Las Palmas Library in Mid-Extreme Makeover

Students arrived to school Monday at Las Palmas Elementary to find the library in the middle of an extreme makeover.

When it’s done Principal Kristen Nelson hopes they’ll have a “Starbucks experience” – without the caffeine.

Being one of the older schools in Capistrano Unified, the San Clemente school also had one of the older circulation collections, along with old furniture, slow computers “and was generally run down and overused,” Nelson said.

So last year, the seed of change was planted, and parents got busy with fundraising, Nelson said. Proceeds from the annual jog-a-thon were among many of the fundraisers that contributed to effort.

“So we have spent about $15,000 on new furniture, books and computers,” Nelson said.

The finished library will have eight laptops for research, an area with bean bags for younger students, an upper grade corner with a couch, several “café”-style tables, magazines, new books and a more open layout, Nelson said.

“Our goal is to have our students love the library SO much, they don’t want to leave,” she said.