Garrett Park Elementary School

1. Garrett Park Elementary School Library Media Center Facility Design Plan Julia Bell, Renee Janssen & Ben Metcalfe

2. Garrett Park Elementary Montgomery County Public Schools

3. The Garrett Park Elementary School Community will provide a safe, positive, and challenging learning environment in which we respect each other and work together to become life-long learners. Mission Vision The Garrett Park Elementary School Community will work towards helping students become valuable world citizens.

4. Redesign Objectives: • To accommodate multiple arrangements and functions • Update of acoustics • Update of furniture and shelving • Programs: Mission & Vision Whole class instruction with technology  Individual activitiesSmall group activities Research Listening/viewing  Utilization of library materials  Book check-out Planning, designing, creating instruction & instructional materials  Informal reading  Book talks  Story time  Organizing & storing collection  Processing materials Facilitating staff collaboration Repairing materials & equipment Encouraging student involvement, literacy & reading  Catering to all learning styles & needs  Creation of media production Fundraising

5. Mission & Vision • Needs Assessment: • Ratio: 49.3% Female, 50.7% Male • Socioeconomic Status: Middle-Class to Affluent • Race/Ethnicity: • Future Enrollment Projections: • SPED: 7.6%, ESOL: 21.1%, FARMS: 17.7%

6. Sample Programs • We examined various program samples • Included several newly constructed Montgomery County elementary school media centers • Found out what worked & what needed improvement

7. Second Floor Plan

8. First Floor Plan

9. Floor Plan • Media Center Placement • Centrally Located • Upstairs from Administration • Away from Noise • Easily Accessible and Still Securable • Access to Teacher Work Area, Computer Work Stations and Lab

10. Floor Plan • Space Requirement • School Capacity: 662 Students • Total Square Footage: 4,150 • Main Resource Area: 1,800

11. Educational Specifications: Overview • Main Resource Area • Informal Reading Area, Window Seating, Instructional Area, Group Project Area, Administrative Area • Materials Preparation/Office Area • Stacks • Media and Textbook Storage • Computer Lab

12. Main Resource Area

13. Main Resource Area: Informal Reading • Behind stacks in center of library • Visual access to teaching wall

14. Main Resource Area: Window Seating • Under windows- natural light • Comfortable environment to invite students to utilize library materials

15. Sample Program

16. Main Resource Area: Instructional • Visual access to teaching wall • Back of SLMC to reduce noise • Small & large group, whole class instruction

17. Main Resource Area: Group Project • Space for individuals, teams, groups to meet and work

18. Main Resource Area: Administrative • Location near entrance allows for superb supervision, book returns & distribution, and immediate access to reference desk

19. Materials Preparation/Office Area

20. Materials Preparation/Office Area • Provides space for: • Prep of various materials • Collaborative planning • Processing & repairing materials • Large interior windows for media center supervision • Staff can access the area from hall

21. Stacks • Placed to control traffic flow and noise

22. Interior Design Elements • Furniture • General Specifications • Ergonomic • Flexible & Moveable • “Green,” made from sustainable or reusable materials • Yellow accents and oak wood used throughout • Appropriate Size/Height • Durable • Easy to maintain & clean • Lead-free finish won’t yellow • Fire Retardant • Creates an inviting and attractive learning environment

23. Interior Design Elements • Furniture • Informal Reading Area • Rug Space for 30 Students • Includes: • Solid Oak Rocking Chair • Globe • Tub Truck • Puppet Stand

24. Interior Design Elements • Furniture • Instructional Area • Six Tables for 36 Students • Ergonomic Chairs • Teaching Wall • Promethean Board, Mounted Projector, Technology Bundle

25. Interior Design Elements • Book Storage • Shelves on Swivel Casters • Adjustable height and dividers • Forest Stewardship Council certified wood construction = Environmentally Friendly  • Water-based, non-VOC wood finish • VOCs are indoor pollutants • Magazine display can be used as a movable room divider

26. Interior Design Elements • Wall Paint • Duron paint meets LEED requirements • Semi-Gloss Finish for easy cleaning • Teal for teaching wall to focus students • Has restful and calming effect (Erickson & Maurkson, 2007) • Warm, color on rest of walls and trim • Yellow tones (vs. white) helps avoid glare, eye-strain, and emotionally sterile environment • “Blue and yellow introduce a pleasant feeling that tends to deepen and lengthen people’s concentration” (Erickson & Maurkson, 2007, p. 59) • Simple color scheme so colors don’t compete neutral

27. Interior Design Elements • Carpet • Teal color complements paint • Durable • Won’t show stains • Wears well and withstands high volume traffic • Solution dyed- color won’t fade from cleaning • Unitary back resists pulls and runs • Budget Friendly • Lower maintenance, safer, and more comfortable than wood or tile • Mold Resistant

