T. L. Hanna High School Media Center Facilities Plan

Karen Stepp

FRIT 7132/ Green

Fall 2010

Media Center Location

• The school was originally created in a X format with the media center located between two hallways. This format limits equal access to classes on other halls.

• Since the school was first built, 4 other hallways have been added to accommodate the growing population.

400

hall

100

hall

300 hall

200 hall

Entrance toSchool

700

and

800

halls

1' 5"

1' 5"

conn

ectin

g

hallw

ay

MediaCenter

connecting

hallway

500

& 600

hal

ls

2' 4"

2' 4"

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School Setting

The T. L. Hanna media center serves the following:

• approximately 1650 students grades 9-12

• 100 + faculty members

• One full-time media specialist

• One full-time media clerk

Colorful posters are on outside of media center and door is open to create an inviting atmosphere.

Current Facility Plan

9' 2"

Individual cubicle areas

BookShelves -Biographi

es

8' 8"

5' 4

"

9' 4"

6' 4

"7

' 4"

9' 4"

7' 0"

6' 8

" Tables for students to work Computer Area

Seating area

CirculationDesk

SeatingArea

Cla

ssro

om

sC

lass

room

sC

lass

room

s

Computers &printer

AdditionalComputers

Com

pu

ter

for

pre

sen

tati

on

s

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• On this side there are 3 classrooms that are not used.

•Nonfiction books are located on the four walls

•The reference books are located on shelves in the center square.

•There is one section for computers; others are intermingled.

•The circulation desk is in the corner front portion of the media center

Circulation Desk• The circulation desk is

to the right as soon as you enter the media center.

• A coffee/hot chocolate machine for students and faculty sits to the right of the circulation desk and creates a relaxed and inviting atmosphere.

• There is an office behind the circulation desk and storage area in a room behind that for movies and media equipment.

Seating Area

• Right inside the doorway of the media center is a couch, chairs, and tables. These are placed directly in front of and around the magazine rack.

• The bookshelves behind the magazine rack contains the fiction section. The newest young adult fiction is displayed on the top of the counters.

Computer Area• The computer area is

composed of 8 computers grouped together. Other computers are dispersed in a few other areas in the media center.

• The bookshelves to the right of the computers hold additional nonfiction books and career books.

• Student art work is displayed on the walls and throughout the library.

Cubicle Area

• To the left of the entrance is the cubicle area that has ten total cubicles where students can work.

• The shelves behind the cubicle area houses the nonfiction books.

Seating Areas

• This section contains 10 tables that are in the center of the media center.

• The surrounding bookshelves contain reference books.

• There is a projector screen that descends from the ceiling for presentations for this area of the media center.

Additional Seating

• There are 9 oblong tables to the left of the media center.

• There is a screen that descends from the ceiling, and there is a computer to the right of the tables that is connected to a LCD projector for presentations.

• The bookshelves to the left hold biographies and plays.

Classrooms

• To the far left of the media center, behind the biography section are three small classrooms.

• For the most part these rooms really aren’t used. One room holds a cart of laptops, while the other two rooms are mostly vacant with an old desk and a couple of tables being the only furniture.

Quantitative Survey Results

• When asked how often they went to the library students and faculty answered the following:

• never 45.0%• once a week 40.0%• 2-3 times per week 14.0%• 4 or more times per week 1.0%

• When asked for what purpose they used the library, students and faculty responded:

• research 63.5%• to check out books for a class 38.5%• only when our class goes for an assignment 50.0%• for personal use 22.9%

Positive Survey Results

• Many liked having coffee and hot chocolate available.

• The library is organized and is a quiet place to study and read.

• The media center is well-stocked with books and other helpful resources.

• The media center is spacious.• Student work is on display.

Negative survey results:

Needs updated technology.

•Needs more comfortable modern chairs/couches.

•Needs brighter lighting.

•Needs a more “young environment feeling.”

•The hours of operation need to be longer.

•Needs more computers.

