When a school library has gone without consistent professional support, it can be difficult to know what to tackle first. Crowded shelves, aging materials, confusing organization, and unclear routines can make the library harder for students to use—and harder for staff to manage.

Next Page brings structure to the work. We help district leaders understand current conditions, identify practical priorities, improve the space, and build lasting local capacity.

Our services are especially useful for small and rural Minnesota districts with one or two libraries and local staff who need a clear, sustainable system.

The School Library Improvement System™ provides a practical path from understanding the library’s current condition to creating a reliable program the district can sustain.

Every engagement is shaped by the district’s goals, staffing, budget, community, and starting conditions.

Begin with a complimentary 30-minute discovery meeting by phone or video. We discuss staffing, catalog software, library use, collection condition and age, available resources, and the district’s vision.

A focused two-day on-site reset and assessment helps the district:

• Improve shelving, organization, and student access

• Identify outdated, damaged, duplicated, or unusable materials

• Introduce two or three local staff members to sustainable routines

• Identify urgent concerns, collection gaps, and supply needs

• Establish clearer priorities for the work ahead

The district retains authority over collection decisions throughout the engagement.

Within three business days, the district receives a Library Health Check and Prioritized Improvement Plan. It documents starting conditions, work completed, urgent needs, approximate budget considerations, and recommended 90-day and one-year priorities.

The report belongs to the district whether or not it continues with Next Page.

An optional annual partnership helps move the library from an initial reset to a reliable, locally supported program.

Develop collection priorities based on student needs, community context, current strengths, gaps, affordability, and available staffing. Purchasing guidance begins when the collection is ready.

Create repeatable processes for selection, purchasing, weeding, and reconsideration. Support those processes with district-specific policy and clear community communication.

District leadership retains authority over policy adoption, budgets, and collection decisions.

Build confidence in check-in, checkout, shelving, displays, student book choice, read-aloud preparation, and other everyday responsibilities. Training can also prepare replacement staff and administrators to provide temporary support.

At one Minnesota grades 3–5 library, crowded shelves and a confusing layout made books difficult to find. Reorganized shelving, student-interest displays, more visible materials, and improved furniture helped create easier browsing and a more welcoming space.

The goal is visible progress followed by durable local capability: an organized library, confident staff, thoughtful purchasing priorities, clear processes, and a practical plan for continued improvement.

Next Page is led by founder Neil Andruschak, who brings:

• Minnesota school library media specialist licensing

• Minnesota school district experience since 2009

• District-level experience coordinating four school libraries

• More than two decades of project leadership

When a project requires additional capacity or specialized expertise, Next Page can also draw on a network of trusted library professionals.

All fees, travel details, and support options are discussed during the discovery meeting.