st
21
Designing a
Century
School Library Information
Center
Purpose of an LIC
• To support the implemented curriculum of
the school by providing resources that will
expand and enhance student learning
beyond the textbook
• To support the recreational reading needs
of all members of the learning community
• To support the information needs of all
members of the learning community
• To serve as the information resource
center for the school
An Information Resources Center
in the 21st Century
- is a central resource which supports the
total school curriculum and ethos, in
which a spirit of enquiry is encouraged to
engender lifelong interests and passions
- is an integral part of teaching and
learning and other activities in the school
- is a focus of information/learning skills
development throughout the school
Source: Tilke, A. (ed.), Library Association guidelines for secondary school libraries, London, 1998
An Information Resources Center
in the 21st Century
- provides opportunities for the individual to
read more widely and think more deeply
- is an important resource in the school for
leisure and recreational needs
- is an essential partner in the development
of lifelong learning skills
Source: Tilke, A. (ed.), Library Association guidelines for secondary school libraries, London, 1998
Mission of San Diego Public Library
• Respond to the information needs of San
Diego's diverse communities
• Ensure equal access to local, national,
and global resources
• Anticipate and address the educational,
cultural, business, and recreational
interests of the public
• Develop and provide welcoming
environments
Vision for the 21st Century
South Carolina school library information
centers will use complex technologies to
provide the greatest access and delivery
of information in traditional print and
digital format to members of their learning
communities.
Core Missions of the LIC
• Library as physical space
• Library as information resource center
• Library as instructional delivery center
• Library as service provider
3 key factors
• People
– Student users
– Adult users
• Program
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–
–
–
Instruction
ICTs
Collection
Literary/cultural events
• Place
– Ambiance
– Lifelong learning ethos
Trends in Education
• Typical school spaces will change.
• Instructional materials will continue to evolve.
• Technology will dominate instructional
delivery.
• Technology will be available from multiple
access points.
• Libraries will need more people space and
less collection space.
Trends in Education
• “Electronic Village”
• school activities include
– communication among teachers,
– communication between teachers and
administrators,
– communication between school and community
members,
– communication between teachers and parents,
– collaborative learning among students
– collaborative learning between students and
community mentors
Four characteristics essential to a
successful "electronic village"
• achieving a "critical mass" of users
• focusing on interactions between people rather
than focusing on particular technologies
• providing applications tailored for each type of user
• implementing new services on a timely basis, so
that community networking becomes a fundamental
consideration in the vision and planning of the
networking infrastructure
Design for…
•
•
•
•
•
Growth and program development
Continued and future infusion of technology
Expanded hours
Staff changes and more users
Flexible use of space
Focus should be on future learning needs
that result from emerging technologies,
curricular changes, and new organizational
patterns rather than on structural
requirements and code compliance.
21st Century Media Center Venn Diagram
Professional
Area
Informational
Area
Production
Area
LMC Work
Area & Storage
Presentation
Area
Instructional
Area
Social
Area
Technology
Connectivity
Reading
Area
Physical Spaces
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Informational Area
Instructional Area
Presentation Area
Production Area
Recreational Reading Area
Equipment/AV Storage
Workroom
Offices
Professional Room/Conference Room
Social Area
Technology Connectivity
Restroom(s)
General Design Considerations
• Grade range (e.g., K-5, 6-8, K-12)
• Sharing space for extended grade ranges
• General location within the larger school
facility
• Color Scheme
– Traditional/classic colors
– School colors
• HVAC
– Climate controlled year-round
– Zones
– Ventilation
General Design Considerations
• Location of LIC should acknowledge central
role information services play in learning
programs for students and teachers
• Location should be strategic to:
– Facilitate ownership by all users
– Ensure easy access to resources to ensure
integration of information services and ICTs into
the curriculum
– Provide easy access to the street for deliveries
and for community use
General Design Considerations
• Sharing space with the community
• Security
– Electronic Security Systems
– Lockable storage
– Anchoring of valuable equipment
• Accessibility/User-friendly
• Electrical/Data Connectivity
• ADA requirements
– Entrances/Exits
– Tables
– Computer workstations
Designing for Safety
Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design
• http://www.cpted.net
• Minimal cost – if included during design
process
• Works with school design for safe
architecturally-pleasing facility
• Allows after-hours building use by community
• Control number of exits for safety and traffic
flow
Designing for Safety
Crime Prevention Through Environment Design
• Plan unobstructed views of major areas (e.g.,
parking, front entrance, outside entrance to
information center, reading room, conference room)
• Locate windows out of reach of potential vandals
• Locate rooms used by community near front and
center of building; lock off remainder of building
• Locate rooms used by community along outer wall of
media center; lock off remainder of library
• Student entrance to library: design multiple routes to
this area to avoid congestion.
General Design Considerations
• Floor Covering
– Location
– Carpet
– Tile
• Lighting
– Task lighting
– Windows/Natural light
• Acoustics
• Gallery/Display Space
General Design Considerations
• Physical arrangement
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–
–
–
Flexibility of space
More people space
Less collection space
Conducive to inquiry, study, independent use
• Infrastructure
• Relation of LIC to entire school is critical for
ease of moving materials and equipment easily
from LIC to other learning areas
Functional Areas
•Flexibility: variable space through movable partitions
or use of furniture and shelving as partitions.
•Traffic Flow (patterns)
•Visual Control
•
•
•
•
Informational Area
Presentation Area
Production Area
Instructional Area
Martha Alewine
Consultant, School Library Media Services
Office of Technology
725 Marshall Road
Greenwood, SC 29646
Voice: 864-229-4230
Fax: 864-941-5421
Email: malewine@ed.sc.gov