the students. This is not right. During the first few months of school the seniors had to complete papers and college applications for the future and we did not have the resources we needed considering that the technology we were promised was taken and the library was closed. Seniors would pile into the counselors office to try to get work done on the two  desktop computers and the maybe two Chromebooks they had in the office at the time.

It shouldn’t be like this. Students should have access at all times and the librarian should be available to students first not to administration for meetings. Year after year it’s the same thing and we have talked to teachers to explain what I am stating now and nothing has changed. The big question is when will it change? When will students have access to the room that they most greatly deserve?