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Curie Hghschool Library

By mlemus | L Redesign your school library with new spaces for community groups

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My high school library needs some changes to improve a better service learning area for students. Curie’s library has a few problems that it could possibly be solved by redesigning it to grab student’s attention. Our library clearly don’t have space to have any community group to be involve due to the computers and unnecessary rooms taking most of the space. In that case, community group is being taken place in the lunchroom where it’s a loud and uncomfortable area to focus on their activity. You could hardly see any students from Curie checking out books or the library is not a quiet place he way it’s supposed to. Community groups in our school is always in the cafeteria and I been told by students that it's an uncomfortable area to do activities or discussion. I agree with them, I once was in a group called Built-On and I was never satisfied and did not come back to the group just for that reason. As that being said, we need to build a space for community group in the library and slightly move around he computers or remove two unnecessary rooms. By the rooms I mean there’s a little room where there just computers inside and another room where are just a bunch of chairs with a TV which are unnecessary and wasting space. Maybe I would like to decide to use those rooms for community groups. Community group is not the only problem that our school library has but also it's often loud and hardly seen anyone check out a book there. To solve that problem, study area should be spread so students won't bother by students who are having conversation. Lastly, our library should be redesign to make the library look a little more interesting to caught students eyes. That way the library would be a busy place during school hours and I'm sure the librarian would like that. Our school library need some changes to fix a space for community group, make library a quiet place and for not least make the library a must be there by students.

Comments

Check your spelling before submitting. Good ideas.

By pmjoanes, Educator at 01:57 pm, 11 October 2012

Collect Instructions

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Gather more information about your existing school library by taking photos, sketching, conducting interviews, and doing additional research.

Think About:

  • What are all the different functions / activities that currently take place in your school's library?
  • Do you enjoy working and reading in this room now?  Why or why not?
  • How is the library different than a typical classroom?
  • When you study at home, where and how do you read? (On the couch, on the floor, on your bed, outside, at the kitchen table, at a desk in your bedroom?)  Could similar comfortable places be designed for your new school library?
  • Will you redesign the interior of your existing school library or will you build a new addition for these spaces?
  • How do students collaborate around technoloyg with other students?  Where do you do this now?
  • In what ways could your school building become a small community center for residents after school hours?

Try This:

  • Take photos of your school's library, the media center, the study hall, or any other space where students are hanging out.
  • Measure the overall size of your school's existing library.  Is it crowded now or does it have empty space?
  • Measure the number of linear feet of book shelves in your school library.  Ask the librarian if they feel your library should contain more or less space for bound books?
  • Take photos of where students are studying at school - either independently or in a small group - throughout the school day.
  • Ask your school's administrator about any types of community groups that may already use your school building in the evening.
  • Interview your school librarian and several classmates.  What do they think about the existing library?  What changes would they make if they had a choice?
  • Make a list of all the different functions / activities that currently take place in your school's library.
  • Make a list of all the things you like about your library.  Ask several friends and your teachers their opinions.
  • Several new public libraries have opened recently around the world.  What can you learn from these?  Investigate... (links to come)
  • Some of the most impressive historic libraries provide an awe-einspiring place to learn.  What can you learn from these?  Check out...(links to come)

mlemus's work for the Collect Information step:

Summary
I took some pictures of the library in different angles and areas. Also took picture in rooms that are inside the library and how the library look right now.
This is a survey/interview that was set up by asking questions to students and teachers of the...
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Students study area. Sudents do their homework or study here and 9 computers are on the side...
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There 10 computers by one of the emegency area. The door is never being used unless there is an...
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How i's being seen from the back of the library room. There more study area in the middle of...
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This is the 2nd storage room of the library where librarians get their supplies or extra books are...
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The entance and the exit door of the library. This is the front desk where students check out books.
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This is the storage room of the library. The librarians have their meeting here or it could also be...
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Brainstorm Instructions

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Develop preliminary sketches to help you puzzle through new ideas and solutions.

Think About:

  • Many libraries just have rows of book shelves and a few tables and chairs for students.  But is this the best way for students to access, learn, and share information today?
  • How does collaborative learning occur in a library?
  • How can you provide both quiet and noisy learning spaces in a library?
  • Does the library have a separate entrance so community groups can enter/exit in the evening without having to walk through the entire school building?

