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Ideal libraries: A guide for schools - IB

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Ideal libraries: A guide for schools - IB

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Without question, the Internet has changed the way we think and learn, and will continue to do so as our technology evolves. In particular, the ability to access enormous amounts of information at any time from almost any place is forcing schools to redefine the idea of a classroom and the way we approach teaching. It is also reshaping the notion of school library services - what libraries look like and how they and librarians best serve schools.

Increasingly, we hear the questions: "Are libraries necessary today? Isn't everything on the Internet? Can't we use the library space for better purposes?" We read about prominent independent schools that have chosen to eliminate most or all of their print collections in favor of digital resources. Other schools have replaced trained librarians with technologists who are expert at connecting students with digital tools and websites, but not at maintaining and expanding the carefully curated and already owned print and digital collections. Some independent school librarians are being asked to dramatically weed their print collections to accommodate a move to a space smaller by half or more. More than a few school leaders see this as a good time to cut library funding in order to save money in the overall budget.

Clearly, a popular impression out there is that the plentiful free information on the open Internet will answer all academic needs.

We respectfully disagree - and the research is on our side.

Today's independent school libraries have an increasingly different look and function from libraries of the past, even the recent past. They continue to grow and change with the growth of technology tools (devices, applications, and information resources). But good schools know that libraries and professional librarians are still essential to their missions. Maybe more essential than ever, if excellence in education remains the goal.

A school might support a traditional library model or move to incorporate elements of either a Learning Commons or a Makerspace model or both. "Learning Commons" is a term that refers to a mixed-use space for research, study, collaboration, global connection, and more - with librarians embodying the all-important connection between resources and students. The term "Makerspace" refers to an area of a library focused on production - offering, for example, digital cameras, a 3D printer, and photo manipulation and layout software. The Makerspace idea reinforces the library's role in the entire learning spectrum from recreational reading to research to production and sharing.

A school library can be successful using aspects of either or both of these models, or the school's own interpretation of these models. Strong and successful school libraries require broad collections of resources in many formats and enthusiastic, trained librarians to support students in using and applying information resources to build new knowledge.

The Human Touch

"Libraries are more relevant than ever," writes Luis Herrera, the city librarian of San Francisco, in the New York Times. "They are a place for personal growth and reinvention, a place for help in navigating the information age, a gathering place for civic and cultural engagement, and a trusted place for preserving culture." ¹

Also writing in the New York Times, Matthew Battles, a fellow at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, underscores Herrera's point. "Libraries are bridges, enabling people access to many of the information tools that might help them improve their lives and grow their careers," he writes. "Libraries constitute archaeologies of knowledge, reflecting not only cultural memory, but also the changing import of information, learning, and literary expression in different times and places." ²

School librarians provide the all-important human connection between students and information, as well as between teachers and information. They promote a love of reading and learning. They curate collections that support a sense of wonder at the breadth of possibility in the world. Their human touch lifts information access from a rote and random activity to purposeful, meaningful learning.

The 2012 Pew Internet & American Life Project study, How Teens Do Research in the Digital World,³ reports that while the Internet enables students to access a wider range of resources than would otherwise be available, 83 percent of teachers surveyed agree that the available amount of online information is overwhelming to most students. Seventy-one percent agree that "digital technologies discourage students from using a wide range of sources." The surveyed educators also report that the skills needed for seeking quality information "need to be taught by all teachers across the curriculum, and that library staff can be a key part of that process."

In short, professional librarians are experts in teaching the search skills that help researchers accomplish what the Pew study reports is essential: how to best "evaluate the quality of information, how to recognize what information is and is not relevant to the question at hand, and how to synthesize information from multiple sources into a coherent piece of work."

But it's not just the vast amount of information that makes research difficult - and librarians essential - today. Commercial search engines often complicate the process of finding balanced information. In an age where computers are becoming what Eli Pariser, author of The Filter Bubble (2011), describes as "one way mirror(s)," search results tend to provide individuals with search results based on their searching habits, which reinforce what they already believe about any given topic. Students (and many teachers) need training to find the best information because it is hidden by Internet "page ranking" and search personalization. ⁴ In other words, students need to be taught how to be critical researchers. Students who don't understand strong search methods will be at an increasing disadvantage as they advance in school. They need to know how to dig deeper for the varied and more interesting results that will build an academic project to excellence.

Contemporary school libraries are more than centers of information access. They are centers for learning that extend and support the work that goes on in the classroom. They are focal points of collaboration and entry points to global connection. Research demonstrates that students at schools with strong libraries - libraries staffed with trained librarians - often have stronger test scores than schools without that facility and staff. A well-supported school library is at the heart of student academic growth and integral to academic success. In short, they leverage the mission of the school.

The "Hum" of the Library

While school libraries remain central to high quality academic programs, the look and feel of libraries are adapting to the times. School libraries have been and should remain welcoming places where educators work with students, where students access information and collaborate on projects. But in recent years, they've extended their reach and purpose.

A forward-looking library will include multifunctional spaces that facilitate studying, researching, meeting, creating, collaborating, and sharing of final student projects. The library continues to evolve with the needs of teacher and student researchers, making flexibility of space key. It should offer a physical and virtual access point to all formats of information, whether through the existing collection of print books or the growing collection of ebooks and other digital resources, including online subscription databases and the Internet itself. Even the most traditional library is a Makerspace - a place in which students compile and assimilate information into new knowledge. It also comes with experts - librarians - to assist students and faculty with their activities.

