Refreshed. Renewed. And amazing.

This is what the Education Foundation of Odessa envisioned when it announced a $1million gift to Ector County ISD to kickoff the effort to refresh school libraries across the district creating more engaging, student-centered learning spaces. Tuesday afternoon, the Foundation unveiled the transformed library at Murry Fly Elementary that includes updated furnishings, new books, vibrant design elements and expanded opportunities for hands-on learning.

“This project is about so much more than updating a library,” said Celeste Potter, Executive Director of the Education Foundation of Odessa. “We want students to walk into this space and immediately feel inspired to read, create, explore and dream. Murry Fly is the beginning of a much larger effort to transform library spaces across Ector County ISD.”

A key feature of the refreshed space is a Makerspace by Chevron, giving students opportunities to create, explore and participate in activities that connect literacy with STEAM, art and imaginative learning. The refreshed library also includes a Seed Library, developed in partnership with the West Texas Food Bank and ConocoPhillips to encourage students and families to explore gardening, nutrition and hands-on learning beyond the classroom.

“A library is so important even in this digital age,” said Education Foundation Co-founder Lorraine Perryman. “Literacy is the foundation to be able to do anything in life, whatever direction technology will carry us. [Literacy] starts with getting to have a book from your school library as a child.”

Murry Fly was a visionary. He was superintendent of schools for Ector County ISD from 1925-49, and was the founding president of Odessa College in 1946. For three years, 1946-49, he served in both roles. Appropriately, his namesake school, Murry Fly Elementary, is the starting place for this major initiative to rejuvenate school libraries.

ECISD created the model when it refreshed the library at Ector College Prep Middle School and now the Education Foundation’s long-term goal is to continue this project through a combination of Foundation investment, community partnerships and private support.

“To be able to do this for every child in ECISD is an amazing feeling,” added Mrs. Perryman. “We want to share with them that joy and that contagious excitement of imagination and learning.”