Updated Library Design Counterproposal Buffy Hamilton February 2016

RESPONSE TO PROPOSED CHATTAHOOCHEE HIGH

SCHOOL MEDIA CENTER REDESIGNFEBRUARY 2016

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COMPONENT 1: TECHNOLOGY BAR CONCERNS

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COMPONENT 1: TECHNOLOGY BAR CONCERNS

• Jane Tidwell came out in December for a two hour site visit. We discussed this area being a space for lounge seating.

• The rectangular shape of the space and proximity to the front door lends itself to students who want to just drop in and have a comfortable place to sit; we also want to provide an upright charging station in this area for students.

Concerns

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1

COMPONENT 1: TECHNOLOGY BAR SOLUTIONS

• We recommend the genius bar be relocated to the area in front of the existing study/group collaboration rooms; this area is currently marked as the location of the circ desk, which we do not prefer.

• We would like for the existing shelving to be removed in this area.

• The genius bar could be aligned horizontally with seating on either side.

Recommendations

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COMPONENT 1: ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGY BAR

PLACEMENT

• If the wall with the existing display case is removed and the room that is currently an IRR office is opened up (but the back wall is not removed to expand into the tech specialist’s office), we are open to placing the tech bar in this location.

• This might be an optimal location since it would be in close proximity to our tech specialist and would be located immediately inside our front entrance of the media center.

Suggestion

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OUR PROPOSED DESIGN SOLUTIONS FOR THE ENTRY AREA AND

CIRC DESK AREA

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ENTRY AREA ADJACENT TO THE EXISTING LAB

Bretford Plus Long

Bench/Ottoman

Model SPO926

59" x 19" x 17“

Seats up to three students

http://bretford.com/products/plu

s-benches/

This proposal is contingent on the basic

structure of the “cube” or lab area

remaining the same. If this area is

reconfigured as group study rooms, seating

will not be needed since new doors will

need to be cut. 7

http://bretford.com/products/plus-benches/

CIRC DESK AREA: PROPOSED SEATING SOLUTIONS FOR A NEW

SOFT SEATING AREA

This area is marked to be the location for

the genius/technology bar, but we feel it

would serve better as an entry soft seating

area.

• The shelving behind the circ desk will

need to be removed.

• The pole with drops/power should also

be removed as it is not aesthetically

pleasing.

• The painted trim that is currently black

should be repainted to be something

vibrant and to work with the new

color/fabric scheme.8

CIRC DESK AREA: PROPOSED SEATING SOLUTIONS FOR A NEW

SOFT SEATING AREA

Turnstone Campfire

Big Lounge

Turnstone Campfire Ottoman

Turnstone Jenny Club Chairs with

Casters

Turnstone Alight Bench

Ottoman

Turnstone Campfire

Paper Table 9

COMPONENT 2: LEARNING COMMONS CONCERNS AND

OUR INTERPRETATION OF THE CONCEPT

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2

COMPONENT 2: LEARNING COMMONS CONCERNS

• The area marked as the “learning commons” may possibly become a group study area/collaborative room.

• While this could easily become an informal learning area if we do not put a collaborative room here, I do not see it as a formal “learning commons.” It is too close to the circulation desk, is too small for a large high school, and instruction or a class activity would be disrupted by other activities happening around this area.

• I would prefer the learning commons actually be a flexible learning space similar to the instructional rooms in the Entrepreneur Lab at Discovery High School in Gwinnett County (this will be outlined later in this document).

Concerns

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2

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO THE PROPOSED LEARNING COMMONS

AREA

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Option 1:Add a collaborative work room that would extend off the ones created from the existing

computer lab.

Option 2: Make this a flexible space that could be used for soft seating or a type of flexible learning pod. The translucent privacy screen

would help define this area.

Option 3: Café style seating that could also have a monitor mounted on the wall where students could

plug in devices.

REPURPOSING PROPOSED LEARNING COMMONS AREA AND “LOW

TOP” SEATING AREAS

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The proposed solutions on the previous page/slide could also be used along the length of the long wall

currently labeled as “low top” seating.

