NATCHEZ — Parents stepping into their children’s school library this year are unlikely to find the library of their youths.

With more digital resources and shifting research methods, school libraries are changing.

“Expectations have certainly changed through the years,” Natchez High School’s Sandra Peoples said.

Even the title librarian has changed. Peoples is Natchez High School’s library media specialist.

Instead of just dealing with books, Peoples said librarians now show students how to use other forms of media, such as online databases.

“The change of the title certainly better defines our role,” Peoples said.

“Our world today demands more access to information.”

And, if students want to check out a book for pleasure or research, a program called Destiny allows students to see if the book is available at any one of the district’s libraries.

“It just helps us to better keep up with our collection at all of our schools,” Peoples said.

When a student looks up a book, Peoples said they could also get links to resources about the book, such author interviews.

While Destiny has been at NHS for several years, it’s making its debut this year at Cathedral School, Cathedral librarian/media specialist Karen Foley said.

The library previously used a program that was only accessible through school computers. Destiny can be used from any place that has Internet access.

“We knew that we had to have a web-based library software in order to make that available to students,” Foley said.

Foley hopes juniors will appreciate it when it’s time for them to do term papers.

And, with papers comes learning how to cite sources, which Foley teaches, along with finding credible sources.

But it’s not just information that’s in demand. Trinity librarian and history teacher Linda Rodriguez said libraries are shifting to where they are more interactive.

“They’re more like learning lounges where kids can collaborate,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said she looked at college libraries and the recommendations of the American Library Association, and came to the conclusion libraries “are not just full of books.”

So, with the start of the new year, Trinity saw the addition of eight new computers and comfortable and movable seating to enable better connectivity, Rodriguez said.

Students need places where they can multitask and connect, Rodriguez said.

“Our kids gain more real world skills when we loosen up and give them what they need,” Rodriguez said.

But even with so many changes, Rodriguez said print resources still have their place.

“We still value and use our print collection,” Rodriguez said.

Peoples said she also believes print resources belong in the library, and not just for their inherent value.

“What are you going to do when the Internet goes down?” Peoples said.