The forward-looking library may seem different from the hushed center of scholarship we remember, but it remains a library in all the traditional definitions: a collection of resources organized for easy access by interested researchers. Derek Attig, a 2012 Google Policy Fellow and currently an OITP Research Associate at the American Library Association's Office for Information Technology Policy, argues that "reading and making actually have a great deal in common. They are both opportunities for creative, productive engagement with a wider world. The future (and the absolute necessity!) of libraries is in facilitating that engagement - whether it's with a MakerBot or with Moby Dick or with something we haven't yet even imagined." ⁵

Librarians demonstrate their passion for the collision of interest, enthusiasm, and knowledge when they teach research skills and accurate citation as applied to the content students want and need. Attig continues, "What is reading... but precisely 'a dynamic participatory experience'? The human mind shapes and is shaped by the process of reading. Readers engage with texts [regardless of format] in unpredictably participatory ways. In short, making is not the opposite of reading. Both are opportunities for people to engage creatively with materials at hand and produce something new. Whether those materials are polymers fed into a 3-D printer or Charlotte Perkins Gilman stories fed into a mind is, well, almost immaterial."

Today, an intellectual "hum" is the new "quiet." Librarians function as instructors, coaches, teachers, and cheerleaders - while all around them students and teachers engage in multiple forms of learning. To spend a day in a contemporary school library is to witness what all the research says about quality education for the 21st century - educators and students engaged in research, collaboration, communication, problem solving, creativity, and more.

School libraries offer a variety of models from campus to campus that reflects each individual school's mission and community. In this time of transition from all print to increasingly digital, there is a persistent tension as each campus sorts out the balance that best supports local needs. Regardless of where a school lies on the transitional spectrum, however, professional librarians are essential.

Beyond the Print vs. Digital Debate

Why does the headlined library debate often stem back to collections being "Print or Digital?"

According to John Palfrey, head of Phillips Academy (Massachusetts), "We must redefine libraries for a digital-plus era," ⁶ where the "plus" may include everything that has been included in traditional libraries, from print to realia.

The common question about going "print or digital" with library content naïvely glosses over multiple variables that significantly impact the resource availability to library patrons. There is often an assumption that digital content is less expensive than print, but that is a false assumption. Digital content can be substantially more expensive depending on content availability, methods of access, accessibility to mobile users, and the prevalence, availability, types, and cost of mobile devices. Decisions about content must take into account issues of access that are directly affected by campus infrastructure and technology standards, budget, and student use and demand patterns. A final factor is content availability: as of spring 2013, some publishers are resisting library ownership of ebooks, which means that committing to an all-digital collection could deny students access to some cutting-edge thinking. Nicholas Carr writes in a Wall Street Journal article, "Don't Burn Your Books - Print Is Here to Stay," that ebooks as we know them today may be just another format, like audiobooks. ⁷ In other words, an all-digital collection can be just as limiting as an all-print collection.

It makes sense for schools to increase their digital collection and virtual presence, but we don't believe that schools benefit by dramatically downsizing the library's space. School libraries will continue to need teaching spaces that support the increasing Makerspace activities. Librarians remain the best trained to teach information and research skills. The library is, at its core, a classroom that promotes independent learning, but even the most independent learners benefit from expert guidance as they seek new resources. The actual space needed will remain substantial. Depending on the age of the students and the school's existing print collection, the arrangement of the space may change substantially to allow more class teaching areas with Wi-Fi and useful digital applications. Or it may stay about the same to house existing collections of perhaps picture books for the very young, academic books that may never be digitized but that support specific courses on a campus, and/or continuing strong print collections because the community prefers some materials in that format.

Independent schools are known for their independence of thought. Each school - through its mission and vision - will analyze the changing terrain of the ebook and digital content conversation as it affects both budget and space decisions. Few schools can ignore e-content totally; just as few will want to eliminate all print content from their libraries. Change requires us to examine the spectrum and see where we fit within it. It requires an ongoing conversation and awareness of what other schools are doing, what devices and new formats are on the horizon, and how those facts can best be aligned for our specific situation.

The Librarian's Role in a Multiformat School Library

When a student discovers the perfect resource to answer a question or need - whether it is a database article, a book published in the 1880s, or a website - there is usually a librarian who facilitated that discovery, marking the path from the student search term to the discovered source. They help students to ask good questions of all resources, and to apply the answers to their continued research efforts. But finding quality authoritative information online is not the whole of the library-technology related curriculum. Many school librarians also teach digital ethics, copyright laws, and creative problem solving. They help facilitate the increasingly important global connection between students and the rest of the world, helping students connect to an authentic audience in a broader community, arranging Skype sessions with authors or experts in other locations, and culling resources as needed from varied sources and experts outside the school walls. Many librarians are on the leading edge of social media use, modeling cyber-wisdom through library blogs, Facebook pages, and Twitter accounts and recommending new tools for specific curricular projects.

As the digital world becomes ever more pervasive on our campuses, librarians offer the human connection among campus departments. Because the library centralizes so many digital access points and ensures that teachers get the best support possible, librarians are in constant collaboration with the information technology staff and educational technology specialists.

For example, Annunciation Orthodox School (Texas) has created a technology leadership team that includes the library director, the information technology manager, the education technology coordinator, and two technology teachers. The technology leadership team coordinates a faculty technology committee to strategically plan for technology implementation at the school.

Independent School Librarians Unite

The Independent School Section of the American Association of School Librarians - itself a division of the American Library Association - offers its members a nationwide network of colleagues who can answer questions, offer resources, and support informal research. All librarians working within independent schools are encouraged to join.

In a time when school library services are evolving in order to take advantage of new technological learning tools - for instance, using more ebooks or restructuring a library into a Learning Commons - this resource is a great benefit to the NAIS community.

To access the Independent School Section of the American Association of School Librarians, go to:www.ala.org/aasl/abouta asl/aaslcommunity/aaslsections/iss/iss.

