Massachusetts School Library Association
            MEMBER PORTAL                
​Join or Renew     Member Directory​
  • Home
  • About Us
    • MSLA Leadership 2022-23
    • Executive Board Meetings
    • Joint Statements: MLA, MassCUE
    • Spotlight Archive
    • Strategic Plan 2016-22
    • MSLA Constitution
  • Membership
    • Member Portal
    • Join or Renew Your Membership
    • Members Map
    • Email List
    • Regions >
      • Boston
      • Northeast
      • Metrowest
      • Southeast
      • Central
      • West
  • Conference
    • MSLA and PDPs
  • Resources
    • DESE Rubric
    • Certification & Licensure
    • Program Standards & Rubrics
    • Job Description: School Librarian
    • Job Listings
    • MLS Strategic Planning
    • Intellectual Freedom
  • Advocacy
    • MA School Library Study for Equity & Access
    • Everyday Advocacy
    • ESSA
    • Exemplary Programs
  • Newsletter
    • 2023 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2023
    • 2022 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2022
      • May 2022
      • October 2022
    • 2021 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2021
      • May 2021
      • October 2021
    • 2020 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2020
      • May 2020
      • October 2020
    • 2019 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2019
      • May 2019
      • October 2019
    • 2018 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2018
      • May 2018
      • October 2018
    • 2017 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2017
      • May 2017
      • September 2017
      • October 2017
    • 2016 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2016
      • May 2016
      • October 2016
    • 2015 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • April 2015
      • November 2015
    • MSLA Forum 2002-2013
  • Awards
    • Judi Paradis Memorial Grant
    • Archive: History of Awards
    • 2019 Awards Pictures
    • 2018 Awards Pictures
    • 2017 Awards Pictures
    • 2016 Awards Pictures
    • 2015 Awards Pictures
  • Bookmark Contest
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
    • 2020 Winners
    • 2019 and 2018 Winners
    • 2016 and 2017 Winners
    • 2012 to 2015 Winners
    • 2009 to 2011 Winners
    • 2004 to 2008 Winners
    • Bookmark Judges

Three Simple Steps to Free Up Space

5/7/2016

0 Comments

 
Michael Caligiuri is the Library Teacher at Florence Sawyer School in Bolton
I was chatting with a fellow school librarian who recently got a job in a neighboring school. She had noticed our library featured as the MSLA Spotlight for December and asked if she could visit in hopes of getting some ideas for making some changes of her own. She shared a story about a student teacher who, upon visiting her library, commented about how it hadn’t changed a bit since she was a student there. This caused my friend to consider a redesign, but redesigning a library space can be a daunting and expensive task. Of course all libraries are different, but knowing her library, I offered three simple and relatively inexpensive ways she can make some big changes.
PictureThis area once housed 25 desktop computers. We kept one desk top as a catalog and use a book truck as a movable Chrome Book shelf.
Step 1:  Get Rid of Your Desktop Computers
If your library still houses desk top computers, give them up. This is one of the easiest ways to free up space in your library. Desktop computers are static. The space they occupy can only be used for one purpose and they take up too much valuable room. If you can, replace them with Chrome Books or tablets. This merely requires a charging cart. We replaced our 25 desktops with 55 Chrome Books. This more than doubled the number of computers and used about an eighth of the space, though it’s a good idea to keep one or two desktops as a catalog station.

Picture
Step 2:  Get Rid of Your Reference Section (or most of it)
When I first got the library position, we had nine encyclopedia sets.  I kept two of the more current ones, but they function more as conversation pieces now.  I also kept a set of foreign language dictionaries.  Digital reference resources such as databases are more current, more cost effective, and allow for simultaneous users.  Our Chrome Books did not only free up space used by the desktops, they allowed us to purge most of our reference books freeing up the space used by those stacks.

The picture on the left shows the area once used for our reference section (notice the World Book atop the only remaining shelf).  Removing most of the reference shelves gave us room for a maker space with storage cabinet.​

PictureThis area doubled in size once we removed the reference section shelving. The tables are easily moved to create one large conference table, small group work areas or individual work stations.
Step 3:  Get Rid of Clunky Furniture
The last step is to remove furniture with limited functions.  We gave away the tables once used for the desktop computers and removed or relocated the shelves used for the reference section.  This created a comfortable, uncluttered and flexible floor space.  Book trucks make excellent day storage for the Chrome Books.  They allow us to easily wheel the carts to any location in or out of the library.  Using book trucks also keeps kids out of the charging cart preventing wires from being yanked or tangled.  The stacks that once housed the reference selection were donated to a classroom.  This gave us space to incorporate lounge seating, activity tables, and even café-style seating. The new furniture can be easily moved or shifted to recreate the space.

With all the talk these days about creating maker spaces, you need to start with the space.  These space changes were relatively inexpensive, but will cost some money especially if you don’t already have the portable digital devices. Once you make a few simple changes, there is a good chance people will notice and that should help with support. If you do some research, you can find furniture companies that don’t charge shipping costs. We found a company that sells office furniture for reception areas and conference rooms and found this furniture perfect for school libraries. It was cheaper than going through a specialty library supplier, but best of all, they don’t charge shipping fees. This has saved us hundreds of dollars over the years.   We also petition parent groups for funds and found them to be very helpful and supportive.  So if you are thinking about changing things up, try a few simple alterations that are relatively easy and inexpensive.

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Forum Newsletter

    Co-Editors
    Reba Tierney and
    ​Luke Steere

    Reba is the School Librarian at Waltham High School; Luke is School Librarian at  Wilson Middle in Natick

    Click to set custom HTML

    Categories

    All
    AASL
    Academic
    Advocacy
    ALA
    Authors
    Book Bans
    Book Challenges
    Book Trailers
    Cataloging
    Censorship
    Column
    Conference
    Copyright
    Culture
    Databases
    Dewey
    Digital Citizenship
    E Books
    E-books
    Elementary
    ESSA
    Ethics
    Evaluation
    Graphic Books
    Graphic Novels
    Inquiry
    Leadership
    Learning Commons
    Legislation
    Literacy
    Maker Space
    Nonfiction
    Orientation
    Planning
    PLN
    President's Remarks
    Professional Development
    Reading
    Research
    Science
    Secondary
    Standards
    Technology
    Union
    Volunteers
    Weeding

    Archives

    February 2023
    October 2022
    May 2022
    February 2022
    October 2021
    May 2021
    February 2021
    October 2020
    May 2020
    February 2020
    October 2019
    May 2019
    February 2019
    October 2018
    May 2018
    February 2018
    October 2017
    September 2017
    May 2017
    February 2017
    October 2016
    May 2016
    February 2016
    November 2015
    April 2015

    MSLA Forum Past Issues:
    January 2015
    April 2015
    ​
    2002-2015 MSLA Forum
The Massachusetts School Library Association  works to ensure every school has a school library program that is fully integrated at all grade levels across the curriculum and has a significant and measurable impact on student achievement….Read more…..and Learn more about MSLA

Contact MSLA:
Emily Kristofek, Office Manager/Event Planner
P.O. Box 336. Wayland, MA 01778
ekristofek@maschoolibraries.org
​
508-276-1697 

Massachusetts School Library Association. All Rights Reserved.  Copyright 2023.