1. MEDIA CENTER DESIGN PROJECT KIMBERLY SHEIBLEY SLM 501 JULY 17, 2008

2. INTRODUCTION In preparing to tackle the task of designing a media center, I needed to make sure that I understood not just the standards, but also my mission, vision, and philosophy. Since my design needed to be rooted in these things, One of the goals in my philosophy is to promote literature appreciation. In order to do this, I placed the hottest books in the collection right inside the door: the graphic novels. The fiction section is also right inside the door (to the right – the direction that most people naturally turn to since most of us are right-handed). Unfortunately, this design isn’t capable of showing the book displays that would be scattered around the media center, but they would definitely be there. I’m also tinkering with an idea I got from one of the articles that I read: dedicating a computer for podcasting student book recommendations. Of course, one of the most important goals is to create an inviting, friendly, welcoming place for students and teachers. (You actually have to get them into the media center before you can teach ‘em!) I’ve created a lounge area for students, complete with comfy and colorful chairs, floor pillows, posters, and a games area. There is also room for students to study at tables designed for small groups. The center also has an area just for teachers – tables, comfy chairs (that will make the kids totally jealous!), professional resources, and work supplies (paper, pens, pencils, markers, paper clips, etc.). Since the teacher area is right in front of my office, it will make it super easy for them to sneak in and grab a few pieces of candy from the never-empty bowl that will sit on my desk. In addition to what is on the floor plan, there will be more posters, student work displays, and I’m seriously considering some neon signs for the entranceway. (I recently saw a couple of cool signs at a comic book store.) Now, I really deliberated over the layout of the media center. I wanted all of the resources to be in the most logical and useful places. This is why I placed the non-fiction and resource sections between the computer lab and the computer carrels. When students use the computers to do research, they won’t need to cross the media center to visit the two sections that they’ll need the most. I also made sure to put the magazines and newspapers close to the lounge area since those are the two things that students will pick up to read if they only have ten or fifteen minutes to hang out. I sprinkled the OPAC computers around the media center so that students and staff can just use the one that’s closest to the section that they plan on visiting.

3. Introduction, Continued I knew that I needed at least one teaching area and one drop-in area, but I really wanted to make sure that the drop-in area could double as a teaching area or could accommodate an entire class. The benefits to this arrangement are that the two areas can easily accommodate the entire staff for meetings or can host two separate after-school clubs. (Definitely want to promote using the media center for afterschool meetings!) The last thing that I tried to accomplish is to be able to see the entire media center from the circulation desk. I think I did that by using short shelves on the floor and by placing the shelves closer to the desk. Also, the lounge, although rather hidden in the corner, is highly visible from the circulation desk. I also placed the printer in plain view of the desk so that I can easily monitor who’s printing what and how much. I know that I haven’t mentioned the Literacy Standards yet. I’ve thought long and hard about this. Even if a media center such as this existed, it doesn’t mean that the people who visit it will learn anything. This center has some bells and whistles, but without an exceptional media specialist spearheading the whole program, then what’s the point? Great media specialists have done wonderful things with less than this. While a great media center may have all of these resources, the most important resource is the person running the show: the media specialist. How will students learn to gather information, to interpret it, to analyze it, to really think about it, and then do something with it? Without an amazing media specialist, a media center, any media center, is just a place for students to check out books and Google-search the information they need to write that research paper.

4. REFERENCE (tall shelves) REFERENCE NON-FICTION (short) BIOGRAPHIES (short) WINDOWS ABOVE FICTION (tall) FICTION (short) WINDOWS ABOVE AUDIOBOOKS PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES &TEACHER SUPPLIES OPAC 1 CIRCULATION DESK NON-FICTION (tall) COMPUTER CARRELS TEACHING AREA COMPUTER LABOFFICETV STUDIOAV STORAGE REFERENCE (tall) OPAC 2 NON-FICTION GNs & FOR. LANG AUDIO AV MAGAZINES & NEWSPAPERS OPAC 3 OPAC 4 FICTION FICTION (short) TEACHING AREA 2 DROP-IN AREA COUCH TABLE COUCH EGG CHAIR EGG CHAIR LOUNGE/ STUDY AREA TEACHER AREA PILLOW PILE PRINTER ENTRANCE POSTERS IN WINDOWS POSTERS IN WINDOWS

5. Webliography Crate & Barrel. 16 July 2008. (Pillows: $22 & $30) “Chess Board.” Wikimedia Commons. 16 July 2008. “Demco.com Accompany Series Custom Reception Furniture.” DEMCO. 16 July 2008. ($1880) <http://www.demco.com/CGI-BIN/LANSAWEB?PROCFUN+LWDCWEB+LWDC025+PRD+ ENG+FUNCPARMS+ZZWSESSID(A0200):28154083860921360768+ZZWNAVPAG(A0100): PRODUCT+ZZWBTRKID(A0120):FDD0000+DATESEQ(A0140):71610805231> Gaylord. 16 July 2008. (Coffee Table: $500) “Office Star Swivel Desk Chair.” Target. 16 July 2008. ($120) <http://www.target.com/gp/search/602-1940268-4208603?field-keywords=office+star+swivel+ desk+chair&url=index%3Dtarget&ref=sr_bx_1_1&x=0&y=0> “Play Furniture: IKEA PS LÖMSK: Swivel Chair.” IKEA. 16 July 2008. ($80) “Unique Rugs, Pillows, and Window Treatments.” Pier 1 Imports. 16 July 2008. (Pillows: $13, $19, $22) “Visitor’s Chair: SNILLE: Visitor Chair.” IKEA. 16 July 2008. ($20)

6. Bibliography Abilock, Debbie. “Small Changes: Bringing Vision to Reality.” Knowledge Quest. Jan./Feb. 2007: 8-11. Bolan, Kimberly. “Looks Like Teen Spirit.” School Library Journal. Nov. 2006: 44-48. Goldfinch, Ellen. “The Friendly School Library: Making Students Feel Welcome.” Library Media Connnection. Jan. 2005: 36-37.

7. ACCOMPANY RECEPTION FURNITURE RETURN TO MEDIA CENTER DESIGN

8. COFFEE TABLE RETURN TO MEDIA CENTER DESIGN

9. EGG CHAIR (IKEA PS LOMSK) RETURN TO MEDIA CENTER DESIGN

10. CHAIRS (IKEA SNILLE) RETURN TO MEDIA CENTER DESIGN

11. FLOOR PILLOWS RETURN TO MEDIA DESIGN

12. RETURN TO MEDIA DESIGN

13. TEACHER CHAIRS RETURN TO MEDIA DESIGN