The more informal Association of Independent School Librarians (AISL) also offers librarians a strong network of colleagues and an annual conference (www.aislnews.org). The two organizations complement each other in mission.

At Brentwood School (California), the librarians and educational technology specialists team up to collaborate with faculty members. Additionally, the technology specialists at Brentwood School have their offices in or next to the libraries, increasing spontaneous collaboration and collegiality. The Brentwood library supports the new upper school 1:1 iPad program in several ways - conducting teacher training, exploring and teaching how the library resources work best on the iPad, and maintaining a presence on the iPads with apps (such as database and catalog apps, pathfinders, ebook portals) that are "pushed out" to all student and faculty, allowing the community to virtually take the library with them wherever they go.
Technology and the Library:

What's Hot, and What's Not?

What's hot

What's not

Physical and virtual libraries as hubs of creating new knowledge and educational innovation.

libraries as stand-alone centers of knowledge consumption.

regular collaboration with the technology team to ensure consistency in skills, approach to technology, and technology policies.

librarians teaching technology in a vacuum, or ignoring the technology curriculum, while staying out of the conversation about technology policy or plans for the school.

Staffing that allows librarians to visit classrooms, to teach and accompany students on the research experience where it is happening, and to attend faculty meetings and department meetings across the curriculum.

Understaffing the library so the teaching librarian has to supervise the library and miss authentic research and collaboration moments.

Keeping a curated selection of books and digital resources that are used, and weeding and updating the collection on a regular basis.

Keeping an archive of books and resources that are rarely used.

encouraging the librarian to experiment and play with new digital resources and tools.

no opportunities to offer ebooks and new media to students and faculty due to budget constraints.

offering collaborative workspaces for students and noise-cancelling headphones for those who want silence.

Shushing students all day.

lending gear from laptops to iPads, from phone chargers to video cameras, from rulers to calculators.

advocating in-library use only for many materials.

librarians active in their personal learning networks in order to stay aware of the rapidly changing field and to help lead the discussions about new and meaningful avenues for technology in the curriculum.

librarians not willing (or not given the opportunity) to implement change in the library program or services offered.

collaborating with teachers to create inquiry-based projects that seamlessly integrate research and information literacy skills into the academic curriculum.

leaving the librarian out of the planning process and implementation in regard to research and technology resources.

learning how to search google effectively.

one million hits in your google results list.

a library space with powerful Wi-Fi, numerous outlets, whiteboards, moveable furniture, and easy access to the virtual library.

inflexible learning spaces.

a welcoming, student-centered library that supports learning and curiosity.

a library where students feel there are too many rules with no purpose.

The Viewpoint School (California), Brentwood, and Annunciation Orthodox libraries actively promote digital resources by creating LibGuides, online research pathfinders for student projects. This is a collaborative effort between librarians and faculty. The library resources, along with project-specific LibGuides are presented both in the library and, ideally, in the classroom - and are available 24/7 online.

According to Palfrey of Phillips Academy, "We have to recreate the sense of wonder and importance of libraries, as public spaces, as research labs, as Makerspaces, and as core democratic institutions for the digital age."⁸ We wholeheartedly agree. These are exciting, but complicated times. Librarians have never been as important as they are now in helping students and faculty sort through the glut of information and tools for the best resources. As institutions, school libraries continue to evolve to serve and lead their communities with curated collections, services, and programs tailored to a school's mission.

Few schools will benefit from a drastic reduction of their print collections or their library staff. Equally few schools will be able to ignore digital content in favor of fully paper-based print collections. Passionate, professional librarians' careful selection of print and digital resources, combined with strategic efforts to market and promote these resources, make librarians essential to good schools. They understand that as students learn how to do authentic, quality research, they will also need a space to synthesize and express their new knowledge in creative ways. They understand that facilitating strong student learning and achievement across subject disciplines is a necessary service for higher education and the contemporary marketplace. They encourage and assist students, in groups and individually, as the students expand their knowledge and passions in a world with ever expanding resource formats.

In short, libraries and librarians are essential to an excellent independent school education.
Notes
1. Luis Herrera. "More Relevant Than Ever." Room for Debate. New York Times, 27 Dec. 2012. Web. 19 Jan. 2013, www.nytimes.com/room fordebate/2012/12/27/do-we-still-need-libraries/libraries-are-more-relevant-than-ever.

2. Matthew Battles. "For Gathering and for Solitude."Room for Debate. New York Times, 27 Dec. 2012. Web. 20 Jan. 2013. www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/ 2012/12/27/do-we-still-need-libraries/libraries-are-for-gathering-and-for-solitude.

3. Kristen Purcell, et al. "How Teens Do Research in the Digital World."Pew Internet. Pew Research Center, 1 Nov. 2012. Web. 6 Jan. 2013. www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Student-Research.aspx.

4. Eli Pariser,The Filter Bubble: How the New Personalized Web Is Changing What We Read and How We Think. Penguin, 2011.

5. Derek Attig. "What Do Making and Reading Have in Common?"Bookmobilty: Information in Motion. Derek Attig, 7 Aug. 2012. Web. 19 Jan. 2013. http://bookmobility.org/post/28917606989/makingreading.

6. John Palfrey. "Do We Still Need Libraries?"John Palfrey. Phillips Academy, 30 Dec. 2012. Web. 19 Jan. 2013. http://jpalfrey.andover.edu/ 2012/12/30/do-we-still-need-libraries/.

7. Nicholas Carr. "Don't Burn Your Books - Print Is Here to Stay."Wall Street Journal. Wall Street Journal, 5 Jan. 2013. Web. 20 Jan. 2013. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323874204578219563353697002.html.

