SAUGUS – Recent upgrades to some of the libraries in the Saugus School District have caught the attention of a major library advocacy group in Massachusetts.The Massachusetts School Library Association recently awarded Saugus Schools Superintendent Richard Langlois with its Administrator Advocate Award earlier this month at its annual conference in Hyannis.?I was honored and humbled to receive this award,” said Langlois. “It was reaffirming to know that we?re moving in the right direction for Saugus. It was more than I expected. I thought it was just a business meeting presentation and it ended up being a large forum with a good sized group.Belmonte Middle School librarian Sharon Hamer nominated Langlois for the award, and said the award was well-deserved because Langlois “understands the role libraries play in education” and “has a vision” for the role of technology and information in students? lives.?He demonstrated his support for libraries with words, action and money,” said Hamer in an email. “Mr. Langlois? support for technology has been phenomenal. He has upgraded the computers throughout the school system, bought dozens of Smartboards system-wide and spearheaded the purchase of Nooks for the entire sixth grade.”The MSLA mission statement is to promote school librarian leadership and school library programs to help “maximize student learning,” according to its website, and describes winners of the award as advocates for school libraries “that have made a significant difference, especially those in Massachusetts.”School Committee Chairman Wendy Reed said most of the major school libraries have been or are in the process of being redone. The high school and middle school libraries were recently upgraded while the Veterans Elementary School is currently being transformed into a “learning commons.”Reed said a learning commons is more of a “usable” space with computers and other technology that help with research and not just restricted to books.?That?s where they put the Skype in the middle school,” said Reed. “You have to change and adapt with the new technology that comes along with research. It?s not all just books. We got a couple of gifts to help finish that project so that was really cool.”According to Hamer, Langlois helped raise money both inside and outside the school budget to create a position for a professional librarian at the middle school. Hamer said that library had been closed for at least a decade.Hamer also pointed to other upgrades at the schools? libraries, including two teleconferencing units and an updated collection at the high school along with new furniture and computers, and said the school?s library system has come a long way over the last several years, especially since the school used to have just one librarian.?One of the reasons I love working in a school system led by Mr. Langlois is because he is a ?yes? man,” said Hamer. “When he sees something he likes, whether it is a proposal from a teacher or something he sees at a conference, he says, ?How can we do that here in Saugus?? It is very inspiring to know that we are on a march towards the future.”But while the high school, middle school and Veterans School libraries have been revamped, Reed said she?s hoping the same can be done for the rest of the elementary schools.?The other elementary schools don?t have libraries,” said Reed. “They?re kind of like book areas. That?s a shame. The elementary population is growing ? that takes up another classroom. You just never seem to have a designated space for a library. Most of them are on the stage or have a corner in the building. Hopefully, as projects happen, it will free up space.”Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].