The UHS Library Leaders Club hopes to bring out the best of the school’s library through community, events and reading. President Arta Bolourchian and Vice President Kara Arceo are both highly involved in the UHS environment and their respective communities, with Bolourchian doing extensive volunteer work with nonprofit organizations and creative work, such as DJing and photography, while Arceo is involved in the UHS dance and choir programs.
The two seniors aimed to use the club to transform the library into a safe, welcoming space for all to use in many ways.
“I knew the library needed some kind of leadership and something to have going on . . . so [that] it’s not just for studying,” Bolourchian said. “I wanted students to have an engaging environment.”
With the library’s support, the club hopes to foster a sense of community and campus unity among students.
“[Our club] brings together the library space as a platform to unify students,” Arceo said.
The club showcases the many services the library provides, such as academic support, and also helps with various other activities, such as creative projects.
“There’s so many opportunities—we have peer tutoring, [and] we have Mr. Frat who’s willing to teach you DJing and print 3D stuff for you,” Arceo said.
Both heads of the program enjoy bringing their hobbies to life in the club: for instance, Bolourchian brings his love of music to the library space.
“We hosted this local band that came in,” Bolourchian said. “They sang during lunch time, they were wonderful.”
Though the library is a space for much more than simply studying, Arceo also emphasizes the importance of reading there.
“[We’re] also trying to expose people to more literature,” Arceo said. “I think a lot of the books that we read are mainly for classes . . . but [we’re] really trying to get that exposure for trying to read for fun.”
Arceo also serves as president of the peer tutoring organization and simply loves spending time in the library and making a difference.
“I [work at the library a lot], that’s probably why I got chosen for the program,” Arceo said.
Being seniors, Arceo and Bolourchian are leaving UHS this year. Nonetheless, they expressed their wishes and plans for the club’s future.
“I hope to have the new leadership grow and have a much better reach and better impact and environment throughout,” Bolourchian said.
Ultimately, the UHS Library Leaders and their seniors have strived to create a friendly library environment that encourages students to build community, destress and support them in any way needed. By encouraging students to engage with the library, Arceo and Bolourchian hope to inspire numerous students to develop a newfound appreciation for the space.
“I hope to show people just how . . . privileged we are to have . . . [this] library community,” Arceo said. “If you pause and look around, it’s such a nice place.”
Though Arceo and Bolourchian will graduate this year, their vision for the library leaders’ future will continue through their initiatives: from peer tutoring to DJing, students can expect to enjoy a growing array of activities at the UHS library.
