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Who uses your space the most? … the students.
When redesigning the library I had a goal, ask the students. This was going to be their space. We as educators also have ideas in mind of what we need but this was there going to be their space.
To start it all of I worked with the Instructional Technology Facilitator to create 6 different areas we thought we needed in the library. I was new, but she had been there for years and could see how it had been used and a vision for future use.
Then I asked the students what they wanted in the space. Using Google Forms I asked them about color palettes, sizes and heights of tables, and preferences for soft and modular seating. At the end of the survey, I asked students “Would you like to join the Student Library Improvement Committee?”. These students become my go-to as we designed and redesigned our space.
Our space is an awkward shape so we hired a design company to work with us and design our space. Our shared the students’ preferences from the survey along with our zones and goals for space and they drew up some designs.
I went to my Student Library Improvement Committee and showed them the renderings. They talked and I took notes:
- No white tabletops
- Larger tables to accommodate bigger groups
- More quiet spaces (this one surprised me)
- Higher backs on chairs and benches
- More printing stations (I forgot to add any)
Then I meet with the administration team:
- School colors (not the ones the students chose)
- Everything on wheels
- More quiet spaces
- A more traditional classroom area
- Lower backs on chairs and benches
- Less printing stations
- No Innovation/Maker space
The admin team also met to pick out a carpet and flooring. They narrowed it down to three before I asked students who visited the library to vote. The chose the navy with the red stripe, closest in the image below.
After many phone calls, multiple meetings, picking out fabrics, tables, and finishes, we combined everyone’s views and develop a space. I emailed the Student Library Improvement Committee to get their opinions. Then I emailed their views to admin opinion along with the new space to get their opinions.
With more phone calls, meetings, changing some of the furniture picking out new fabrics, tables, and finishes, we combined everyone’s views and developed a space that I think everyone will enjoy and will look amazing.