8. John Palfrey. "Do We Still Need Libraries?"

Independent Ideas Blog

Teaching & Learning: The First Step is Being Ready to Learn

Teaching students organization, time management, and assessment strategies can help learners of all kinds.
Read the Post

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Without question, the Internet has changed the way we think and learn, and will continue to do so as our technology evolves. In particular, the ability to access enormous amounts of information at any time from almost any place is forcing schools to redefine the idea of a classroom and the way we approach teaching.

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I just found out a few weeks ago that my school is receiving a Lowes Toolbox for Education grant of $5,000 to transform our library! I applied for this grant back in February, with the goal of transforming the instruction/tables side of our library into a dynamic, collaborative, Learning Commons-style space capabale of quickly and easily transforming to meet various student, teacher, parent and community needs throughout the day. You can see what this area looks like currently in a recent post I wrote about rearranging your learning space. We'll be getting rid of our heavy wooden tables and chairs and replacing them with flexible, mobile furniture a la Hillbrook iLab.

Ever since FETC I've been working closely with School Specialty and Bretford to come up with a plan to transform how students use the library. I was very inspired by the Hillbrook iLab study and I knew that I wanted to create something similar at our school. I poured through online studies, visited a local elementary school with classrooms outfitted by Bretford, and finally came up with a plan. I wasn't sure what we would be able to afford at first, but eventually it worked out.

So here's what we're getting:

These can easily be set and reset by one person. There will be no more lugging around of heavy wooden tables, only to have their legs broken when someone drags them instead of lifting them. These tables can easily be moved around to support any configuration. We can transform the library from class project space to PTSA meeting in a matter of minutes now. Plus, these can nest out of the way when we need more room, making it easier to host events like class plays, movie parties and bookfairs.

All of these tables will be outfitted with whiteboard tops that will allow students to brainstorm and jot down ideas. I'm so excited for the potential these tables will have in collaborative groupwork. (Image taken from this video)

Chairs and Painting supplies

We'll also be getting forty Classroom Select stacking chairs that will be easy to move and stack when not in use. And we're getting paint and supplies to host a library painting party this summer with parents and students. Hello colorful walls!

I'm so excited about the transformation the library will be experiencing this summer! This grant is going to dramatically change how students use and view the library. I'll keep you updated as we progress - it's going to be awesome!

Diana Rendina, MLIS, is the media specialist at Tampa Preparatory School, an independent 6-12 in Tampa, FL. Previously, she was the media specialist at Stewart Middle Magnet School for seven years, where she founded their library makerspace. She is the creator of the blog RenovatedLearning.com & is also a monthly contributor to AASL Knowledge Quest. Diana is the winner of the 2016 ISTE Outstanding Young Educator Award, the 2015 ISTE Librarians Network Secondary Award, the 2015 AASL Frances Henne Award & the 2015 SLJ Build Something Bold Award. She is an international speaker on the Maker Movement and has presented at conferences including AASL, FETC & ISTE. Diana co-authored Challenge-Based Learning in the School Library Makerspace with Colleen and Aaron Graves and is also the author Reimagining Library Spaces: Transform Your Space on Any Budget.

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I just found out a few weeks ago that my school is receiving a Lowes Toolbox for Education grant of $5,000 to transform our library! I applied for this grant back in February, with the goal of transforming the instruction/tables side of our library into a dynamic, collaborative, Learning Commons-style space capabale of quickly and easily transforming to meet various student, teacher, parent and community needs throughout the day.

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Planning for the Future of K-12 Libraries:Multi-functional Learning Commons

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Planning for the Future of K-12 Libraries:Multi-functional Learning Commons

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Climbing to Excellence: Defining Characteristics of Successful Learning Commons

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Climbing to Excellence: Defining Characteristics of Successful Learning Commons

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The School Library Learning Commons - Future Forward

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The School Library Learning Commons - Future Forward

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We propose a dual approach to the design of learning activities here in the rich physical and virtual learning commons environments where self-directed discovery learning provides empowerment for learners and runs parallel to cotaught project based learning of rich collaborative knowledge building and literacy experiences.

This framework provides a both/and solution to the problem of fixed/flex schedules for elementary schools and a catalyst for innovation for secondary schools while ensuring that the learning commons is always responsive and sustainable.

Discovery and project learning can operate simultaneously providing autonomy to learners as designers of their own learning.
So What Is This Website All About?
Because experimentation with new learning techniques, resources and technologies is natural in the work of the learning commons we find that professional learning and consequently whole school improvement are key outcomes of the framework.

David Loertscher and Carol Koechlin have created this website to inform, challenge, and provide many resources to teacher librarians, school administrators, and classroom teachers who want to transform their traditional school libraries into Library Learning Commons. Probe the many subpages on the left sidebar and at the top for a plethora of ideas, and resources.

Keeping Connected

Subscribe to David Loertscher's blog on School Libraries at: https://davidloertscher.wordpress.com/ At this blog, Loertscher notes new developments in educational ideas and relates them to the development of the Library Learning Commons

Follow Carol Koechlin on Scoop.it at: http://www.scoop.it/t/school-library-learning-commons where she posts interesting ideas and developments connected to the Library Learning Commons.

Search using other curation tools such as Pinterest for new ideas We found a great number of useful things by searching for school library learning commons, inquiry, makerspaces, and creativity.

Archived presentations you can use. Check out the many slide presentations that Carol and David have used and you are welcome to copy any of the individual ideas and slides. At: https://sites.google.com/site/schoollearningcommons/presentations

Download the poster featured on this page and display it in the physical and virtual library learning commons to highlight participatory learning experiences of your program. Find the poster and a matching badge in PDF at the bottom of Resources to Explore.

