Life in the School
Library
Lara Walker Fall 2005 LIS 60607
Scenario 5: You have
been hired as a new media specialist in the district. You accepted the position
without having seen the library...when you arrive a week before school opens
you are dismayed...the library shelves look in disarray, the physical layout
seems odd...it looks like renovation and updating is a must. What would you do?
First
of all, DON’T PANIC! Rather than looking at the state of the library media
center as an obstacle, you should look at it as an opportunity to make it a
more user-friendly, functional, and inviting place. In addition, as the new
library media specialist, you have the perfect chance to put your personal
stamp on the space in which you will be working. It’s a good time to show the
administration, teachers, and students who you are and what sort of a vision
you have for the library media center.
How
much you are able to accomplish in one week depends upon the size of your
library media center, how many students you have, budget, as well as available
space for technology, print materials, equipment, and student instruction.
Solution
One: Rearranging
I. Large library media centers
If
you have walked into a large library media center that simply has a bad layout
design, rearranging will take some planning, some time, and may require some
professional help. You might be able to accomplish small changes, like moving
the photocopier, the circulation desk, and the student seating. Big changes,
such as painting the walls, installing new carpet, replacing the furniture, moving
the computer labs, and rearranging the bookshelves will have to wait until
Christmas or summer vacation. This will give you plenty of time to research,
visit other library media centers, and talk to other library media specialists
about the best possible layout for your library media center.
In
the meantime, now is a good time to make sure that the books are in order. While
you are shelf-reading, do some preliminary weeding. Get rid of materials that
contain inaccurate or outdated information. Set aside materials that are
questionable in order to examine them when you have more time. Make certain
that you have adequate signage and friendly posters hung on the walls. Spend
some time on bulletin boards and book displays to create a friendly, welcoming
atmosphere.
II. Small library media centers
If
you have walked into a small library media center that simply has a bad layout
design, you may be able to get a lot more accomplished. You only have a week,
so no big changes such as painting the walls, installing new carpet, or
replacing the furniture will be taking place. If those things need to be done,
they will have to wait until Christmas or summer vacation. A few things can be
done within a week, however, that will have a huge impact on the functionality
and aesthetic appeal of the space in the library media center.
First, start with a vision. Read
articles and websites about renovating and designing library media centers. If
you can, visit at least one other library media center and talk to the library
media specialist about the layout and features of his/her media center. Find
out what works and what doesn’t work.
Next,
analyze the current layout of the media center:
Try
to picture in your head how you see students using the library, where the
circulation desk will be, where the books will be, and where the seating areas
and work areas will be. Now you are ready to put your ideas on paper. Get some
graph paper and roughly sketch out the picture in your head. Try to make it as
close to scale as possible. Use a measuring tape to figure out how much space
you have to work with, how much space is taken up by each item in the media
center (each shelving unit, the circulation desk, the photocopier, each table, each
chair, etc.). Don’t forget to factor in spaces for people and wheelchairs to
fit through, and remember that electrical outlets are needed for all of the
technology.
At
this point, you should present your new plan to the principal. Explain why
changes need to be made in the media center. Describe how student learning will
be enhanced by increasing both the functionality and aesthetic appeal. Point
out the need to change the traffic flow in order for students to have greater
accessibility to materials. Defend your decision to move the bookshelves in
terms of effective supervision of students at all times. Give details about
changes in student seating, making clear the need for individual, small group,
and large group instruction. Make sure that administrative approval has been
given before you start making any big changes. Many principals will not care
what you do in the library, but some will want notification, and maybe even
final consent.
If
the new plan for the library media center involves moving a lot of furniture,
you will need to enlist the help of your custodians. Consulting with them about
the move is a great idea. If you explain why you need to make changes in the
library media center, they might not grumble so much about being asked to move
everything around. They might also have some insights about moving particular
pieces of furniture...especially if they have been around for awhile.
Bookshelves
are not easy to move, and so you will want to be 100% certain that you are
placing them in the best possible position. Make sure that your field of vision
is not obstructed by the shelves. Placing them perpendicular to the circulation
desk is a good idea so that you can see down the rows of shelves. Leaving a
shelf free of books in the middle of each shelving unit is also wise so that
you can at least partially see through the books to the people in the rows
behind.
If
the books on your bookshelves are out of order, you will need to arrange them
in order before packing them in boxes. This will make your life easier when the
shelves have been moved and you are placing the books back on them. When
packing the newly arranged books in boxes, make sure that you label each box
with the beginning and ending Dewey number. That way, you’ll be sure to reach
for each box in the correct order when you are placing the books back on the
shelves.
Finally,
make certain that you have adequate signage and friendly posters hung on the
walls. You can work on your bulletin boards and book displays after all of the
big tasks have been completed.
You
will definitely need help in getting your library media center ready for the
first day of school. If you do not have a library assistant, ask one of the
secretaries about parent volunteers. If that fails, ask about student
volunteers or students who may need some community service hours. Try to
accomplish all of your changes before school begins so that the students’ first
impression is a good one. Place bookmarks in various places throughout the
school advertising the new look in the library. Students will come in initially
because they are curious, but they will come back because you have created a
functional, user-friendly, inviting media center.
Solution
Two: Redesigning and Renovating
Sometimes
simply rearranging the library media center is not enough to bring about the
drastic changes required in order to have a fully functioning space for
students in the 21st century. If you have walked into a library
media center that does not have enough space for technology, print materials,
and/or student instruction, you may need to start planning for major
renovations.
First,
take a deep breath and realize that this process will take a lot longer than a
week. It may take longer than a year. You will need to involve the advisory
board, students, faculty, principal, superintendent, school board, and maybe
even the entire community if you are asking for tax dollars to accomplish the
redesign. You may need to do some grant writing or fund raising in order to
help underwrite the costs. Architects and library consultants, contractors and
custodial staff may all play a part in remodeling the library media center. You
need to be prepared for major upheaval, a lot of dust, and mild to extreme
amounts of frustration.
You
need to begin with a vision, similar to the section on rearranging, but this
time you will be thinking about making big changes instead of little changes. Be thorough in researching all of your
options. You might need to relocate the library in the school building. You
might need to knock down walls or erect new ones. It is imperative that you
develop a close relationship with the architect and library consultant (if one
has been hired), communicating your vision and your needs very clearly. You may
have to compromise on some things due to budget or architectural restraints,
but be very careful not to compromise on the things that are vital to your
vision of how the library should be. Make sure that everyone involved
understands and supports your vision.
Resources