The document discusses current issues and best practices regarding facility design for school libraries. It describes trends toward more flexible learning spaces like café libraries and learning commons that aim to attract students. A café library introduces food and drink to draw students in but requires managing potential disadvantages. A learning commons transforms the library into an active collaboration space focused on functionality over books. Both models show increased student use but require managing concerns over commercial influence, noise levels, and access to print materials.

1. Facility Design
CURRENT ISSUES AND
BEST PRACTICES
“A LIBRARY NEEDS TO BE INVITING TO THE
MINDS AND SOULS AS WELL AS TO THE
BODIES OF ITS USERS”
(Oberg, 1999, p. 4).
Jennifer Keneally
ELLM – 6110-80

2. Current Issue – Facility Design
Many existing library spaces do not meet the changing
needs and demands of the 21st Century learner. As
schools investigate ways to renovate or redesign these
spaces:
 What should librarians and stakeholders consider in the
planning stages of a renovation project?
 What are the current trends in library design?
 If budgetary dollars are small, how can design changes be
completed in a cost effective way?

3. Planning
“TODAY’S WELL FUNCTIONING HIGH SCHOOL
LIBRARIES ARE LEARNING CENTERS WHERE
STUDENTS CAN
STUDY, READ, RESEARCH, COLLABORATE, EX
PLORE, THINK, CREATE, DISCOVER AND JUST
BE”
(Graboyes, 2011, p. 74).

4. When a school or district begins a library renovation project, there
are factors that should be considered before bringing in outside
Planning: assistance from architects or library design companies.
 Include various stakeholders in any redesign committee. These
stakeholders include:
“Planning and  Students
designing a new high  Library staff
 Faculty members (including department supervisors)
school library to  Technology department staff
reflect emerging  Plant managers
trends while  Parents
remaining true to  Evaluate the current library program and create a vision for the
future.
best practices takes  If necessary, the library mission and vision statement should
time, thought and be updated to reflect emerging trends and potential redesign
plans.
teamwork”  Research current trends
 Consider the following questions:
(Martin, 2011, p. 15).  What are the library’s main functions?
 What goes on in the library?
 What do you already have in the library?
 Additional Considerations:
 Furniture needs
 Storage needs
 Special considerations (accessibility, scheduling etc.)
(Lankford, 1994, p. 20-24)

5. 1. Program predetermines plan.
2. Form follows function.
3. Pragmatics supercede
The Ten
Commandments aesthetics.
for School 4. Quality is true economy.
Library
Planning
5. Users participate in planning.
6. Maximum control and minimal
supervision.
7. Accessibility invites use.
(Oberg, 1999, p. 6) 8. Multiple use avoids space abuse.
9. Shelving outranks windows.
10. One wall leads to the future.

6. Trends – The Café Library
“SCHOOL LIBRARIES MUST ENGAGE IN A MAJOR
OUTREACH CAMPAIGN TO COMPETE WITH IPODS, TEXT
MESSAGING, INSTANT MESSAGING AND ALL THE
LATEST TECHNOLOGIES THAT HOG KIDS’ ATTENTION”
(Whelan, 2008, p. 39).

7. The Café Library
 In researching redesign options, some schools are
considering a “Starbucks/Barnes & Noble” model.
 The Café Library aims to draw in students and cater to
the teenage culture.
 The argument for this type of library model is that school
libraries need to be places where students WANT to be.
 “The main thing is getting to kids who don’t normally
come into the library…just start a dialogue” (Whelan,
2008, p. 40.)
 The Café model can be achieved on a small scale through
student run cafes or on a larger scale with franchises
coming into schools to setup cafes.
(Whelan, 2008, p. 36-40)

8. The Café Model: Advantages
 Northwest High School – Texas:
 Java City franchise established a café in the school library
 Circulation has tripled
 Library is filled with students – in the mornings there are over 200 students in the library!
 Librarian is able to do more: monthly 90 minute book talks with all 600 students in the
school
 “The café is kind of a status symbol. Kids love the freedom of making choices and being seen
as adults” (Whelan, 2008, p. 37)
 Tulia High School – Texas
 Small café set up by the librarian
 “Since opening day in 2006, there’s been a 12 percent increase in circulation – despite a four
percent dip in the overall student population” (Whelan, 2008,p. 38)
 Centennial High School – Tennessee
 “Cougar Café” run entirely by the students through their Marketing class
 The students are responsible for inventory, ordering and upkeep
 Open during the school day, half hour before and after school and later than usual when
students are studying for exams and the school library is open until 8:30 pm.
(Whelan, 2008, p. 36-40)

9. The Café Model: Disadvantages
While there are many advantages to the Café model, there are also several philosophical and
operational concerns that should be considered:
 In franchised locations, there is a concern that corporations aren’t building the cafes
altruistically and are instead attempting the “brand” students for life.
 Many question whether the library is an appropriate place to serve food and drink.
 Traditionally the library is a food and drink free area in the school. Could introducing
food and drink potentially lead to the innocent destruction of books, computers and
other library materials?
 Do the cafes contribute to unhealthy eating habits? Should schools be promoting caffeine
consumption?
 Who is responsible for cleaning the cafes? Disposing of the garbage? Is this an increased
work load for the custodial staff?
 Could funds directed towards creating the café be better used in collection development
and technological updates?
Even though schools have experienced success with this model, the library-as-café requires
the librarian to do outreach and relationship building with members of the school
community, especially those who are resistant to the idea.
(Whelan, 2008, p. 36-40)

10. Trends – Learning Commons
“THE COMMONS MODEL HAS BECOME A
BLEND OF COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY SERVICES
AND CLASSICAL LIBRARY REFERENCE AND
RESEARCH RESOURCES. IT SERVES AS A HUB
FOR STUDENTS TO GATHER, EXCHANGE
IDEAS, COLLABORATE AND UTILIZE
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES”
(SENS, 2010).

