Welcome to the Northwest High School Library! The library is one of the busiest places in the school. Did you know that more than 400 students visit the library on a daily basis? The library is more than a place to get books. At Northwest, the library serves as a community hub. Students workshop new pieces on the piano, play ping pong on one of our two tables, take advantage of our make-it-take-it craft table, celebrate their era at our friendship bracelet station, play board and card games, build Legos, study, and, yes, even read. 

Here is some basic information about our space:

Library Schedule

The library opens daily at 9am unless Mrs. Pinyan is absent. Students may visit throughout the day with a note from their teacher. The library is open during lunch for our Friends of the Library Booster Club members (see below for more information) and during WIN for registered students. 

Library Circulation Policies

To encourage students to develop a love of reading, our library has a flexible circulation policy. Sometimes, it takes high school students more than a minute to finish a book, so we do not want them to feel pressure about due dates. The only exception to that rule is if, after one month, another student requests the title, we will ask for the return.

Students can check out print books, e-books, and audio books. To explore our collection, students may search our Destiny catalog (scroll down for the link). 

Beanstack Reading Challenges

Click here to learn about our NWHS Beanstack reading challenges, new to our school this year. 

Hi! My name is Colleen Pinyan, and it is my pleasure to serve the Viking community as your school librarian. This is my fourth year at Northwest. Previously, I was the school librarian at Brooks Global Studies and as the Youth Services Librarian at Davie Public Library. I am a proud graduate of Wake Forest University and received my Master of Library Science degree from East Carolina University. Last May, I received my Master of Education in Instructional Technology at UNCG.

Here at Northwest, I believe in using library resources and my expertise to empower our students to be their best selves. Partnering with students and staff, we have a lot of fun making that happen. 

Need to reach me? 

The best way to reach me is via email: pinyans@gcsnc.com

To keep up with library events, please follow me on X or Instagram @nwhs_media.  We also have a new library Tik Tok channel @nwhs.library.

Students can log into the Destiny catalog below using their GCS login credentials. Or they can access Destiny via the Clever page on their Chromebook:

Are you interested in supporting the library and the myriad of ways it serves our Viking community? Consider joining our Friends of the Library Booster Club. Membership is $10, and your donation supports all the activities in the library, including ping pong, crafts, new books, maker space supplies, and more. As a thank you for your donation, your student will receive a lunch pass to eat in the library for the year. Any questions? Contact Mrs. Pinyan at pinyans@gcsnc.com.