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We propose a dual approach to the design of learning activities here in the rich physical and virtual learning commons environments where self-directed discovery learning provides empowerment for learners and runs parallel to cotaught project based learning of rich collaborative knowledge building and literacy experiences.

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12 Basic Requirements for ADA Compliance at the Library

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12 Basic Requirements for ADA Compliance at the Library

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ADA compliance of course applies to your public library. There must be adequate parking, all areas of the library must be accessible and it must be possible for you to reach material that are on library shelves or have staff reach it for you. In addition, it must be possible to navigate through the library in a wheelchair or if you are vision-impaired. Signs in and outside the library must be visible to people with disabilities so as to make it easier to find places of access to the library and its various facilities.
1. Parking
If there is less than 25 parking spaces at the library, there needs to be at least one handicapped space that is van accessible. The space must be 8 feet wide and have an aisle 8 feet wide. It must have a level hard surface and signage and the curb cut must be close to the entrance of the library.

If the library has more than 25 spaces, but less than 50, there needs to be 2 handicapped spaces, though they may share the same aisle.

For even larger parking lots, there needs to be 1 additional handicapped space for every additional 25 spaces.
2. Signage
So, obviously signs should be large and clearly readable from the street, even by someone whose vision is impaired. The print on the signs should be adequate in size and contrast on the sign should make the print readable.The signs should also be at height readable by someone in a wheelchair.

The requirements are the same for signs inside the building and they should show which restrooms are accessible, directions to the elevators and stairs, as well as to public service desks, exits, meeting rooms and special collections.
3. Path and Doors
The path to the main entrance should be smooth with a hard surface and have no barriers; in addition, it should be at least 36 inches wide and have a safe and adequate ramp if necessary.

Door openings should be 36 inches wide and doors should be easily opened by someone with a disability. The threshold cannot be more than 1/4 of an inch high.

If there is an inaccessible entrance, there should be a sign directing people to an accessible entrance.

Book returns should be barrier-free.

Inside the library, pathways should be at least 32 inches wide and 60 inches wide where wheelchairs would need to pass each other.

4. Elevators and Stairs

If there is more than one level to the library, there should be an accessible elevator. Stairs should be at least 36 inches wide and have hand-rails. The steps should be non-slip and not more than 11 inches high each.
5. Floors
Floors should not be bumpy and have no debris or obstacles in the way. They should be flat and smooth and also not have loud colors that could disrupt the balance of someone navigating through the library.
6. Lighting
Lighting should be strong and uniform, glare-free. It is important too that the walls are not dark because they could interfere with the vision of some people with disabilities.
7. Public Access Catalogs and Computer Stations
The computer stations should have 36 inches of clear space around them and be at seating level if there are less than 3 of them. In larger libraries there can be a mix.
8. Furniture
There should be 40 inches of clear space between furniture in the library and tables should have a 27 inch high clearance and 19 inches of depth underneath for people in wheelchairs to fit at the tables.
9. Periodicals and Stacks
The top row at the periodicals section shouldn't be higher than 48 inches and if it is, there should be a sign indicating that you can ask for assistance to reach higher material.

In the stacks areas, the aisles must have at least 36 inches of clearance but 42 inches is preferred.
10. Checkout
The checkout counter cannot be higher than 36 inches and must be at least 36 inches long.
11. Reference or Help Desk
The counter at the reference or help desks should not be too high for someone in a wheelchair or the library should otherwise make an accommodation; like having a section of the counter accessible or another table available for people with disabilities.
12. Restrooms
There should be no barrier to restrooms and their doorways should be 36 inches wide and doors should be made to be easily opened by someone with a disability. The stalls should be 5 feet by 5 feet to allow for movement in a wheelchair. Grab bars should also be installed. Fixtures should be no higher than 48 inches. Sink handles should be push-type or motion-sensor activated.
Conclusion
As it has done with many aspects of public life, the ADA has opened up opportunities for people with disabilities at the library and other educational institutions. This, of course, betters the community and enriches lives.

You can contact us if you have encountered any public barriers to accessibility.

Comments

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12 Basic Requirements for ADA Compliance at the Library -

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ADA compliance of course applies to your public library. There must be adequate parking, all areas of the library must be accessible and it must be possible for you to reach material that are on library shelves or have staff reach it for you. Read more...

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Making the Library an Innovative and Engaging Learning Environment.

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Making the Library an Innovative and Engaging Learning Environment.

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"Library Commons, Learning Commons?
What's this Education Trend all About?"

Is there any educational space that screams "outdated!" louder than a boxy, boring lunchroom, library or foyer that's living in its past-century purpose? Probably not. This explains why architects and designers are scrambling to create new hybrid spaces called learning commons and library commons. Though similar in many ways, there are differences. If you're new to these concepts, here's an overview on each space - what it is, what it looks like, and its role in 21st century education.
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Furniture considerations for the Library

Where to start? The Library is a working area, so practicality and aesthetics should be considered at the same time. A good starting place is to consider the kinds of study and activity that students will actually undertake in the Library and design areas within the space to accommodate them.

The two types of schoolwork that typically take place in the Library (or Library Commons) are collaborative learning projects and individual study. A third activity, graphics and video production, also often takes place within the Library Commons in a dedicated area. Each of these areas has its own requirements for furnishings.
Collaborative Areas
Collaborative learning projects require group spaces where students can meet, exchange ideas and brainstorm in addition to individual study areas where students can research specific topics their parts of the report. For these areas, look for furniture that offers flexibility: Our Flexline™, Interchange™ and UXL™ lines have multiple collaborative desk offerings that allow students to work as different sized groups as well as individually. All can be fitted with casters for fast, easy and non-disruptive mobility.

