Starting the Journey of Building a Learning Commons

--> Wong, Mary

White, B. (2011). Towards a learning commons: my journey; your journey. Teacher Librarian, 38(3), 27-30.

The author shares about his "shifts in direction or signposts" as he describes the transformation of his school library towards a learning commons.  As a teacher librarian at the beginning of my journey, I found these signposts to be helpful guides in seeing what changes and challenges to expect throughout the process.  The five signposts the author goes into detail are: explore a new vision, transform your own expertise, transform your library's physical and virtual spaces, change your role with teachers, and disregard any sign that says you have arrived at your destination.  One particular question the author posed that stood out for me was whether or not teachers consider us indispensible and at the center of teaching and learning.