Facilities Redesign

9' 2"

BookShelves -Biographi

es

8' 8"

5' 4

"

9' 4"

6' 4

"7

' 4"

9' 4"

7' 0"

6' 8

" Tables for students to work

Computer Area

Seating area

CirculationDesk

SeatingArea

Computers &printer

AdditionalComputers

Com

pute

rfo

r p

rese

nta

tion

s

Computer Area

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Additional computer area

Brighter, more colorful tables, chairs and couches

Variety of comfortable, colorful chairs (bean bag chairs).

Additional computers to computer area.

Placement of some tables/chairs in classroom areas

Laptops available for checkout to be used in media center

Modified Elements

Problem: the lighting is not bright enough.Solutions:

• Brighter furniture will help create more light in the room. Right now all of the furniture is brown which makes the room seem darker than it is.

• Even though the carpet probably couldn’t be changed, adding colorful rugs to the room can add warmth and brighten the drab grayish/green carpet.

• Brighter lights – look for light bulbs that emanate more light.• Lamps – On the shelves above the seating areas, it would

help a great deal to have colorful lamps placed around the media center to help create more light. They will also help establish a warm, inviting feeling in the media center.

Modified Elements

Problem: Needs a more modern, youthful feel.

Solutions:• More comfortable chairs and sofas that

also add color to the media center will create a more youthful feel.

• Making use of the laptops that students can check out and take to a table to use will also make the media center feel more up-to-date.

Modified Elements

Additional problems and solutions:– I added another grouping of computers so if students

are working in groups then there will be two sets of computers available, not just one.

– Both sets of computers are set up in such a way that the teacher or media specialist could use the LCD projector (there are two) to teach a lesson prior to using the computers. Two classes could be in the media center at one time receiving instruction.

– By adding furniture to the classrooms, it will help to add additional work space that can be used in the library. Students or teachers can sign up for the rooms to work on projects, have meetings, etc.

Current Media Center Policy

Hours of Operation:

Monday, Wednesday, & Thursday

7:40 – 4:00 p.m.

Tuesday & Friday

7:40 – 3:40 p.m.

Access:

• The media center operates on a flexible schedule and is available for students and staff during the course of the school day.

• Teachers can sign up for time to take their class to the media center on a first come first served basis.

Current Media Center Policy

Staffing• Media staff is comprised of

1 full time Media Specialist and 1 full time Library Clerk.

• The media center is overseen by Instructional Services staff at the district office.

Current Media Center Policy

Resources:• Over 17,000 volumes of books• 60 current magazines and newspapers• 1,000 titles of educational videos, cassettes,

records, CD-ROM reference materials, and vertical files

• OPAC• Subscription to online services• Audiovisual and computer equipment• 15 computers for student use

Current Media Center Policy

Funding:

• Funding for the media center is based on state approved per student quota.

• Media Specialist creates yearly GBE goal for media center.

Current Media Center Policy

Circulation:• Students may typically check out up to 3 books

at a time unless they need them for research for a class.

• Books may be checked out up to 2 weeks before they need to be returned or renewed.

• Overdue books cost 5 cent per day up to the cost of the book.

• Lost books will cost the recovery cost of the book.

Current Media Center Policy

Reconsideration of Materials:• For books that are challenged at the

district level, a Challenge Book Committee will be appointed by the Superintendent. The committee will consist of 1 media specialist, the head of the English department, and district personnel.

• A school review committee will be appointed by the Assistant Principal of Instruction for books that are challenged at the school level.

Current Media Center Policy

Media:• To obtain rights to show films, media

specialist purchases Public Performance DVDs which do not limit the amount of video to be used.

• Technology specialist is responsible for obtaining computer software rights.

Current Media Center Policy

Internet:• District guidelines govern internet use for faculty

and students.• District Internet Acceptable Use Policy is

distributed to all students.• District monitors internet use for students and

staff.• School uses Net Support School Program to

monitor and help teachers monitors their students’ appropriate use of the internet.

Current Media Center Policy

Additional use of the Media Center:

• Professional Development

• Tutoring after school

Media Center Policy Suggestions

• Longer hours for accessibility:• 7:30 – 5:00 M W Th• 7:30 – 4:30 T F

• School Media Advisory Committee – currently the school does not have one in place.

• More use of classrooms within the media center for teacher meetings or small group instruction.

• A handbook of policies – there is a media center handbook, but many of the policies are not stated. There is a strong need to have the policies in writing.