Student Name:
Duff, Marina
Bibliographic Citation:
Nelson, B. and McConachie, L. Space matters: designing a high school library for learning. Educational Facility Planner (Online), 44 (1), 21-24.
http://media.cefpi.org/efp/EFP44-1Nelson.pdf
Duff, Marina
Bibliographic Citation:
Nelson, B. and McConachie, L. Space matters: designing a high school library for learning. Educational Facility Planner (Online), 44 (1), 21-24.
http://media.cefpi.org/efp/EFP44-1Nelson.pdf
Descriptive Summary:
I found this article while searching for ideas about school libraries. It clearly presents five design elements and considerations for school libraries that embrace 21st century students. First, one must value creating learning spaces more than book storage when designing the library. Second, the space must be flexible and adaptable for different teaching styles, learning styles, and groupings. Third, the library collection development policy must be closely aligned with what student patrons need and use. Fourth, the digital collection is just as important as the print collection and should be updated and promoted heavily. Fifth, all students of all backgrounds should feel welcome, safe, and inspired in the library space. Overall, the library must be able to serve many purposes from "social hub" to study hall. One should be able to work on homework alone or work on a group project collaboratively. The lighting, acoustics, air circulation, and bookshelf & seating arrangement must allow for proper supervision yet also make students feel free and independent.
Evaluation:
This article shared how designing a school library is really more about the students' academic and social needs and less about book storage and beauty. The library needs to attract all types of learners so that they feel welcome, safe, and "inspired" in the space whether they are alone or in a group. Moreover, everything from the seating to the books should be chosen with careful consideration and using an authentic community analysis. Flexibility seems to be the key in accomplishing the task of creating a space that can appeal to different people, situations, and technological advances. This article has made me re-evaluate these five elements as they exist in my own library. Though there are some design elements that are not flexible, there are still plenty of items that are moveable such as the table and chair arrangement, book displays, and computer & laptop set up. I think the big idea here is to design and re-design one's library in ways that put the students' need first, and I think it is never too late to shake things up.
I will be making a presentation to my board about the reasons why the library needs to be expanded at our school and I have been trying to collect resources to back up my position so I'm thankful for this article that you found about how to use the space and remember to focuse on the students' academic and social needs.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this Marina, especially your comment about adjusting your idea of the fixed setup in the library to a more flexible approach. I have just started at a school and I feel like the space is rigidly laid out, but this inspires me to see how I can change it up.
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DeleteWhen I started working in my library three years ago, I found the physical space very rigid also. I didn't want to rock the boat being the new staff member on board, so didn't make any changes that first year. Last year I wrote several grants and acquired a new colorful carpet and bean bags. I moved out immovable bookshelves and kept the ones on wheels. Every group that uses the library (PTA meetings, staff meetings, after school program)moves these movable shelves around now to suite their meeting needs.
DeleteThanks for this, Marina! I am also in the throws of redesigning my physical space. I have the luxury of an educational space design firm working with me. I like the focus on learning space vs. storage space. I'm looking forward to taking collection development next semester and get my head around how to effectively manage my resources to support and not get in the way of the learning!
ReplyDeleteOne of the problems in my area is that the libraries are landlocked in older buildings (80+ years old) and are difficult to reconfigure without conflicts with the historical aspects of the facilities and the cost of a major construction.
ReplyDeleteIt would be nice and a bit easier to redisign a more modern facility due to the modularity that is already built into these sites. I'm all for movable shelving and and turning the library into a multi use facility which is probably the most practical way to approach any redesign of the library.
I am also wondering how to incorporate these 5 important design elements into an already established library with the immovable furniture and built in shelving. Adding the historical aspect would make it even more challenging. How can libraries incorporate these design elements on limited budgets?
DeleteI want to take away the librarian's office at my school and use it as a quiet study room and let the rest of the library be a bit noisier--there are other rooms in the back he can use.
ReplyDeleteI have one of those librarians offices. I'm going to have to think about the reallocation of that space. I wonder what important parts of my work would be effected by not having a private space to make phone calls and have meetings. Perhaps a lot less than I think!
DeleteI don't have an office, just an L-shaped desk that is also the circulation desk. I like being in the midst of everything, but the only problem is that my work/mess is also visible for all to see. It's an organizational challenge for me, especially because the laminator is also behind my desk. :-)
DeleteI usually have meetings in the library and either close the library if it's not appropriate for the kids to overhear, or else remind myself that they don't really care what I'm talking about with another adult about 90% of the time. It's not so bad, not having an office. I worry about being in my office once our new library is built (we're in portables right now) and being slightly removed or less available to the students.
