Imagining the future of the school library

Imagining the future of the School Library

Without a doubt, the school library remains one of them most symbolic, protected, and expensive ’spaces’ on any campus. But will future designers of school libraries be recreating sacred book spaces of the past or will technology and the ‘consumer’ inspire new design strategies for the future?
With this in mind, DesignShare spoke with 2 passionate library experts — Doug Johnson and Rolf Erikson — to gain better insight into serving the information needs of students, schools, and communities via the future of school library planning and design. Doug is the author of The Indispensable Librarian: Surviving (And Thriving) in School Media Centers and the Blue Skunk Blog; Rolf is the lead author of Designing A School Library Media Center for the Future.

Welcome to the Library say goodbye to the books
The article is about Cushing Academy's move from a traditional library to a learning centre.
Instead of a traditional library with 20,000 books, we’re building a virtual library where students will have access to millions of books,’’ said Tracy, whose office shelves remain lined with books. “We see this as a model for the 21st-century school.
As part of this plan administrators plan to distribute the electronic book readers, which they’re stocking with digital material, to students looking to spend more time with literature.

Stephen Heppell on school design

Building learning futures: a research project at ultralab within the CABE/RIBA "Building Futures" programme, Stephen Heppell et al, 2004
This report focuses directly onto the evolution of pedagogy in the school sector and its implications for design. It contains details drawn from the most eclectic of sources over a full year; it offers some solid recommendations which need to be
acted on and it offers some lightly drawn scenarios to provide a provocation for the many creative people involved in this whole debate.

Learning Environments of the future, Stephen Heppell et al, 2004.
This report looks at the influences impacting on the effectiveness of the
design process: changing pedagogy; new technologies; political policy and will.

School library design

Developing a 21st Century Library Media Center.
PDF document.

The 21st Century Library Media Center initative in New York City includes 5 campuses, 25 schools, and 12,715 students using a collaborative design process to rethink the potential of libraries on large campuses as hubs for learning and community. Phase II will seek expand similar redesign to 18 more schools at 4 campuses. The design process is illustrated here in photographs, layouts, sketches, and renderings. 18p.

Designing libraries: the gateway to better library design

Designing Libraries is an information resource and a forum for anyone with an interest in or involvement with library planning and design.

The Transformation of the Library by Ellen Kollie
School Planning and Management, July 2008

Facilities Planning for School Library Media and Technology Centers, 2007

by Steven M. Baule

Baule has experience as classroom teacher, library media specialist, technology director, and assistant superintendent for information technology. His wealth of experience in facilities planning shows in this second edition of his popular planning book. In simple but not simplified terms, he provides information on how to put together a planning team; how to perform a needs assessment for the library media center or technology lab; how to create bid documents and specification charts; how to develop time lines; and how to plan to move into the new facility once construction is complete. The helpful appendix contains checklists that will keep users organized and on track. Choices made in construction and furnishings will probably be around for more than 20 years, so anyone who is going to build or renovate a facility will want this book. (Not currently held in CEO Library)

Rethink!: Ideas for Inspiring School Library Design, 2007
Rethink! is a new publication edited by Dr Susan La Marca. It includes discussions about, and numerous illustrations of, library design, learning environments, ICT, future scenarios, and architectural and interior design perspectives. The book also contains a special section by marketing and retail consultant Kevin Hennah that shares ideas for innovative merchandising strategies, layout and traffic flow, signage, promotion and colour. (Not held currently in CEO Library but held in a few school libraries)

Designing a School Library Media Center for the Future, 2007
by Rolf Erikson, Carolyn Markuson
Designing a school library media center may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so take advantage! In this hands-on guidebook, school library construction and media specialists Rolf Erikson and Carolyn Markuson share their experiences of working on more than 100 media center building projects around the country, using conceptual plans from actual school libraries.Combining all aspects of design for the school library media center - floor plans, furniture, technology, bidding, and evaluation - this newly updated edition addresses: current and future technological needs of the student population; unique needs of the community library that combines school and public library services; sustainability and conservation issues to help designers and planners "go green"; accessibility requirements, including all ADA regulations from the first edition plus the latest material on learning styles and accessibility; and, cost control and ways to minimize mistakes using proven bidding and evaluation methods.With 30 new illustrations and floor plans and an updated glossary of technical terms, readers will be knowledgeable and organized when discussing plans with contractors and vendors. Using the guidance here, you'll avoid the classic building and renovation hazards and build a library media center for the future!
Not currently held in CEO Library

School design/learning spaces for special education needs

The Department of Education and Science in Ireland has recently drawn up a set of planning and design guidelines for learning spaces for pupils with special educational needs in mainstream primary and post primary schools ...
* Including Pupils with Special Educational Needs in Schools in Ireland

Latest on School Design

The TLRU has recently purchased the following book:

The Language of School Design: Design Patterns for 21st Century Schools by Prakash Nair.

Prakash Nair is a partner with Fielding Nair International, an award winning school planning firm.

If you would like to borrow this book please contact the TLRU via email at TLRU@parra.catholic.edu.au

A number of documents from Prakash are also available on the web.

Schools in 2020 - middle years perspective

Other links to Prakash Nair click here.

Also this blog contains an extensive list of links to related documents on Learning Spaces and School design. To find these click on the appropriate tag from the tag list on the right hand side.

More on Learning Space design

Educause has a good webpage that focuses on Learning space design.

