Re-imagining the 21st Century School Library: From Storage Space to Active Learning Space

Abstract

As libraries adjust to the needs of the 21st century, there needs to be a different way of thinking in regards to its design. School libraries have traditionally been designed as large rooms for the storage of materials for research and pleasure reading. As more and more districts focus their attention on digital acquisitions, the need for storage and shelves will naturally diminish while the need for space in which students experiment, create and explore will increase. This article focuses on the shifting nature of school libraries and how renovating existing spaces and the design of news ones must also evolve to accommodate the changing roles of libraries and librarians in schools.