The tech coordinator uses my library workroom for his office, which is great because he supports technology in the library space :)
ReplyDeleteI think that the physical space has complement and balance the virtual space. The lines have to be blurred between them and they need to take cues from each other. I like the idea of 24/7 access to the physical commons, especially at the High School level. Outside of the obvious issue of funding staff to be in the Commons around the clock, the biggest issue at my school would be in that by staying open around the clock infers that we encourage the students to also stay up all night! Some will anyway, but given that we have a boarding component and are in loco parentus, we are also encouraging the students to develop a healthy lifestyle, which includes regular sleep patterns.
ReplyDeleteI also see the Learning Commons the space in the school where we have spaces for students to construct…. anything! I like the ideas of a physical construction zone for creating posters, models and other physical objects. This is mirrored by the media lab with green screen and audio and video recording and editing tools to create digital objects.
I wonder about the more social aspects of some of the ideas. While social learning space is important, I wonder if spaces that simply encouraging socializing are important in the Learning Commons. I would think that most schools have plenty of spaces that can be used for this.
Some ideas that seem workable in a middle school library: flexible spaces- collaborative work spaces, creative work spaces, moveable (wheeled) shelves, moveable tables/desks/chairs
ReplyDeleteLove the idea of white board spaces around the library.
Student/user centered is key. - like student tech support, student work and artwork on display, personalized learning.
Like having a designated food/drink space, because middle schoolers are always munching away! :)
I don't know if I would have an adult free zone, but like the idea of student designed/driven spaces.
Wondering how to create different "sound spaces" (i.e. loud space, collaborative space, social buzz space, non-verbal communication space...)
Showers at the library??
I agree with the comment on Line 263 of the spreadsheet-If you can say "yes," do so. Be open and more flexible in order to keep students using the library. If they aren't comfortable, they will not return. Marina, I like your attitude that you can keep trying new things and if they work, keep using them, but if they don't, then abandon them and try something new. Thanks for sharing this article, it's a great one.
ReplyDeleteMarina, thank you for sharing this article. I especially like your sentence: "designing a school library is really more about the students' academic and social needs and less about book storage and beauty". It makes me think about how I have approached organizing the fiction sections in my elementary library. I think we need to organize our physical materials in a way that supports the teaching and learning of our students, and not adhere to strict standard library organization.
ReplyDeleteI use the reading levels that guide classroom reading (in our district we use Fountas and Pinnell) to guide my organization of fiction books into beginning readers, chapter books and longer fiction. I do not label the books with reading levels, but the levels inform my organization system. So students are able to browse for books at the similar level or band. All of the books for a typical late 2nd through early 4th grader are in the chapter book section.
I'm wondering what other folks think about the SLJ article this month about Ditching Dewey? Do alternative organization systems blending fiction and nonfiction help serve our students better? Do we need to think about flexibility that Dr. Loertscher talks about with our physical spaces also apply to our physical collections?
What you said when talking about the article about the importance of safety and kids feeling safe and welcome in the library is so important because first and foremost it is about the user. We've learned this from Ranganathan's laws to the client side focus of the Learning commons. If kids don't feel welcome and safe to explore, they won't use the space and all the resources. If they don't feel safe, they won't take chances with their learning.
ReplyDeleteThe elementary school group talked a lot about steps that can be taken to fulfill the fifth point in the article, which is: make the library more welcoming for students, across the board. Some relatively simple modifications can make a big difference in terms of how students and their families view the library--either as a welcoming space where they are respected and encouraged to engage in, or if they view the library as a sort of precious museum, where bells will ring and alarms go off if they place a book in the wrong section or they speak too loudly. TLs should consider removing late fines, particularly since it's often not the student's fault--but rather the result of a disorganized home environment, for example--and they don't have the funds to repay this anyway. Also, TLs can designate certain areas of the physical learning commons as areas where it's okay to talk/collaborate--and even areas where it's encouraged, such as a performance stage or learning centers--so that students feel like the library is a place they belong, rather than somewhere where adults tolerate their presence.
ReplyDeleteMy friend is the principal at a new school, this is their second year of operation. She asked me last year for ideas and I had no idea where to begin. This is an article I feel like I could share with her and give her some ideas in designing their school's library.
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