The library will need to include four big types of spaces and furnishings:

  • a reading room / study loungue (tables with computers, chairs, couches, etc)
  • book storage and a circulation book check-out counter (shelves, work counters)
  • librarian's office and workspace
  • meeting rooms (tables, chairs, technology options)

Try This:

  • You'll need to decide where will this new library be located in your school.  Are you redesigning the exsiting space or building a new addition?
  • Walk around the exterior of your school building and take photos of your existing library and / or a possible location for a new library addition.
  • Use Google Maps to view and print out an aerial photo of your school.  Identify a location for the library.
  • Contact your school's building or maintenance department.  They may already have a floor plan of your school to use as a reference.
  • Sketch bubble diagrams to figure out the spatial relationships between the various rooms and spaces in your new or redesigned library.  Which spaces will be next to each other?  Which spaces should not be next to each other?
  • Make lots of sketches to get your early ideas down on paper.  Learn from each different idea.

Your design or redesign of a new library might include the following types of sizes of spaces.  These are just suggestions.  Feel free to revise this and incorporate other spaces you think may be needed.

Library space planning rules of thumb:

space 800
students in your school		 1200
students in your school		 1600
students in your school		 2400
students in your school
Reading Room / Study Lounge with computers
 1,400
square feet		 2,100
square feet		 2,800
square feet		 4,200
square feet
Book storage and book check-out counter
 1,400
square feet		 2,100
square feet		 2,800
square feet		 4,200
square feet
Librarian's office / workroom 120
square feet		 120
square feet		 240
square feet		 240
square feet
Meeting rooms 1 room at
250 square feet		 2 rooms at
250 square foot each		 3 rooms at 250 square foot each 4 rooms at 250 square foot each
TOTAL 3,170
square feet		 4,820
square feet		 6,590
square feet		 9,640
square feet

mlemus's work for the Brainstorm Ideas step:

Summary
I haved collected ideas by making sketches and taking exterior library pictures.
The library floor plan on what I might plan to move/change around. The 2 resourses small room is...
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This is the entrance to the media center, as you can see there students passing by on the hall way...
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This is how the current media center site plan might look like.
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This is the site plan of the school. The arrow show you where the media center is located. Is being...
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This is the floor plan of the 2nd floor of Curie High School. The dark wall lined represent the...
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Develop Instructions

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Now's the time to take what you've learned from the steps above and develop your own solution for a new or redesigned library.

Try This:

  • If possible, build a rough physical study model of your library.  You can't really understand the building's shape until you make a quick study model.  Don't worry about making a fancy finished model at this time.  Instead, use cardstock, scissors, and tape to quickly create a large 3D form.  See how it looks.  Break off different sections, add new pieces, and try out new ideas.
  • Take a photo of your model and upload it to your student user account here.
  • Sketch or use software such as Google SketchUp, AutoCAD, or Revit to get your ideas out of your head to share with others.

mlemus's work for the Develop Solutions step:

Summary
My developed Solutions will be based on what I've done each day. Each day I add something to my design to improve my ideas.
My design planstated this way first as a floor plan of te library. Pillars of the library is being...
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Day #2 the plan has improved. Book shelves were being added and move them around on places that it...
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Tables, computers and chairs were later added for students to do their research or to study....
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My idea of improving he entrance. Instead of being all wall, I decided to change it into glass wall...
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I upgrade the door design. Instead of being just a normal wood door, I decide to improve the doors...
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I finally replace the 2 small resource room into a big room for photography and newspaper room. I...
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Final Instructions

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mlemus's work for the Final Design step:

Summary
For this step my designs will be all finalized. This will include the floor plan of my thoughts of how I would remodel my school library.
This is the final floor plan. This show how the library look like if view from top of the roof....
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A 3D model of my final design. The majority of the hings are differently from he current library...
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This is the before and after floor plan. The right side will be the before model while the left...
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The missing community group in the library is finally added. There a projector in the room for...
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An upgraded entrance of the library. The entrance is more modern by he glass wall/door and the...
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An interior photo of the library being taken from the front of the library (near the entrance) to...
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An interior photo of a remodel library staff office. Sliding door is being added to reduce the use...
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