Smith System offers numerous seating options for the Collaborative Zone, including Flavors™ Seating which allows the student to comfortably face front, back and both sides to encourage interaction with his or her workgroup mates on either side. Its seat back also offers reduced resistance to the student who needs to twist to the right or left. Our Intuit™ Chair directs the students more forward, but when equipped with casters, students can easily orient themselves to face their mates. This is also true for our Plato™ Seating which allows the student to comfortably face front and either side without moving the chair and provides exceptional euro-spec lumbar support. Our highly customizable UXL line of seating offers many ways to achieve mobility.
Social Learning Areas
This area is designed to promote student interaction by offering an informal and relaxing environment for students. Creating a second level of seating and interaction adds energy to Social Learning areas. A popular way to achieve that is with our Café Tables, paired with fixed height stools from our Flavors or Plato Lines. Several power options exist for these tables, also.
Quiet Study Area
The Quiet Study Zone provides an area for the student to perform research or study independently for regular academic subjects. Our Carrels provide excellent individual study/research environments by minimizing distractions and focusing the student's attention. Another solution for keeping students focused in the Learning Commons is our Desk Fence. Seating options for this area can be taken from the same lines as chosen for the Collaborative Learning Zone.

In this area, students will often access reference materials from printed sources as well as on-line. To meet this need, we strongly recommend our Nomads. They combine the stability of traditional library shelving with the mobility of a booktruck. They'll need places to work alone gathering and evaluating information. They'll also need places where they can share this information and thinking with others in their group, where students will also work together to create the narrative for their report.
Media/Graphics Production, presentation and Storage
Often, the output of the students' collaborative projects is either a video, multi-media presentation, a poster or document with enhanced graphics. The furniture needed to support the equipment needed to produce these end products can all be found in the Smith System portfolio. An obvious starting place is our UXL Line. It satisfies all the table/desking requirements, and can be customized to meet specific needs of a graphics/video studio. Storage of project materials can be achieved with products from our Cascade Line which also allows extensive customization to meet your needs.
Librarian's Space
In the Library Commons, librarians won't be confined behind the reference desk. That's because, along with the evolution of the Library into today's Library Commons or Learning Commons, the role of the librarian has also changed. Along with this change comes a changed set of furniture needs. Today's "blended librarian" needs equipment and furniture to support the multi-faceted job of librarian, technical advisor and educator.

In the Library Commons, the librarian will serve as a resource for students, and will need a workspace that can support one or more desktop monitors. UXL Desks are designed to be joined together in bays that both support the computer equipment and provide teaching space. Several great mobile options can be found in the Acrobat line. These desks are adjustable in height and can be raised so they accommodate work while standing.

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"Library Commons, Learning Commons? What's this Education Trend all About?" Is there any educational space that screams "outdated!" louder than a boxy, boring lunchroom, library or foyer that's living in its past-century purpose? Probably not. This explains why architects and designers are scrambling to create new hybrid spaces called learning commons and library commons.

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AASL Standards Framework for Learners Pamphlet

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AASL Standards Framework for Learners Pamphlet

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Since 2014, The Heart of America Foundation has partnered with the AbbVie Foundation to bring refurbished libraries, cafeterias, classrooms, tech labs, STEM spaces, and makerspaces to students in North Chicago, Redwood City, San Jose, Worcester, Puerto Rico, and ten additional cities nationwide. The AbbVie Foundation is dedicated to having a remarkable impact on the lives of the under-served around the world through a commitment to building strong community-based, sustainable healthcare and educational systems.

Capital One is a Founding Partner of The Heart of America Foundation Library Makeover Program. Capital One gives back with a multi-faceted approach, including the Annual Capital One Literacy Celebration, the "One Week" campaign and the Library Makeover and Reading Corner programs.

The Heart of America Foundation has partnered with FedEx for more than a decade to deliver Reading Corners and distribute thousands of books to children in the Greater Washington Region, Atlanta, and New York.

The Heart of America Foundation is proud to partner with KNOCK Inc. as our marketing, creative, and 20th Anniversary partner. KNOCK is an independent full experience creative agency driven by design and powered with strategic thinking.

The Heart of America Foundation is proud to partner with Scholastic to provide high-quality take-home books for students across the country.

From 2007 to 2015, Target renovated more than 185 school libraries through the Target School Library Makeover program, in partnership with The Heart of America Foundation. As part of the program, each school received 2,000 new books; beautiful spaces with new carpet, furniture and technology; and seven new books for each student to take home.

Since 2016, Under Armour has transformed four schools into a vibrant centers for learning. Updated spaces included gymnasiums, cafeterias, a sensory room, an auditorium, a teachers lounges, several hallways, and the front lobby of a school. The exterior transformation were equally impressive with new landscaping, a completely overhauled parking lot, new playground surfacing, asphalt games, a new fence, and much more.

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Heart of America works with corporate and community partners who are making important investment in their community schools, and schools across the country. We are proud to create turn key volunteer events that benefit students in under-served schools, because every student should feel like a VIP.

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School Library Fundraising and Grant Resources 

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School Library Fundraising and Grant Resources 

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Librarian and Researcher Knowledge Space- Grants

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Librarian and Researcher Knowledge Space- Grants

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About This Page

This page includes links to major grant resources, guides and books on achieving grant writing success.

Also see:

Grants Resources

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation - Global Libraries: What We Do Strategy Overview

The Global Libraries program seeks to ensure that all people have access to information technology in public libraries.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation - How We Work: Grant Opportunities

The page shows requests for letters of inquiry and proposals. There are also letters of inquiry for the United States Program and Global Health.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation - How We Work: Grant Seeking Resources

The grants do not go to individuals, yet there are organizations the individual can get a grant from. The page shows resources for organizations.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services - Grants to State Library Administrative Agencies

The page highlights how each grant has a five year plan and each state proposes to spend the money. Revisions to this plan are due April 2nd each year.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services - Grant Applicants

The site highlights the available grants and includes the grant names, project types, and various institutions.

