OCSA’s media center is a roomy, comfortable space in the main building. It’s a popular lunch break destination, offering a variety of seats from bar stools to cushy chairs and plenty of charging stations. This makes it a great place to complete homework, catch up on assignments or to sit down and read a book. However, the best part of the media center sits in a tiny office in the very back of the huge room: Ms. Ossman, OCSA’s very own media specialist. We met up with her to learn everything you need to know, from resources to favorite genres.

Q: When do students like to visit the media center the most?

A:  The majority of student visitors come in during lunch or in the morning before the bell rings. Ossman stated that the numbers of visitors to the media center have seen a definite increase this year.

Q: Beyond books, what else does the media center offer?

A: In addition to shelves upon shelves of books, students are free to use cards and board games available during lunch. For teachers, they have access to class sets, lessons on using Destiny (an online library catalog) and citing classes that they can bring their students to.

Q: Are there any events in the media center coming up soon?

A: The middle school and high school Battle of the Books is headed by Ms. Ossman. No official date for it has been announced yet, but students can expect a finalized date by December or January (sign-up sheets are open to all student and are posted around campus.) Tutoring in the media center has also started, which runs from 4:30 to 5:30 p.mp every day (with the exception of Wednesday.)

Q: Do students have any particular favorite genres or books?

A: Many students gravitate towards sci-fi and fantasy, and occasionally romance. Graphic novels are also popular, especially among middle schoolers. While there aren’t any particular books that students are fighting over, Ms. Ossman cited “Not Even Bones” by Rebecca Schaeffer as a title with lots of holds.

Overall, the media center is a comfortable place to work, read, or relax. And nobody sums it up better than Ms. Ossman herself: “It’s a non-judgmental zone. Anyone can come in.”