Included is a section on conference resources which have the following topics :
* Teaching and Learning in Two New Smart Classrooms: Research Findings on the Pedagogical Implications of Space Design (11/18/2008)
* Laying the Foundation for Innovative, Flexible, and Consistent Classroom Technology (11/11/2008)
* Bringing the Information Commons Home (11/10/2008)
* Emerging Learning Spaces (11/10/2008)
* A Planning Process for Successful Learning/Information Commons (11/07/2008)

as well as Publications:

• Learning Curve: Adapting Library Workspaces (11/07/2008)
• Students, Technology, and Learning: Strategies for Success—Proceedings (07/30/2008)
• 7 Things You Should Know About Second Life (06/11/2008)
• The Space Is the Message: First Assessment of a Learning Studio (04/11/2008)
• ELI Discovery Tool: Learning Space Workshop Guide (01/18/2008)

School design/ learning spaces

Schools for the future: designs for
learning communities:
Building Bulletin 95, 2002.

download a copy from Teachernet

Schools for the future
Teachernet Ideas for building design, teaching innovations and environments for the future. pdf documents for downloading. ...

OECD Programme for educational building
The OECD Programme on Educational Building (PEB) promotes the exchange and analysis of policy, research and experience in all matters related to educational building. PEB members consist of individual governments and research agencies throughout the world. Its work is of relevance to policy-makers in national and regional authorities responsible for educational facilities, to architects, system level and institutional managers, and to researchers in the field.


PEB Exchange, the journal of the Programme on Educational Building
This journal addresses issues related to providing a quality educational infrastructure in a cost-effective way.
The Journal OECD Programme on Educational Building (PEB) promotes the exchange and analysis of policy, research and experience in all matters related to educational building.

Designing for the future of learningShare innovative best practices happening around the world in the field of school design. The audience includes architects, educators, planners, builders, policy leaders, school board members, and all stakeholders interested in designing for the future of learning.

School buildings information centre
This is the website of the Schools Capital Assets Design Team of England's Department for Education and Skills, promoting best practice in design, use, and management of school facilities. The website contains information on school building design guidance, asset management, environmental health and safety, including acoustics, energy efficiency, lighting, fire safety, and costs.

Schooldesigns
Searchable database of photos, project descriptions and floor plans for schools across the country that have been featured in American School & University's Architectural Portfolio and Educational Interiors Showcase issues. The database is also searchable by firm name, project city and state, and special subcategory such as renovation or landscape.

School design for inclusion/special needs
Inclusion

Support spaces

Classroom Design for Living and Learning with Autism

Learning space design

The pyschology of learning environments
Ken A. Graetz
EDUCAUSE Review, vol. 41, no. 6 (November/December 2006): pp. 60–75.
How do we create learning environments that will respond to the increased presence of networked devices, the transition from lecture to collaboration, and the growing importance of virtual environments and build the classrooms of the future that facilitate usability, engagement, collaboration, and learning.

Leading the transition from classrooms to learning spaces,
Diana Oblinger, NLII White Paper, October 2004
Diana discusses learning spaces and how the notion of a classroom has expanded and evolved. The space is no longer defined by "the class" but by "learning".
http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/NLI0447.pdf

Augsberg Teaching and Learning Spaces
Augsberg College learning spaces design is guided by a set of agreed-upon teaching and learning principles. This document outlines the teaching and learning goals and design principles that can implement them.
http://www.augsburg.edu/ctl/tls/TLSPrinciples.pdf

Designing Spaces for Effective Learning. A guide to 21st century learning space design. (2006).


Innovative school learning spaces (2007)
Albany Junior High School New Zealand

Planning sustainable schools for the future
Presentation by Brian Caldwell
Design should focus on students


Video resources

Glen Waverley Secondary College
Spaces for Learning: designed to support the development and implementation of the Years 7-9 Learning Community through a transformed pedagogical model. The pedagogy aims to support powerful learning and deep understanding through inquiry. The building disturbs a traditional model of schools and learning spaces and will allow teachers and students to be liberated from past practices and organisational structures.

Large Learning Spaces _ John XXIII Primary
News report on the Kinder learning space at John XXIII Catholic Primary School, Stanhope Gardens, NSW, Australia. John XXIII Kinder has 93 students, 3 teachers and a teacher aide in a single open learning space.

Schools designed for learning
For students at the Denver School of Science and Technology, learning takes place in an environment that is engaging, instructive, and comfortable. The building is an example of design supporting learning, and it provides spaces that are both flexible and inspiring. In addition, the school is outfitted with cutting edge technology—the building is a wireless environment, and each student works with a laptop computer. These students learn in new and exciting ways every day. It is truly a school that has been designed to promote student achievement, and you will see many examples of this powerful idea in the video.

Learning spaces
Ever wondered what goes into designing an award winning school? Watch and learn, from The Riverside School (India, Gujarat, Ahmedabad)

Learning spaces: a visual journey
Video from Appalachian State University about learning spaces


Learning spaces


NZ research trip to Christchurch
Video images of open planned learning space. A group of teachers from Victoria, Australia, recently visited Christchurch to see two schools and two libraries looking at the design of learning spaces and how they effect teaching and learning

Resources from the TLRU

The June/July 2008 issue of Teacher: the national education magazine, has the following articles around learning environment design.

Inspiration: environmentally sustainable design
Schools are some of the best places to implement good sustainable building design practices

Learning spaces
If the design is right, students can move effortlessley between online and offline learning spaces and devices.

The above articles are available from the TLRU by request.

Learning spaces

Devil in the detail of design, Teacher: the National Education Magazine, Dec 2007, pp 4-7.

Learning spaces articles

Learning by design, Education Review, Vol 17, No 7, Oct 17, 2007, pp 16-17.

Spaces and place: learning environments for the ne(x)t generation, Teacher, Oct 2007, pp 4-8