School Library Media Centers for the 21st Century

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School Library Media Centers for the 21st
Century Gerry Solomon, School Library Media
Consultant Acacia Dixon, Instructional
Technology Consultant NC Department of Public
Instruction Instructional Technology Division
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The Top Ten!
Top Ten!

• School libraries areplaces of opportunity where
• all students can strive for and achieve success
• quality collections are provided, in print and
  online, that support the curriculum and address a
  variety of learning needs
• students develop a love of reading and literature
• library media specialists help students explore
  the world around them through print and
  electronic media
• students can work individually or in small groups
  on research and collaborative projects
• Toolkit for School Library Media Programs.
  Chicago American Library Association, 2003.

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10 Atmosphere
Top Ten!
Ceiling Heights Acoustics Visual interest in
architectural design and texture Separate
Climate Control Comfortable Seating Display
Areas
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9 Let There Be Light!
Top Ten!
Under full spectrum light students attended
school 3.2-3.8 days more per year, had nine times
less tooth decay, grew an average of ¾ inches
taller, and had more positive moods and better
academic performance than students attending
schools with other other lighting. U. Rouk.
School Sense. PROBE, Spring 1997. (As quoted
by Doug Johnson, Director of Media and
Technology, Mankato Public Schools www.doug-johnso
n.com/dougwri/buildingquestions.html)
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Natural Lighting
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Top Ten!
When planning for technology, find the right
balance between the future and the present. Dont
try to predict what technologies will replace
todaysbe aware of the possibilities and be
prepared to adapt, but build an infrastructure
that extends the capabilities of todays
technologies in case the changes dont occur as
predicted. Lucinda M. ONeill. Building
Forward How Communities Can Design School or
Public Libraries That Will Serve This Generation
and the Next. Threshold, Winter 2004,
www.ciconline.org.
8 Where Do You Plug It In?
Wires, Wires, Wires!
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Top Ten!
When planning for technology, find the right
balance between the future and the present. Dont
try to predict what technologies will replace
todaysbe aware of the possibilities and be
prepared to adapt, but build an infrastructure
that extends the capabilities of todays
technologies in case the changes dont occur as
predicted. Lucinda M. ONeill. Building
Forward How Communities Can Design School or
Public Libraries That Will Serve This Generation
and the Next. Threshold, Winter 2004,
www.ciconline.org.
8 Where Do You Plug It In?
Retrofit Power Poles
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7 Shelve It!
Top Ten!
Flexibility to create multi-purpose use
areas Adjustable Shelving
Casters!
The Old
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6 Line of Sight
Top Ten!

• Entire media center viewable from circulation
  desk
• No dead zones where students can not be observed
• Shelf placement for viewing down the aisles
• Adequate windows for office and workroom

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Supervision of Online Access
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5 Check It Out!
Top Ten!
Adjacency Two Computer Stations Two Heights
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4 So Much To Do!
Top Ten!
Media Center Activities Large-group
instruction Reference Story Sharing
(elementary) Independent work areas Small group
work areas Informal reading Production (e.g.
video) Circulation Administration
(office) Professional area/ Workroom (can be in
a conference room) Display/exhibit
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4 So Much To Do!
Top Ten!
Media Center Activities Large-group
instruction Reference Story Sharing
(elementary) Independent work areas Small group
work areas Informal reading Production (e.g.
video) Circulation Administration
(office) Professional area/ Workroom (can be in
a conference room) Display/exhibit
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2 The Hub of the School
Top Ten!

• The future library is
• simultaneously a
• classroom, computer
• lab, reading room,
• study hall, conference
• center, theater, lecture
• hall, teachers lounge,
• Community center,
• and a place for
• parents to meet.
• Henry Myerberg. School
• Libraries A Design Recipe
• for the Future. Knowledge
• Quest, Vol 31 No 1,
• September/October 2002.

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Recipe for Inquiry-Based School Library Design
Top Ten!

