The Library As Convention Center?

A teacher was just here with his class. He is a very tech-savvy teacher who is invested in his students learning 21st century skills.  He came up with an interesting analogy for how libraries are used today – at least in our school.

After talking about various space and resource scheduling issues, he said:  “It’s almost as if what you are running here is a convention center.”

Interesting concept.  Those of you who are struggling with an architect who lacks vision, might use that analogy to help explain how a school library functions and the need for space and computers as well as print resources.  Not to mention quiet areas.

We talked about the limitations of the physical space in our school and especially in the library itself, including all the issues involved when signing up a class for the library and/or computer labs:

1.  Do we have enough computers for the number of students?

2.  Is the project one that can use our print resources, or is it totally dependent on computers?

3.  Will the teacher and librarian need to do some teaching before the kids launch into research?

4.  Is the library the best place to do that, or should we use the classroom for part of the time?

5.  Is there a regular class (such as video production) that meets in the lab, closing it for any other use that period?

6.  If the project involves research and the 15 library computers are being used, are there enough tables free so that another research class can use the mobile netbooks at the tables?

7.  If we have 2 classes in our tiny library, will it work if there is a significant teaching going on during one or both the classes? (Can you tell -I don’t have a teaching area in this library?)

8.  If it is a non-research computer project, then can the mobile lab be used in the classroom to free up library space for others?

9.  Will the project need access to resources blocked by the filter, and how will we handle that?

(I just have to ask for the bazillianth time – What WAS our architect thinking when he said – “The internet is taking the place of the library, so you will not need much space.”)

Hmmm…. A convention center where the library staff is responsible for allocation of resources – along with the “workshop” content.  No wonder we are tired at the end of the day!

P.S.  Does anyone honestly believe that an online scheduling program could adjust for so many variables?

5 thoughts on “The Library As Convention Center?

  1. My school has a “resource scheduler” that helps teachers book the computer labs, media center, classroom/teaching area in the media center, laptop cart, TVs, etc…. It doesn’t solve any problems for me. Teachers will book the media center or media lab without my knowledge. I have no idea what the students should be doing when they arrive (they are usually with a teacher), and many times they *do* need my help even though the teacher didn’t ask for my help (or in some cases, said, “Oh, no, they’ll be able to do everything on their own”).

    I like the analogy of convention center…now if only my convention center didn’t host 250 study hall students every day!

  2. All valid questions… Most of which, for you, sound like physical issues. Kids are smart- they’ll tell you how to get around the filters! (Just ask one, not kidding.)Online scheduling can certainly help to alleviate conflicts, but even then you’ll face challenges. We’ve learned in using ours that the more specific we are when inputting events, the happier and better informed we all are.

  3. Definitely a physical access problem for us. The hardest problems to solve – since the school and library walls are not made of elastic. Oh well.

    I have a filter override, but will only use it here in the library. So we sometimes have teachers who schedule a class here so that I can use my override. Hoping to see the day soon when less is filtered, and more teachers are able to make content decisions based on the educational needs of students.

  4. Pingback: Librarian as Learning Concierge | Wanderings...

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