We could also purchase additional Recordex or Elmo devices for to create impromptu “media-scape” like

centers. Students could move Steelcase mobile tables, Artcobell mobile tables, Buoy seating, and/or Campfire

Paper Tables over as needed.

Additional freestanding glass Claus dry-erase boards or Steelcase Verb mobile dry-erase boards could also

be used by students as needed in this area.

RE-ENVISIONING THE LEARNING COMMONS CONCEPT AREA

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We anticipate increased collaboration between the media center staff and faculty for a variety of instructional activities.

We envision a separate yet flexible learning commons area that is modeled after the instructional rooms in the

Entrepreneur Lab at Discovery High School. By knocking down part of the existing wall that separates the media

center from an area that is currently a large classroom for Drama, we can create one large room that can be separated

into 2-3 multiple instructional areas (to accommodate multiple sections of classes) or serve as individual instructional

areas where classes can work and not worry about disruption from students on the main floor.

• These rooms could be separated by a garage door or some other contemporary room divider that is easy to raise

or lower.

• These rooms will feature dry erase surfaces (wall, mobile boards).

• A mounted EPSON projector and high quality retractable screen OR a Recordex device can serve as the tools for

sharing and projection.

• These would be modeled after the Steelcase Active Learning classroom concept featuring the Verb line of

furniture, including tables, Node seating, whiteboards, and easels for storing whiteboards.

• Sliding glass doors would open up to each room/the area for ease of access and transparency in instructional

activities without disruption to students in the Learning Commons instructional rooms or on the main floor.


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Recommendation1

• Do not place group study rooms here—this will eat up precious main floor space that we need for tables and chairs for drop-in visitors or for informal instruction/activities.

Recommendation 2

• Knock out the wall and shelving to create a flexible series of instructional rooms for the media center and staff (see following slides).

This classroom

becomes

transformed into

the media center’s

new interpretation

of a learning

commons by using

the model of

instructional

rooms in the

Entrepreneur Lab

at Discovery High

School.


16From This… To This…

Remove the wall and shelves to

open up a new learning

commons space

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• Steelcase Node Chairs

• Media Whiteboard Verb Display Easel and Whiteboards by Steelcase

• Steelcase Verb Chevron Tables

• Some version of a Mediascape with Turnstone Buoys

• Clarus Glass Mobile Dry Erase Boards

Instructional Tools/Furniture

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CURRENT MEDIA CENTER INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES THAT WOULD BE

ENHANCED BY OUR VERSION OF THE LEARNING COMMONS

Direct instruction/mini-lessons for information literacy skills or hands-on inquiry activities

Active learning activities (individual>small group>large group)

Large group learning activities (example: Socratic circles)

Presentations

Collaborative Work (quiet and noisy)

Written conversation strategies

Media center as a learning studio where teachers can use the spaces to co-pilot new techniques and strategies with the METI and/or do large group learning activities with other class sections.

Guest speakers

Library and librarian as “pedagogical partner” and aligning practices with school strategic goals with data driven strategies and assessment practices 21

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When not in use for instruction

by teacher and the METI, this

space/spaces can be used for

meetings during the school day or

after school. The media center is

currently a hot spot for group and

community meetings, and this new

interpretation of a learning

commons can help meet those

needs during the school day

and/or after hours. We can also

use it for special events hosted by

the media center.

COMPONENT 3: PROPOSED SANDBOX AREA

CONCERNS AND OUR SOLUTIONS

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COMPONENT 3: SANDBOX CONCERNS

• The current plan calls for a “Sandbox” to be house in the “curve” of the media center. It calls for the majority of the stacks to also be housed in the same area, which is problematic when students are trying to browse for books in an instructional space.

• If this area is to retain shelving, the existing shelving needs to go—it is dark, lacks any effective means to hold the books (no shelf dividers), and does not allow for effective signage to easily identify sections of the collection.

• More light is needed in this area---sitting windows would be welcomed.

Concerns

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3

COMPONENT 3: FROM SANDBOX TO VIABLE STACKS/

INDIVIDUAL SEATING

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3

Add floor to ceiling windows for light; vertical mobile shelving and soft seating

could be added.

