Robin Williams is a luminary who works to inspire young people through their tireless work. Well, the librarian Robin Williams, not the legendary actor whose discography includes Jumanji and Aladdin. The lesser-known Robin Williams now serves as the librarian at East Meck. She has ideas and is not afraid to make a change. 

Williams has only been at East since the beginning of this school year and has already been awarded East Meck Staff Member of the Month. Smiling brightly, Williams gushed about her plans for the media center.

“My goal is that we will be such an active library that it will be hard to shut us down,” Williams said. To summarize the long list of Williams’ plans, there is a cafe-type setting; collaborative spaces; secluded, quiet places; more books; and most prominently, a renewed maker space. 

Her new title has made it clear that her passion for all things literature has already begun to positively influence the unique environment of East.

“I feel like I’ve brought some life back into the library,” Williams said. 

There have been so many changes, in fact, the library isn’t even the right name for the media center anymore. East’s library is now known as “Eagles Landing.” This name has brought more spirit and pride to a place where people used to go only to eat lunch or print out an overdue paper. Of course, no leader can bring such a powerful influence without experience. 

Williams has spent eighteen years in education, fourteen of which was in CMS. On her resume, she has the likes of Myers Park High School, McClintock Middle School, and Community House Middle School to show for her experience as a media specialist. 

Unlike her previous schools, Williams has a special understanding of East. Her oldest kid goes to school at East and her youngest kids will follow suit. Williams knows what the school needs because she knows East. 

Curiously enough, Williams stems from Alaska, bringing a fresh uniqueness to the traditional library of East. 

“It’s definitely warmer and more humid down here, but people are people, right? Then it’s just making connections and figuring out what everyone wants,” Williams said. She knows that her knowledge of people as a whole is one of the assets she brings to East. 

Williams’ goal is to make “Eagles Landing” such an “active library” that they cannot be shut down. Statistics show that when budgets are cut, the arts are the first to go. To combat this, she won a grant which brought 500 new books to the library. At East, Williams has taken it into her own hands to make sure the maker space is the best it can be. Williams is most proud of bringing a breath of fresh air into the library. Prominent figures in the school agree.

“She is a person who is highly organized and has a lot of vision.” Principal Rick Parker said. 

“I’m excited to see the way she innovates and brings about more academic tools,” IB coordinator Heather Hays said.

The only issue the veteran librarian has run into at East thus far is the carpet. The district has to approve funding to change the dusty blue carpet that lines the Eagle Landings’ floor. Even small details like this irk Williams, as she wants the best and nothing less for her new school.  

Overshining the minor flaws of the carpet are the major improvements being made to the maker space. The little-known creative outlet for students is getting a complete makeover. By moving to its own room, it has obtained new materials and an intricate window decal depicting an eagle that is designed to encourage students to make something unparalleled.

At East, Williams has had trouble adapting to the change in resources and funding that she has experienced, moving from Myers Park to East. To counteract the major differences in budgets, she has obtained a quote to put in a vinyl cover over the windows of the maker space, similar to the one on the front doors of the office. 

All sources point to Williams major promise regarding the improvement and development of East’s library. After 70 years in business, the magnet school will hopefully experience an unexpected advance in literary and creative achievement. “Tell me what you want in your dream library,” said Williams regarding the importance of student’s opinions on their own library.