Students at Peruvian Park, Glacier Hills and 17 other Canyons District elementary schools will walk into libraries staffed by newly credentialed para-librarians when classes resume Aug. 17.

Nineteen library paraeducators completed Utah State University's inaugural Certificate in Para-Librarianship during the 2025-26 school year, finishing three master's-level courses covering inquiry-based learning, media literacy, artificial intelligence navigation and dynamic shelving, according to the district. The credential, housed in USU's Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Department, is the first of its kind in Utah.

The program grew from a grant secured by Kelli Munns, a professional practice professor at Utah State. USU graduate student Liz Miles suggested redirecting the funding to address a gap: elementary school libraries across Utah are often staffed by paraeducators and technicians who lack the foundational training taught in master's-level library programs.

Choosing Canyons to pilot the certificate was "a no-brainer, because of their leadership," Munns said, noting that elementary librarians are among the few adults in a school who see every student every day.

For Canyons library media specialist Gretchen Zaitzeff, the partnership completed a three-part vision she has pursued since joining the district: keeping libraries open longer, updating collections and providing quality training for librarians. The USU certificate was the final piece.

The year-long program required coursework, reading and collaboration outside the paraeducators' regular job duties. It also pushed them to connect directly with classroom teachers to identify how library time could help individual students meet literacy goals.

Dawn Sutherland at Glacier Hills Elementary described one result. A student refused to check out books. After consulting his teacher, Sutherland learned the boy liked skateboarding and matched him with titles from the library's collection.

At an August recognition ceremony, Canyons instructional supports assistant director Kenna Sorensen told principals to view the graduates as school leaders, not just library technicians.

Sandy-area schools represented among the 19 graduates include Peruvian Park Elementary (Nina Jenson and Lisa Petersen), Glacier Hills Elementary (Telima Smith and Dawn Sutherland), Ridgecrest Elementary (Lindsey Manning), Oak Hollow Elementary (Laura Naluai), Willow Springs Elementary (Anna Swallow), Sunrise Elementary (Leesa Mansouri) and Silver Mesa Elementary (Kimberly Falkner and Candace Johnson). Other graduates serve at Midvale, Granite, Crescent, Canyon View, East Midvale, Park Lane and Sprucewood elementaries.

No second cohort has been announced. Canyons grades 1-12 return Monday, Aug. 17; kindergarten starts Wednesday, Aug. 19, according to KUTV.