Buoy seating could be integrated at the end of the curved stacks (see next photo).

Some curved shelving on casters could be added into the center of the area to

house stacks.


INDIVIDUAL SEATING

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3


INDIVIDUAL SEATING

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3


INDIVIDUAL SEATING

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3


INDIVIDUAL SEATING

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3

COMPONENTS 4 AND 9: PROPOSED GROUP STUDY

ROOMS AND MAKERSPACE-PROJECT ROOMS + OUR

SOLUTIONS

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4/9

COMPONENTS 4 AND 9: GROUP STUDY ROOMS/

PROJECT ROOM-MAKERSPACE

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4/9

The proposed plan from the

architect/district calls for the existing

office/small group study rooms to be

demolished and to become a bank of

collaborative small group instructional

rooms.

Please see section 2 of this document for our

recommendations---we would prefer to keep

this floor space open and remove the existing

shelving and wall to open up new physical

space for our own interpretation of a

dedicated learning commons area.



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4/9

Originally the architect planned to convert the media center computer lab into a bank of group

study/collaborative rooms. This would be our preference if they can be configured at a reasonable

cost. However, the current plan calls for this to become a project room or makerspace. We are open to possibly having a tinkering area (Legos, crafts, tech kits), but we feel this space would be best served as a

conversion to collaborative work areas.

COMPONENTS 4 AND 9: ALTERNATIVE

MAKERSPACE LOCATION

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4/9

Another alternative location for the

makerspace is to knock out the wall dividing the

two existing huddle rooms/conference rooms

and make a mini-makerspace in this area

for tinkering and creating.



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4/9

Monitors and Mobile Tables with Comfortable Seating

Dry Erase SurfacesVisible glass that can also

be a writable surface

COMPONENT 5: CIRC DESK AREA CONCERNS OUR

SOLUTIONS

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5

COMPONENT 5: CIRCULATION DESK

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5

During the December 2015 meeting, there

was extensive discussion about the placement

of the circulation desk. We would prefer it be

more centered and slightly closer to the front

so that staff can easily greet students and not

in the way of the mobile seating we envision

on the main floor of the media center.

COMPONENT 5: CIRCULATION DESK

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5We especially like the

Demco Technolink Modular

Service Desk. The double-

sided feature of this desk,

the round shape, the

compact shape, and the

sleek contemporary look of

metal and natural wood are

both functional and

aesthetically pleasing.

http://www.demcointeriors.com/products/circul

ation-desks/technolink-modular-service-

desk/?webSyncID=43b3760c-5022-6107-7e25-

09588da10c6b&sessionGUID=37d300e6-6098-

3877-ce8a-57d84556b288

http://www.demcointeriors.com/products/circulation-desks/technolink-modular-service-desk/?webSyncID=43b3760c-5022-6107-7e25-09588da10c6b&sessionGUID=37d300e6-6098-3877-ce8a-57d84556b288

COMPONENT 6: SOFT SEATING

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COMPONENT 6: SOFT LOUNGE SEATING

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6Earlier sections have

highlighted the soft seating

options we prefer, including:

• Turnstone Jenny chairs

• Turnstone Buoys

• Turnstone Alight benches

• Turnstone Campfire Big

Lounge

• Turnstone Campfire

Paper Table

• Turnstone Campfire Big

Ottoman

• Bretford Plus Ottoman


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Other choices:

• Steelcase Brody Work

Lounge

• Steelcase Regard

• Steelcase

• Turnstone Big Lamp

• Turnstone Campfire Half

Lounge


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COMPONENT 7: LOW-TOP/LOW-PROFILE SEATING

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COMPONENT 7: LOW TOP AREA

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We envision the

“low-top” furniture

being used

throughout the main

floor areas,

particularly the open

spaces in the areas

pictured to the right.


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7

The following is a wish list of Steelcase products I have

previously used with high school students---these can

double as workspace tables and seating; they can also be

used and configured quickly for small or large group

instruction/learning activities.


