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Part of OECD Library

A reflection about one school library faculty's goal of creating a positive learning environment with space that would help students and teachers develop real-world connections and the approach they took to creating it. The ideas for the space included housing the collection, helping students and teachers collaborate, being a hub for learning with a flexible floor plan and supporting newly developing areas in educational technology. The school decided to create a learning commons to move beyond traditional thinking about libraries and respond to what the kids and teachers really needed. The faculty envisioned their environment to be developmentally appropriate for their young students, as well as to foster a sense of creativity, inspiration, and encourage dialogue and a sense of community. The new learning commons library offered more space for stacks, added conference rooms and a lounge area, but the learning commons concept informed more than the library. These design changes increase opportunities to be inspired by student work and performances and create stronger interpersonal connections among students and faculty.

"This website chronicles the transformation of the NCSSM library into a Learning Commons, 2012-2014, and is a session presentation at the  North Carolina School Library Media Association's (NCSLMA) annual conference, October 10-11, 2014 "

Presentation by SLAV member Camilla Elliott

Google site set up to share: Celebrating the Transformation of School Libraries and Computer Labs into a Learning Commons. April, 2015 ~ May 2016. Celebrate, initiate, advocate and create opportunities all year. April, 2015 ~ May 2016 Celebrate, initiate, advocate and create opportunities all year."

"The culture of any library should not only encourage meaningful student learning, but also provide the tools, resources, and opportunities for students to thrive and flourish. The impact of these types of transformations on libraries can support all learners and encourage them to contribute to building a more dynamic and creative community."

The School Library as Learning Commons is a paradigm shift that is happening around the world. "We can get hung-up on the money when it comes to learning commons spaces. But it is first about mindsets - we need to embrace new ways of learning and find ways for our space to reflect these changes and be the gathering places for our all our learners.  The thinking around the learning commons is symbolizing the shifts we are seeing with learning throughout our schools."

"Often called the 'library of the future' in learning and educational circles, Wallaceburg's A.A. Wright public school has transformed their library space into a learning commons."

"An interesting sketchnote about how to introduce maker stations to the Learning Commons. Of course it's not the only way but this is how we are attempting to change the culture in our school and to foster entrepreneurial spirit in our students. We would love feed back or comments on how others are doing it!"

The library now also has reading lounge areas with comfortable modular seating, as well as tables with chairs and stools that students are free to move around; two music studios; a HackerSpace (with high-tech equipment such as a microscope, 3D printer, gaming hardware and software, and a green screen for filming) and a Maker Space that also houses a 3D printer and serves as a "hands-on" craft room where old technology can be disassembled and re-configured with other materials. In short, the Monticello Library Media Center has become a "Learning Commons."

Like their municipal counterparts, school libraries are seeking their place in an era of overabundance of resources and Cloud-based information networks accessible from any mobile device. Getting together to examine their role in 21st century education, library media specialists from more than 50 school districts from Putnam/Northern Westchester and Southern Westchester BOCES met earlier this month at a conference themed, School Libraries: Innovative and Engaged Learning.