National Endowment for the Humanities - Grant Opportunities, Application Deadlines, and Resources for Managing Your Grant

The page shows how to search for a grant by matching the project to the grant program.

OCLC - Research grants awarded

The page shows the research grants awarded from 1985 - 2013. The grants are awarded to promote research that will integrate technological approaches and contribute to the information environment.

OCLC - From Awareness to Funding: A Study of library support in America

The Bill & Melinda Gates foundation awarded a grant to OCLC with the goal of evaluating public library perceptions and determining how public funding may be increased. The report results contain various findings about library visitation. The perception of the library and the librarians are important factors in determining whether taxes will be raised for funding. The report also proposes that targeting messages to particular parts of the population is essential in building increased support for libraries.

OCLC WebJunction - Public Library Per Capita Grant Application page

WebJunction Illinois increases library services in public libraries with equalization grants and public library per capita grants. They are available to public libraries in a regional system.

School Library Journal - Early Learning Grants for Public Library Resources

The article compiles a list of grants for libraries that want to fund learning programs for the young.

U.S. Impact Study - CTOP Grant Program

The Community Technology Opportunity Program provides grants to technology programs in the state of Washington. The grants are for hands on technology access for "low-income and underserved residents." The recipients must complete reports and the grantees are tracked.

Overviews of Grant Funding to Libraries

eHow: Money - Grants for Public Libraries

The article explains that public libraries are often underfunded due to local government or lack of appreciation from the community. Public libraries then must rely on donations, endowments, and grants to make up the difference. The article also contends that the American Library Association and the Public Library Association award grants to individuals and libraries. Usually, these grants go to programs or outstanding library workers.

Emerald - Grant Funding for Libraries

The article provides an overview of the materials for grant funding to libraries. Funding comes from both government and private sources. There are suggestions as to where to look for supplementary grant funding.

Books/ Manuals

Gerding, S. K., & MacKeller, P. H. (2006) . Grants for libraries: a how-to-do-it manual. New York: Neal-
Schuman Publishers.

Kachinske, T., & Kachinske, J. (2009) . 90 days to success in grant writing. Boston: Course Technology.

Kepler, A. (Ed) . (2012) . The ALA book of library grant money. American Library Association.

Landau, H. B. (2011) . Winning library grants: a game plan. Chicago: American Library Association.

Staines, G. M. (2010) . Go get that grant! a practical guide for libraries and nonprofit organizations.
Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press.

Selected Bibliography

Hoduski, B. (2012). Libraries and the Fiscal Cliff. Unabashed Librarian, (165), 24-26.
The article examines the effects of the fiscal cliff on libraries. Some public libraries rely on federal funding for their programs. This includes library grants and funding for schools libraries. The article asks for the education of citizens and Congress for the development of libraries.

NCSU Libraries Tagged to Model Next-Generation Technology-rich Learning Spaces. (2011). Southeastern Librarian, 58(4), 14-16.
The article highlights a model for academic libraries to establish technological learning places. The NCSU libraries are used as an example for the transformative library experience. A three part model of the project is also given.

2013 Award Winners. (2013). Children & Libraries: The Journal of the Association for Library Service to Children, 11(1), 55-56.
The article presents the Association for Library Service to Children's beneficiaries. They receive both awards and grants.

Truett, C., Tashner, J., & Farthing, K. (2013). COLLABORATION AND COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT TO ENHANCE STUDENT LEARNING IN A 3-D VIRTUAL WORLD. Library Media Connection, 32(1), 42-45.
The article evaluates a program that uses educational technology and 3-D to enhance learning. The grant was meant to bring together library science students and school personnel. The plan is to create a 3-D world for library services.

Henry Luce Foundation Awards Grant to CEAL. (2012). Journal of East Asian Libraries, (155), 66.
The article details the Henry Luce Foundation's grant to the Council on East Asian Libraries (CEAL) of the Association for Asian Studies (AAS). The grant is meant to assist in the exploration of East Asian libraries in North America. The grant will allow for two international panels in 2013 and 2014. The agenda will be for research in East Asian studies and global networking.

Daily Record, S. (n.d). Rochester Public Library gets grant for youth learning. Daily Record, The (Rochester, NY),
The Institute of Museum and Library Services and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation will award 12 grants. The Rochester Public Library along with Nazareth College and ArtPeace Inc. will be awarded a grant. The funding will be for a learning lab that creates a space for people to connect and deepen skills in academics, career, and civic engagement. The lab is inspired by YOUmedia at the Chicago Public Library. The labs will be a conduit for people to create content. The twelve winners consist of five museums and seven libraries. The total amount of money is 1.2 million to create the labs. The Rochester Public Library will be awarded 100,000 dollars for Cypher Productions @ Teen Central. The grant is the second round winner to build 21st century museums and libraries.

For questions about the content on this page - or any suggested additions to these resources - please contact the Office for Research & Statistics.

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This page includes links to major grant resources, guides and books on achieving grant writing success. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation - Global Libraries: What We Do Strategy Overview The Global Libraries program seeks to ensure that all people have access to information technology in public libraries.

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EBSCO - Grant and Funding Sources for Libraries

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EBSCO - Grant and Funding Sources for Libraries

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The worlds of library and academic research thrive on grants and funding. Indeed there are a multitude of funding sources available throughout the country, and even internationally, that may provide monetary support for schools, public libraries, researchers, academic institutions, and even individuals for research, educational enhancement, or a variety of other related purposes.