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7

• Steelcase Media Instructional Area

Tables Rectangular 30 x 72 x 28 with

casters; brushed silver table tops and

legs

• Steelcase Media Round Study

Tables/Steelcase 48” with casters

• Media Table Shape Tables: Artcobell

Space Collection with and without

writable surfaces (casters includes):

Expanse and Nebula

• Hon Student SmartLink Swivel Chairs

• Steelcase Node Chairs


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COMPONENT 8: MOBILE STACKS

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We like the model of the mobile

stacks. Taller shelves are fine for

anything that might go along a

wall, but we would want a lower-

profile version for those on the

main floor.

We want to further discuss the

proposed placement of the

mobile stacks on the main floor

as it feels a bit crowded in the

sketch.


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8

COMPONENT 10: WORKROOM

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10


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10

The proposed plan calls for the workroom to have the

rear wall removed and opened up to what would be

another workroom for us that houses die cuts, butcher

paper, a lamination machine, and filing cabinets. We

would prefer to not have the rear wall removed

because:

1. The METI and Media Assistant use the workroom

as a shared office space. We need this for times

where work requires concentration or meetings

with teachers to plan instruction.

2. We need storage and would like a refresh of the

cabinetry and countertop.

3. We frequently use the sink as handwashing is a

necessary part of our workday handling many kinds

of materials.

4. The removal of the rear wall serves no purpose to

enhance teaching and learning.

View from Exterior/Doorway


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The workroom is also in need of

some minor design and aesthetic

changes to be more functional

and inviting. Paint, flooring, better

storage/cabinetry, and lighting

would all be welcome

enhancements. We also would

like a glass dry-erase board to use

for project management .

View from Interior

COMPONENT 11: OTHER AREAS OF

QUESTION/ISSUES

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11

OTHER AREAS OF QUESTION

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We are open to the conference room at the entrance of the media center being reconfigured in some other way; we’re not sure opening it up to the space that houses our tech specialist is the best choice unless the genius bar area were to become integrated into the design in some way to facilitate the tech support/help.

The distance learning room currently houses the technology specialist. In the December meeting I stated that the space, while desirable as a classroom or project room, might present some challenges in terms of supervision/management/traffic flow in the hallway that goes to faculty/staff only areas in the same wing.

One sign-in station is not sufficient for the crowds we have in the media center, especially at lunch. We would need at least three possible carts as points of sign-in/sign-out as well as additional laptops and scanners to use with our software.


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We would like to keep the existing

huddle rooms and upgrade them

into more functional spaces where

students can work in small groups

or individually as needed. We feel

many of the Steelcase products

identified in this document will help

fill that need as will glass dry erase

boards, new carpet, and fresh

vibrant paint.


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11

The area we call the “reading nook” is the one that seems a bit neglected on the proposed plan. We would like to

maintain this area as a space for reading or quiet study. We would probably put the curved shelfing in a slightly different

location to better differentiate that space.

We have included options elsewhere in this presentation for soft seating.

The existing bookcase needs to be removed. In its place, we might

consider:

*a slatwall for book and magazine display to showcase new arrivals

*a taller bank of the mobile shelving*putting another large window in this

area for more natural light

Per the other discussions elsewhere in this document, the proposed bookcases and seating and study rooms would not be placed here, but these spaces would

be kept open for low-profile seating that could be reconfigured quickly and

easily as needed.


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We did not feel the “bump” bench would be a good choice for our space---it was very uncomfortable and unattractive.

We did not see any Node chairs on the furniture options, and the options presented were somewhat limited. We have presented our choices and arguments for them in this document.

Issues of paint, lighting, and other structural nature are still unresolved.

We would like input on the color and fabric choices; we would prefer they not be color coordinated to school colors but rather selected with input from students and staff.

Will warranties be provided as part of the furniture purchase?


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Will charging stations be provided, and will we have input on what we get?

Will wireless printers be provided as part of the upgrade?

Will new workstations at the circ desk be provided?

What about high-profile seating/project style workspaces/tables?

Education

Updated Library Design Counterproposal Buffy Hamilton February 2016