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April’s School Library Month highlights how Fairfax County Public Schools libraries give students far more than a place to check out books.

Students use the libraries to conduct research, build academic skills, explore personal interests and find support. They can also participate in maker activities, design and create projects, join clubs, work on puzzles or crafts with friends, and find quiet places to concentrate or decompress.

FCPS libraries encourage curiosity while providing a welcoming environment where students can ask questions and seek help. Librarians teach students how to locate reliable information—and sometimes discover resources they did not know they needed.

Behind that work is Library Information Support Services, which centralizes databases and online resources while helping schools maintain their physical collections. Staff members review and update materials, remove damaged items and outdated information, and help ensure students can find current books on relevant topics.

Library information assistant Meg Rogers is part of that support team. Her work earned her recognition as a finalist for the 2024 Outstanding Nonschool-Based Operational Employee award.

Rogers helps evaluate and maintain library collections, freeing school librarians to spend more time teaching and developing their collections. Her efforts also help students receive books that are physically appealing, accurate and relevant.

Karin Williams, Rogers’ director, described her as a dedicated employee and leader whose curiosity and willingness to embrace new challenges support her continued professional growth.

Manager Terry Rihl said Rogers has undertaken a personal effort to read every book challenged during the past century so she can better understand the issues and trends confronting libraries. Rihl also called her a strong supporter of each person’s right to choose what to read.

Rihl said Rogers has developed an unusually broad understanding of Library Information Support Services and how changes in one part of the operation affect the rest. That perspective, he said, helps her identify opportunities for improvement.

Danielle Powers, head librarian at Frost Middle School, first met Rogers when she was a parent volunteer. Powers said Rogers completed multiple library projects and helped recruit and train other adult volunteers. Impressed by her organization, initiative and strategic thinking, Powers encouraged her to pursue a job with FCPS.

Rogers continues to assist librarians with removing obsolete materials, Powers said, while supporting collections that reflect each school’s full student community through current and diverse resources.