28. Signage & Displays • Signs • Ceiling/Hanging • light yellow with teal font • matte finish to avoid glare • double-sided for visibility to identify collection areas • Goal Post- Dewey Decimal Classification Signs, Visual Representations, Flexible • On Shelf- Contrasting Colors, Range Finders, Secure

29. Signage & Displays • Displays • End Caps- Student Work, Book Lists, Spotlight • Bulletin Boards- Events & Programs • Wood Display Crates- New Arrivals, Seasonal, Curricular Connections, Thematic • Posters- Promote Reading • Fundraising Patron Recognition Trees- Prominent, Encourage stakeholder Participation

30. Environmental Design • Lighting • Natural Light • Windows provide a view! • Provides natural illumination • Conserves energy • Research supports positive affect of natural light on student achievement (Erickson & Markuson, 2007) • Indirect Light • Warm florescent lights provides overall illumination • Lights in instructional area controlled separately for dimming without affecting surrounding areas • Motion sensors

31. Environmental Design • Thermal Environment • Independently Controlled Heat, AC, Ventilation • Maintains temperature and humidity for proper storage and protection of sensitive material • Permits use during non-school hours • Air vents located in areas where they won’t blow directly on patrons or papers and won’t create noise • Can open windows

32. Environmental Design • Electrical • Appropriate wall, ceiling, and floor mounted outlets for tech. bundle • Data, telephone, and electrical outlets and strips for computers and office area • Ample surge protectors • Additional outlets throughout for a technology rich future • Acoustics • Ceiling Tiles and carpet absorb and reduce sound • Everybody book shelves and magazine/periodical screen act as sound buffer

33. Accommodations • General • In Accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Maryland Accessibility Code • Floor Space • Furniture 48” deep x 30” wide” • Turning Radius of 36”x36” • Isles 3 Feet Wide • Material Accessibility • Materials stored under 5’ and above 20” • Step Stools Available

34. Accommodations • Doors • At least 32” Wide • Automatic • Furniture • Proper Height and Dimensions • Light Switches • No Higher than 48”

35. Relocation & Moving • Initial Planning • Designate Duties • Survey • Flexible, but Organized • Intensive Planning • Create a Plan, Collaborate • Label • Organize Unloading Procedures • Weed • Inventory • Keep Everyone Informed

36. Relocation & Moving • During the Move • Boxing Materials- Label, Proper Weight, Appropriate Boxes • Effectively Communicate • After School • Utilize Contractors • After the Move • Systematically Unload • Take Your Time • Dedication Ceremony

37. Outcomes & Responsibilities • Provides Collaborative Leadership Experience • Include All Stakeholders • SLMS is the Catalyst in Order to Provide a Technological Savvy, Collaborative and Engaging Facility • Life-Long Learning

38. Works Cited • Baule, S. M. (1999). Facilities planning for school library media and technology centers. Ohio: Linworth Publishing. • Dimenstein, C. (2004). Executing a library move; a planned approach to moving your library.Information Outlook. Retrieved April 9, 2009 from, http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FWE/is_1_8/ai_n6108112/pg_6/?tag=content;col1 • Erikson, R., Markuson, C. (2007). Designing a school library media center for the future (2nd ed.). Chicago: American Library Association. • Gaylord Brothers Inc. (2009). Gaylord: Library supplies, furniture, and archival products. New York: Gaylord Brothers Inc.

39. Works Cited • Lewis, S., & Cotter, L. (August, 2003). Relocating you library. Paper presented at 10th Asia Pacific Special Health and Law Librarians Conference, Adelaide, Australia. Retrieve April 9, 2009, from http://conferences.alia.org.au/shllc2003/papers/040.pdf • Maryland State Department of Education. (1998). Facilities guidelines for library media programs. Retrieved March 1, 2009, fromhttp://www.marylandpublicschools.org/NR/rdonlyres/EC67FB12-FE6B-464A-A2AD D0C6307773E3/10028/MSDEFacilitiesGuidelinesforLibraryMediaPrograms199.pdf • Montgomery County Public Schools. (2008). Garrett park elementary media center and school statistics. Retrieved March 1, 2009, from http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/garrettparkes/

40. Works Cited • Morris, B. J. (2004). Administering the school library media center (4th ed.). Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited. • O’connell, J. (2009, Spring). Go green for good health. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Rhode Island: Choices, 10- 13. • Salter, C.M. (2002). Acoustics for Libraries. U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. Retrieved April 9, 2009, from http://www.librisdesign.org/docs/AcousticsLibraries.pdf • Sands, J. (2004). Sustainable library design. U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. Retrieved April 9, 2009, from http://www.librisdesign.org/docs/SustainableLibDesign.pdf