11. Learning Commons
In order to address the changing learning styles of today’s
students, school are considering redesign plans that
transform the traditional library into a space commonly
called a “learning commons.”
 The learning commons model is based on the following
principles:
 While a traditional model focuses on the “transfer of knowledge from
professor to student, today’s students learn by accessing
knowledge…among their peers” (Sens, 2010).
 The library “defines literacy through varied access points, develops
and refines critical thinking within a social context and …allows
students to grow personally and academically” (Martin, 2011, p. 15).

12. What does a Learning Commons Look Like?
A library built around the Learning Commons model is:
 An open space where books are pushed to the periphery
 Structured to be continuation of the classroom environment
 An area where students are brought together around a shared
learning task
 Not a quiet space – it is an active space that lives in “controlled
chaos”
The learning commons design focuses on functionality and
flexibility allowing for a variety of work spaces including:
 Reading areas, conference rooms, a gaming area and formal and
informal instruction areas.

13. Learning Commons - Advantages
 Cushing Academy - Massachusetts
 The school created an all digital format for their library
because “a small collection of printed books no longer supports
the type of research required by a 21st Century curriculum”
(Tracy, Kirschenbaum, Gray, Carr & Powers, 2010).
 Removing most of the book resources in the library allowed
the school to set up a learning commons.
 With the change to the learning commons, Cushing Academy
has seen an increased use of the library
 Since students need more assistance with the new digital
format, the school has increased its staffing in the library.
 Students are checking out more books on eReaders.
(Tracy, Kirschenbaum, Gray, Carr & Powers, 2010).

14. Learning Commons - Disadvantages
Although the learning commons model is becoming
increasingly popular, there are some disadvantages that
should be considered with this model (especially an all
digital learning commons), including:
 Not all resources are available in a digital format.
 Removing all of the books excludes students from
serendipitous discoveries in the stacks.
 Removing all of the books discounts the investments
made by librarians in quality collection development.
 The learning commons model does not always address
multiple intelligences.
(Tracy, Kirschenbaum, Gray, Carr & Powers, 2010)

15. Best Practices
IF A RENOVATION OF THE LIBRARY IS NOT
FEASIBLE, WHAT ARE SOME COST EFFECTIVE
OPTIONS A LIBRARIAN CAN CONSIDER TO
TRANSFORM A TRADITIONAL LIBRARY INTO A
2 1 ST C ENTURY LEARNING SPACE?

16. Best Practices
 Furniture:
 Flexibility is key.
 Purchase movable/modular tables and chairs that allow for independent
as well as collaborative learning. A cheaper alternative to this is to put
existing tables and bookshelves on casters.
 Comfy chairs/sofas
 Create zones:
 Use furniture and shelving to separate the library space.
 Consider zones for instruction, quiet study and reading, collaborative
working areas, and computers/technology
 Shelving:
 If shelves are blocking natural light, consider cutting the shelving units.
 Purchase new end panels to give a “refinished” look.
(Sullivan, 2011, p. 26-32)
(Lankford, 1994, p. 20-24)
(Graboyes, 2011, 74-78)

17. Best Practices
 Merchandise your books:
 “It is time to stop warehousing book and start merchandising them”
(Sullivan, 2011, p.26-32).
 Create dynamic displays, Barnes & Noble style “face-outs” and mobile fixtures.
 Weed and update library collection
 Remove old, outdated and worn materials.
 Bring in popular fiction texts.
 Appeal to all levels of reading interest
 Convert unused spaces into used spaces:
 Odd hallways or alcoves can become display areas for student work.
 Bring in the great outdoors/maximize natural light if possible
 Add color and texture
 Bright colors, murals and student artwork.
(Sullivan, 2011, p. 26-32)
(Lankford, 1994, p. 20-24)

18. Additional Resources
 Design considerations provided by states:
 Wisconsin:
http://imt.dpi.wi.gov/imt_desgnlmc
 Louisiana:
http://www.louisianaschools.net/lde/uploads/15303.pdf
 Maryland:
http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/NR/rdonlyres/EC67FB12-
FE6B-464A-A2AD-
D0C6307773E3/24438/Designing_School_Libraries_Resource_List.p
df
 ALA: Designing of Facility
 http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/conferencesandevents
/confarchive/pittsburgh/DesigningaFacility.pdf

19. Sources
Graboyes, A. S. (2011). A 21st century library in a 20th century space. Educational Leadership, 69 (4), 74-78.
Lankford, M.D. (1994). Design for change: How to plan school library you really need. School Library Journal, 40 (2), 20-24.
Martin, A.M, Westmoreland, D.D., & Branyon, A. (2001). New design considerations that transform the library into an indispensible
learning environment. Teacher Librarian, 38 (5), 15-20.
Oberg, D. (1999). School libraries: Inviting spaces for learning. School Libraries in Canada, 19 (1), 4-6.
Sens, T. (2010). 12 major trends in library design. Building and Design Construction. Retrieved from
http://www.bdcnetwork.com/12-major-trends-library-design
Sullivan, M. (2011). Divine design: How to create the 21st century school library of your dreams. School Library Journal, 57 (4), 26-32.
Tracy, J., Kirschenbaum, M., Gray, L., Carr, N. & Powers, W. (2010). Room for debate: Do school libraries need books? The New York
Times. Retrieved from http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/10/do-school-libraries-need-books/
Whelan, D. (2008). Café society: Do school libraries need a double shot of espresso? School Library Journal, 54 (1), 36-40.