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

What Do You Mean There’s No Library? Embracing Ultimate Open Concept in a New Building

2/27/2018

5 Comments

 
Colleen Simpson is the Library Media Specialist at Lester J. Gates Middle School in Scituate.

​Within a few months of taking my current position as a middle school library media specialist, the town voted on a new building for us, with project based learning at the core of its design. In discussions with the visionaries in the district and the design firm it was clear: anything I knew about library management would be revolutionized.


New beginnings on the horizon
As with any town project, rumors about the building ran rampant as people were “horrified’ at the idea of no “actual” library, which lead to thinking there would be no librarian. Wherever I heard this, I made sure I clarified my job was secure, but I also regularly found myself half-heartedly projecting confidence about the future. Sure, I was aware of the design and had conversations with the architect and project management team, but that was in the early stages.  What I saw on my walk-through last spring was still a shock to the system and no one could offer me a model for inspiration.
PictureThe view from Colleen's desk

​From spin doctor to believer
We house grades 6-8 with two teams per grade and to look at the floor plans, you’d see six different “media commons” areas of the school, each at the center of a team area. So where is the librarian’s homebase? Right in the middle of school, not in any of those media commons. For months last spring, various district administrators stopped in the old library to tell me I had the best space in the building, or my desk had the greatest view. It’s nice to hear, but it didn’t really mean anything when I wasn’t even sure what the term “your space” meant.

In truth, my desk is absolutely in the best spot in the building.

I’m stationed at the top of our Hellerup staircase leading down from the 2nd floor into the dining commons. I have the most amazing natural light from the large window above the main entrance. Where I used to be isolated in the old library, here I see everybody as they walk through the second floor. I also went from teaching my own fixed schedule in the library to teaching in a couple of classrooms around the building. At least half the student population walks by my desk each day and the other half I may see as I transition to class.

Making the Transition
While I wasn’t sure on the exact design, I always knew I would have an open concept library. I started weeding the collection as soon as I started the job, in part to showcase more modern books, but also because of projected limited stacks. We had over 7,000 titles in 2014 and last school year ended with around 3,000. The best surprise upon moving in has been actually having way more shelving then projected and an opportunity to add numerous titles.

Genrifying the collection has been my two year professional practice goal and I gathered excellent advice from the MSLA listserve to set this into motion. The arrival of the large orange rental bins two weeks before school was out forced the process. I sorted as I packed and then made the best guess as to which of the six media commons areas a genre might fit.  

The other tricky thing about packing the books in the rented bins was they would have to be emptied quickly; there would be no time for patient decision-making at the beginning of the school year with the bins on loan. In June, I secured a group of rising 9th graders to earn community service hours by helping me unpack. Having active readers who were fresh out of middle school to assist me in shelving decisions and even some genre corrections, was the key to getting books on the shelves before we officially started back to school and before the ribbon-cutting ceremony welcomed the town.

Utilizing Volunteers
I’d never asked for volunteers before, but this year it was necessary. Two of our great paraprofessionals offered to help with a variety of tasks during our twice weekly enrichment blocks, while students with no homework color coded spine labels. The PTO sent me parents for data entry and they marked every book by its location in Destiny. With our building connected to the high school now, I sought out a senior intern from the first term 'school to career' class. The intern was a self-starter who took amazing direction and mapped the entire library so patrons have another way to easily find the books. I gave up some control and allowed her to be creative in her ideas.

But how do they get the books?
Because my classes are in learning studios throughout the building, I’ve had to create easy systems for patrons to find and check out books on their own and shared Google slides presentations that teachers place on their virtual classrooms. The changes have been positive, including an increase in circulation of five times more books out to patrons during the first half of this school year. And while I can’t be sure of the specific reasons for the increase in circulation, I suspect it has a lot to do with students walking by the books everywhere they go. There’s been plenty of trial and error with this process, though now its becoming routine. So will books walk away? Of course they will, they always did before; but, if a student really wants a book that badly it isn’t the worst thing in the world.



A work in progress
I’m still learning and growing in the new space as everyone in our building is. We’ve had several visiting teams from other schools pass through our hallways this year and they note the design is indeed daunting, but also awe inspiring. One of our core tenants in the district is having a growth mindset and there’s really no better way to prepare for this kind of transition then to welcome change, seek help and feedback from others, and be willing to embrace the challenges as opportunities.
5 Comments
Donna Phillips link
3/12/2018 11:18:30 am

Congratulations on your new space(s) and increased circulation! Your positive, flexible, innovative approach is really impressive. Where did this open concept library idea originate? I wonder if it is the wave of the future.

Reply
Colleen Simpson
3/12/2018 09:54:48 pm

The decision for the design originated before I started at the school, but according to a member of the building committee it was about incorporating the need for large flexible spaces throughout the building that the students and staff reported, while adhering to the parameters of the Massachusetts School Building Authority. In order to have the media commons in each team area of the building, there had to be compromise for space elsewhere. Interestingly enough I just found out that one of the current rooms I teach in was once a possible space for the library; I can’t even imagine how limiting that would have been. As for the wave of the future, some kind of open concept seems very popular in new school libraries.

Reply
Lori Quintana link
4/28/2018 07:46:01 am

Hi Colleen,

I am a school librarian in an open concept library at Griffin Middle School in Smyrna, GA! Our building was built as an open concept in the early ‘70s. The library is centered in the middle of the school, but it is open with student transitions going through during the school day. We have grade level pods so it was interesting to learn the open concept at your school has placed books/shelves within grade levels. I would love to talk with you more about the management of this concept. You are so correct in that growth mindset is a major key to being able to embrace this type of school library. I feel it has been the best thing for me as a new school librarian because it has given me the mindset to try new things every day to increase student engagement in the library. I believe an increase in circulation is definitely due to student exposure to the variety of books available. Publishers are partners in helping us out with the fabulous book jackets, too! Feel free to email me if you are interested in collaborating. Thanks for sharing your project management and journey to your new school library.

Reply
Patsy Divver
4/30/2018 09:21:46 am

Hi Colleen,
This was such a great overview - thank you! I am hesitant on the next step of our new elementary school, as it's being built without a specific library, too. My concerns are the organization and overview of it - not sure how it will work with younger students. I'd love to hear how you are doing instruction and maintaining the collection. (I have been suggesting our new school includes a reinstated certified LMS - it's being currently managed by library aides.) Thank you again!

Reply
Colleen Simpson
4/30/2018 10:00:56 am

I would definitely suggest there be a certified LMS for instruction, as the aides might have to dedicate full time to management of the collection. I am in separate classrooms for the 4 blocks I teach and students either self-check out if they have found the book they want, or come to me during the blocks I am at my desk. Elementary libraries have such large collections compared to secondary libraries it will definitely take a solid vision and a great sense of organization throughout the process.

Reply

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.