School Library Media Centers for the 21st Century Gerry Solomon, School Library Media Consultant Acacia Dixon, Instru

1. School Library Media Centers for the 21st Century Gerry Solomon, School Library Media Consultant Acacia Dixon, Instructional Technology Consultant NC Department of Public Instruction Instructional Technology Division

2. Top Ten! • School libraries areplaces of opportunity where: • all students can strive for and achieve success • quality collections are provided, in print and online, that support the curriculum and address a variety of learning needs • students develop a love of reading and literature • library media specialists help students explore the world around them through print and electronic media • students can work individually or in small groups on research and collaborative projects • Toolkit for School Library Media Programs. Chicago: American Library Association, 2003. The Top Ten!

3. Top Ten! #10: Atmosphere Ceiling Heights Acoustics Visual interest in architectural design and texture Separate Climate Control Comfortable Seating Display Areas

4. Top Ten! “Under full spectrum light students attended school 3.2-3.8 days more per year, had nine times less tooth decay, grew an average of ¾ inches taller, and had more positive moods and better academic performance than students attending schools with other other lighting.” U. Rouk. “School Sense.” PROBE, Spring 1997. (As quoted by Doug Johnson, Director of Media and Technology, Mankato Public Schools www.doug-johnson.com/dougwri/buildingquestions.html) #9: Let There Be Light!

5. Natural Lighting

6. Top Ten! “When planning for technology, find the right balance between the future and the present. Don’t try to predict what technologies will replace today’s—be aware of the possibilities and be prepared to adapt, but build an infrastructure that extends the capabilities of today’s technologies in case the changes don’t occur as predicted.” Lucinda M. O’Neill. “Building Forward: How Communities Can Design School or Public Libraries That Will Serve This Generation and the Next.” Threshold, Winter 2004, www.ciconline.org. #8: Where Do You Plug It In? Wires, Wires, Wires!

7. Top Ten! “When planning for technology, find the right balance between the future and the present. Don’t try to predict what technologies will replace today’s—be aware of the possibilities and be prepared to adapt, but build an infrastructure that extends the capabilities of today’s technologies in case the changes don’t occur as predicted.” Lucinda M. O’Neill. “Building Forward: How Communities Can Design School or Public Libraries That Will Serve This Generation and the Next.” Threshold, Winter 2004, www.ciconline.org. #8: Where Do You Plug It In? Retrofit Power Poles

8. Top Ten! #7: Shelve It! Flexibility to create multi-purpose use areas Adjustable Shelving Casters! The Old

9. Top Ten! #6: Line of Sight • Entire media center viewable from circulation desk • No dead zones where students can not be observed • Shelf placement for viewing down the aisles • Adequate windows for office and workroom

10. Supervision of Online Access

11. Top Ten! #5: Check It Out! Adjacency Two Computer Stations Two Heights

12. Top Ten! #4: So Much To Do! Media Center Activities Large-group instruction Reference Story Sharing (elementary) Independent work areas Small group work areas Informal reading Production (e.g. video) Circulation Administration (office) Professional area/ Workroom (can be in a conference room) Display/exhibit

13. Top Ten! #4: So Much To Do! Media Center Activities Large-group instruction Reference Story Sharing (elementary) Independent work areas Small group work areas Informal reading Production (e.g. video) Circulation Administration (office) Professional area/ Workroom (can be in a conference room) Display/exhibit

14. Top Ten! #2: The Hub of the School “The future library is simultaneously a classroom, computer lab, reading room, study hall, conference center, theater, lecture hall, teacher’s lounge, Community center, …and a place for parents to meet.” Henry Myerberg. “School Libraries: A Design Recipe for the Future.” Knowledge Quest, Vol 31 No 1, September/October 2002.

15. Top Ten! Recipe for Inquiry-Based School Library Design • 1 open, flexible space (one edge minimum with windows) • 8000+ interesting books and shelving • 48 seats (hard and soft) • 12 tables (4 kids to a table) • 120 pounds of fresh technology (computers, scanners, projectors, wireless laptops) • 6 common building materials (i.e. wood, metal, plastic, paint, glass, fibers) • 1 full spectrum of light and color • Tons of letters and numerals Henry Myerberg. “School Libraries: A Design Recipe for the Future.” Knowledge Quest, Vol 31 No 1, September/October 2002.

