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Much has been written about the advantages associated with the learning commons model of library design. Less has been written about its drawbacks. The open, technology-rich, and collaborative atmosphere of a commons nicely supports teaching, group work, and digital communication. Yet, for some tasks and for some students, the commons atmosphere might also it the library's usefulness.
For tasks requiring concentration, such as reading and problem solving, the social and active nature of a learning commons could be distracting. And for the more introverted student, a loud and busy room might seem uninviting. For these reasons, library design should take into consideration different types of work and different personality types. In a learning commons, therefore, space and resources should be organized and managed in ways that meet 21st-century learning needs but also ensure fairness and service to all students.
Library architects, along with knowledgeable educators guided hy hest practices, can design new libraries that effectively serve the school and the total student body. By working from a clear vision and with carefully crafted plans, designers can achieve openness while also including smaller, quieter spaces suitable for individual work. When designing the library within a new high school in Henrico County, Virginia, for example, school and district-level librarians balanced instructional, social, and technology space with smaller, different environments," such as reading areas and a workroom, "so that there would be options for all students' needs..." (Martin, Westmoreland, and Branyon 20Il). Their full list of design considerations, which were abundant and included spaces for exercise bikes and gaming, points out the opportunities present when building an entirely new library facility.
However, for librarians in older schools like my own, more limited design options might be the reality. Many older school libraries are small and usually have too much permanent shelving and too few electrical outlets. Simply retrofitting these rooms with tables and equipment like SMART Boards and computers can be difficult. In these situations, where a school library's redesign potential is largely determined by permanent aspects of the original floor plan, librarians are forced to think creatively when developing a learning commons. Inadequate physical space and other limitations like money might also necessitate multiple reorganization efforts to finally arrive at a room useful to the entire school...