Remodeling the library

[Isobel Sobey]

Hi

I am looking for ideas to use in remodeling or at least modernising my school library. Does anyone have any great ideas - we have a limited budget - or places for me to go and look at what others have done?

[Barbara Gogan]

What part(s) of the library to you want to update--shelves? layout? walls?

[Isobel Sobey]

I know new shelves would look good and I think something better could be done with the librarians workstation. My Library is really more like a hall with shelves so most of the wall space is taken up by shelves it has a very high celing with windows just below. Maybe some change of flow would be good to look at too. Hope this is useful and you can point me to some ideas. Thanks for responding

[Barbara Gogan]

Some general ideas are
-Make sure you have good and enough lighting
-the workstation should have only things that need to be dealt with/seen by the patrons near them and the librarian only computers, materials, etc. should be further away
-the shelves arranged so they are easily accessible and clearly marked
-the teaching area (if any) should be separated as much as possible so patrons looking for books don't intrude
-if things are used infrequently, can they be stored away to keep a clean look?

Hope these help you get started thinking! What ages use your library?

[Isobel Sobey]

Thanks for your advice. Will consider these things.
Our children are what we call primary school from between 9 - 14year olds.
Isobel

[Barbara Gogan]

I just came across a blog of a teacher-librarian who had to do a shoestring makeover--maybe it will give you some inspiration!

[Isobel Sobey]

Thanks did you send the link or an I not getting it?

[Barbara Gogan]

Let me try again:

Shoestring makeover

[Isobel Sobey]

Thanks this worked and was inspirational indeed. We close soon for our summer break and I will start working on some ideas.