Sources are generally grouped into two separate categories-government sources and non-government (including private) sources. They can be geared toward library needs or specific fields of interest.

Please note that the following list is for informational purposes only; inclusion on this list does not mean these organizations/institutions endorse EBSCO or its products.

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The worlds of library and academic research thrive on grants and funding. Indeed there are a multitude of funding sources available throughout the country, and even internationally, that may provide monetary support for schools, public libraries, researchers, academic institutions, and even individuals for research, educational enhancement, or a variety of other related purposes.

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Not Typical Library Partners  - Grant Resources

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Not Typical Library Partners  - Grant Resources

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Grant Resources and Funding Opportunities | NTLP

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CHS Foundation http://www.chsfoundation.org/ The CHS Foundation is committed to investing in the future of rural America, agriculture, and cooperative business through education and leadership development. The Foundation supports national efforts related to its mission as well as programs within the CHS trade territory for regional, multi-state, or statewide projects.

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How to transform your library space on a budget

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How to transform your library space on a budget

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Recently, I've been looking back through photos of my media center at Stewart Middle Magnet from the past five years. I'm working on a conference presentation for the Florida Association for Media in Education about transforming library spaces. As I look back over these photos, I'm struck by how the space slowly evolved over this span of time. It's easy to just focus on all the big sweeping changes we made in the summer of 2014 when we got our Lowes Toolbox Grant for $5,000 and used several DonorsChoose projects to create a makerspace and flexible learning commons area. But a lot of important changes happened before 2014, and I realized that many of them are very budget friendly and easy for anyone to do, no matter what situation they're in. So rather than focusing on the big, overarching themes about learning space design or big, transformative renovations, I want to focus on simple changes that are approachable for anyone.

Less is more

One of the easiest changes to make to your space is to get rid of the things you don't really need. When I first got to Stewart five years ago, the library had been badly neglected. There was an excess of furniture and shelving, making it difficult to walk around without bumping into things. It had been decades since anyone weeded-there were books on the shelves that hadn't been checked out since the seventies. We still had a set of card catalog drawers and an atlas stand that wasn't used. My first few years were mostly spent purging. I weeded aggressively. I cleared off unneeded floor shelving units that were taking up huge amounts of floor space and had the district remove them. I got rid of the random unused teacher desks that were scattered throughout the library. I gradually got rid of the reference section as I realized that our databases were much more current. Removing so much from the library was a little scary, but it was also liberating. Suddenly, there was breathing room again. Students started to feel more comfortable in the space. And it paved the way for further improvements, like grants for new books that the students actually wanted to read.

Don't have wall space? Make some.

When I first got to Stewart, every inch of available wall space was taken up by shelving (which was all picture book deep, but that's another story). There were even wall shelves in odd dark corners behind teacher desks. As I weeded and weeded and weeded, shelves were starting to clear out, and I realized that I needed to make my own wall space. I cleared out some shelves and had the district come and remove them. Suddenly, I had space for a repurposed bulletin board that wasn't being used in another classroom. And a wall-mounted magazine rack that I was able to purchase with bookfair money. Later on, having shelves removed allowed us to mount a whiteboard and projector for our instruction space, and cleared up room for our Epic LEGO Wall and whiteboard wall. I did have to reduce our collection size over time to do this (from 20,000 books when we were stocked to the gills to around a comfortable 10,000 now) but the weeding mostly focused on books that had never been checked out, so I wasn't cutting into the books my students were reading.

Play house and rearrange your furniture

I'm a bit of a nerd for organization, so early on in my career, I created a to-scale rendering of my library in Excel, complete with each of the items of furniture as movable objects (I realize there's probably better programs for this now). I can move around the furniture and try out different layouts without having to break a sweat. This let me see the possibilities that we could have with our space. Eventually, it helped me to do things like rearranging our wooden tables to create more room in our instruction space. It helped me see that we could turn around our fiction floor shelving units to make a better use of the space and create reading nooks. It took a little sweat and effort (and recruiting several custodians to help move the heavy shelves), but it was an easy and free way to change things up for the better.

Get creative to source new ideas

Many school districts have furniture warehouses for items that schools have gotten rid of. Get to know whoever is in charge of this space - I've used old circular cafeteria tables in our makerspace, gotten free whiteboards and bulletin boards, and more. Since it's already owned by the district, I don't have to worry about having a budget for it.

Depending on how strict your fire code is, garage sales and IKEA are great places to find affordable and student friendly furnishings. There's also funding sources out there if you know how to look. DonorsChoose is a great way to get Hokki stools, cozy carpets and decorations. Many grants can be used to get furniture if you can frame your essay around how the new furniture can facilitate collaboration and improve student learning (I've gathered some resources on finding grants for your library on my blog).

Keep on dreaming

All of these changes are easy and budget friendly, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't still dream big. Rather than just accepting the heavy wooden tables that came with my library, I kept dreaming and eventually got a grant to replace them with flexible furniture. Rather than accepting that the library would always be a dull beige, I gathered together a group of volunteers and repainted everything over the summer. And I'm still dreaming that one day, a generous benefactor will help us build a brand new, state of the art library building (or at least tear some holes in the walls and give me windows). Always be dreaming.

Categories: Blog Topics, Makerspaces/Learning Commons

Tags: learning commons, learning space design, learning spaces, school libraries

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How to transform your library space on a budget - Knowledge Quest

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Recently, I've been looking back through photos of my media center at Stewart Middle Magnet from the past five years. I'm working on a conference presentation for the Florida Association for Media in Education about transforming library spaces. As I... Read More ›