• 1 open, flexible space (one edge minimum with
  windows)
• 8000 interesting books and shelving
• 48 seats (hard and soft)
• 12 tables (4 kids to a table)
• 120 pounds of fresh technology (computers,
  scanners, projectors, wireless laptops)
• 6 common building materials (i.e. wood, metal,
  plastic, paint, glass, fibers)
• 1 full spectrum of light and color
• Tons of letters and numerals

Henry Myerberg. School Libraries A Design
Recipe for the Future. Knowledge Quest, Vol 31
No 1, September/October 2002.
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Top Ten!
1 No Two Are the Same
The library of the future still is going to
be an environment in which people can
interact, they can work in small groups, and
kids can learn to socialize with each other, to
actively engage in learning.
Doug Johnson, Director of Media and
Technology Mankato (MN) School District.
ONeill, Lucinda M. Building Forward How
Communities Can Design School or Public Libraries
That Will Serve This Generation and the
Next. Threshold, Winter 2004, www.ciconline.org.
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Access for Everyone
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Future-Ready Students
Mission

• The guiding mission of the North Carolina State
  Board of Education is that every public school
  student will graduate from high school, globally
  competitive for work and postsecondary education
  and prepared for life in the 21st century.

http//www.ncpublicschools.org/sbe_meetings/revisi
ons/2006/pdfs/0609/sbefgfrs2.pdf
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School Libraries Work
Mission

• School libraries are much more than books.
  They are a learning hub with a full range of
  print and electronic resources that support
  student achievement.

Research Foundation Paper School Libraries
Work!, 2006 ed. Danbury CT Scholastic Library
Publishing, 2007.
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The Illinois Study
Mission

• The evidence from this survey indicates that
  Illinois school libraries contribute measurably
  to the academic achievement of studentswhere
  students use school libraries, both individually
  and as groups, to learn and practice information
  literacy skills.

Lance, Keith Curry, Marcia J. Rodney, and
Christine Hamilton-Pennell. Powerful Libraries
Make Powerful Learners the Illinois Study.
Illinois School Library Media Association, 2005.
Date Accessed 22 2 2007 lthttp//www.alliancelibra
rysystem.com/illinoisstudy/TheStudy.pdfgt.
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Learning
1 No Two Are the Same
The library of the future still is going to
be an environment in which people can
interact, they can work in small groups, and
kids can learn to socialize with each other, to
actively engage in learning.
Doug Johnson, Director of Media and
Technology Mankato (MN) School District.
ONeill, Lucinda M. Building Forward How
Communities Can Design School or Public Libraries
That Will Serve This Generation and the
Next. Threshold, Winter 2004, www.ciconline.org.
22
Why?
Re-thinking the Media Center
As schools become larger with student capacity
over 1,000 students, a ideal solution for the
21st century and beyond is to create small scale
learning communities of 400-500 students.
Therefore consider the modern learning
environment with a centralized library space
containing a series of communities with project
based learning research areas comprised of
computers, work areas and books.
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Conclusions
1 No Two Are the Same The library of the
future still is going to be an environment in
which people can interact, they can work in small
groups, and kids can learn to socialize with each
other, to actively engage in learning. Doug
Johnson, Director of Media and Technology Mankato
(MN) School District.
Media Center Activities Large-group
instruction Reference Story Sharing
(elementary) Independent work areas Small group
work areas Informal reading Production (e.g.
video) Circulation Administration
(office) Professional area/ Workroom (can be in
a conference room) Display/exhibit
Media Center Qualities Research
Zones Control Visibility Full Spectrum
Lighting Socialized Learning Areas Structured
Learning Areas Technology Learning
Areas Project Based Learning Areas Flexible/Move
able Furniture Technologically
Integrated Learning Hub
ONeill, Lucinda M. Building Forward How
Communities Can Design School or Public Libraries
That Will Serve This Generation and the
Next. Threshold, Winter 2004, www.ciconline.org.
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Thanks to the following

• Cabarrus County Schools
• Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
• Greene County Schools
• Lenoir County Schools
• New Hanover County Schools
• Onslow County Schools
• Pamlico County Schools
• Sampson County Schools
• Wake County Schools
• Morris Berg Architects, Charlotte NC

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Gerry Solomon, School Library Media Consultant
gsolomon_at_dpi.state.nc.us Acacia Dixon,
Instructional Technology Consultant adixon_at_dpi.sta
te.nc.us NC Department of Public Instruction
Instructional Technology Division