16. Top Ten! #1: No Two Are the Same “The library of the future still is going to be an environment in which people can interact, they can work in small groups, and kids can learn to socialize with each other, to actively engage in learning.” Doug Johnson, Director of Media and Technology Mankato (MN) School District. O’Neill, Lucinda M. “Building Forward: How Communities Can Design School or Public Libraries That Will Serve This Generation and the Next.” Threshold, Winter 2004, www.ciconline.org.

17. Access for Everyone

18. “The guiding mission of the North Carolina State Board of Education is that every public school student will graduate from high school, globally competitive for work and postsecondary education and prepared for life in the 21st century.” Mission Future-Ready Students http://www.ncpublicschools.org/sbe_meetings/revisions/2006/pdfs/0609/sbefgfrs2.pdf

19. Mission School Libraries Work “School libraries are much more than books. They are a learning hub with a full range of print and electronic resources that support student achievement.” Research Foundation Paper: School Libraries Work!, 2006 ed. Danbury CT: Scholastic Library Publishing, 2007.

20. Mission The Illinois Study “The evidence from this survey indicates that Illinois school libraries contribute measurably to the academic achievement of students…where students use school libraries, both individually and as groups, to learn and practice information literacy skills.” Lance, Keith Curry, Marcia J. Rodney, and Christine Hamilton-Pennell. Powerful Libraries Make Powerful Learners: the Illinois Study. Illinois School Library Media Association, 2005. Date Accessed: 22 2 2007 <http://www.alliancelibrarysystem.com/illinoisstudy/TheStudy.pdf>.

21. Learning #1: No Two Are the Same “The library of the future still is going to be an environment in which people can interact, they can work in small groups, and kids can learn to socialize with each other, to actively engage in learning.” Doug Johnson, Director of Media and Technology Mankato (MN) School District. O’Neill, Lucinda M. “Building Forward: How Communities Can Design School or Public Libraries That Will Serve This Generation and the Next.” Threshold, Winter 2004, www.ciconline.org.

22. Why? Re-thinking the Media Center As schools become larger with student capacity over 1,000 students, a ideal solution for the 21st century and beyond is to create small scale learning communities of 400-500 students. Therefore consider the modern learning environment with a centralized library space containing a series of communities with project based learning research areas comprised of computers, work areas and books.

23. Conclusions Media Center Activities Large-group instruction Reference Story Sharing (elementary) Independent work areas Small group work areas Informal reading Production (e.g. video) Circulation Administration (office) Professional area/ Workroom (can be in a conference room) Display/exhibit Media Center Qualities Research Zones Control Visibility Full Spectrum Lighting Socialized Learning Areas Structured Learning Areas Technology Learning Areas Project Based Learning Areas Flexible/Moveable Furniture Technologically Integrated Learning Hub #1 No Two Are the Same “The library of the future still is going to be an environment in which people can interact, they can work in small groups, and kids can learn to socialize with each other, to actively engage in learning.” Doug Johnson, Director of Media and Technology Mankato (MN) School District. O’Neill, Lucinda M. “Building Forward: How Communities Can Design School or Public Libraries That Will Serve This Generation and the Next.” Threshold, Winter 2004, www.ciconline.org.

24. Thanks to the following: • Cabarrus County Schools • Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools • Greene County Schools • Lenoir County Schools • New Hanover County Schools • Onslow County Schools • Pamlico County Schools • Sampson County Schools • Wake County Schools • Morris Berg Architects, Charlotte NC

25. Gerry Solomon,School Library Media Consultant gsolomon@dpi.state.nc.us Acacia Dixon,Instructional Technology Consultant adixon@dpi.state.nc.us NC Department of Public Instruction Instructional Technology Division In compliance with federal law, including the provisions of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, N C Public Schools administers all state-operated educational programs, employment activities and admissions without discrimination because of race, religion, national or ethnic origin, color, age, military service, disability, or gender, except where exemption is appropriate and allowed by law.