Tuesday Slice: Wants versus needs

Our bus full of school librarians pulled up to the almost-brand-new central branch of the Austin Public Library.  We were directed down a short flight of stairs and to the left; a grand room full of muted sunlight with empty tables and a delicious buffet line of coffee and juice and breakfast goodies awaited us.

Roosevelt Weeks, the director of APL, greeted us warmly and delivered statistics on the new library's use, touting thousands of visitors weekly.  Our director then divvied us up by passing out slips with book details that we matched up to make groups of six or so; each group was escorted by an APL volunteer for a guided scavenger hunt.

We spent the next hour visiting the six floors of the beautifully designed, European-style library.  Sunlight reaches all of the stacks.  A full floor is dedicated to youth; children on one side, teens on the other.  There is seating of every size, shape, color, and material imaginable, inviting readers to sit and stay, if only to look at the scenery through the windows.  Reading porches on two floors beckoned us with fresh air and more comfortable seating.  The shelves in many areas are on casters and easily moved; even the librarian stations are upright, wheeled desks with computers.  There are plugs everywhere, and laptop checkout stations with several different brands available.

We were given a behind-the-scenes tour of the administrative offices by one of the graphic designers for the library.  The cubicles were bright, with white walls and colorful interior panels. Knick-knacks, posters, and potted plants gave away hints about the occupants' personalities.

Back in the grand room, we were advised while eating our brown bag lunches to think about our own libraries through the lens of this new, modern, flexibly-designed building.  

I am fortunate to be working in a school that is only ten years old.  We have access to desktops, laptops, and iPads in our library, as well as a large interactive board.  Last year, the school received a grant which included new, flexible furniture for the "learning side" of our library, the side that gets rearranged the most often for staff meetings, presentations, and student use.  Tables on casters and chairs that stacked were a need in our heavily used space, replacing bulky wooden tables and heavy upholstered chairs.

The rest of our library is fairly stationary--heavy wooden shelves with twenty thousand books; a big, oval circulation desk with space in the middle that can host myself, my assistant, and two teachers without touching one another; and the old, heavy tables and chairs on the "reading side" of the library.  It seems to work pretty well, especially when we are hosting two classes at a time.

I like to dream as much as the next person, but for now, I will forego asking for grant money for fancy chairs.  Moveable shelving may be a necessity in the near future, but even that can wait for another year or more.  As long as there are school libraries in my district that are home to old, splintered circulation desks, worn out carpeting, and furniture that doesn't serve their needs...do I really need to focus on wants?