Facilities Project 2
Facilities Project 2
Kimberly Ward
I went and visited Mirror Lake Elementary school in Villa Rica, GA. Mirror Lake is
home to approximately 468 students Pre-K through 5th grade. Douglas County schools
have a media specialist to run the library and a media clerk for support. The media
center is located at the front of the building next to the office which is a central location
to the lower and upper grades. The school opened in 2002 and the library has not been
renovated in its sixteen years. The library is used mostly for book checkout and each
week pre-K to 2nd grade classes come for a story read aloud or lesson. However, the
upper grade teachers never bring their classes due to the lack of space. These students
individually come to checkout new books. After speaking with the current media
specialist, she disclosed several changes she would like to help teachers and students
meet the needs of the state curriculum standards, and to encourage them to see the
library as a valuable resource rather than just a place to check out books. She would
like to make the space more user friendly with movable bookshelves and furniture to
accommodate a more effective learning environment. Have a carpeted area for classes
to come and enjoy read aloud or lessons while still being able to use the Promethean
Board. Provide student independent reading and work areas. Change the fiction chapter
book section from being alphabetized by authors’ last name to being grouped by genre.
Also, she would like to make the library a place where students can engage,
collaborate, and create through the use of various materials and technology by creating
21st century learning spaces. This includes an area for media equipment for students to
use on projects and to start a student led morning news broadcast. Below are my
Computers
Fiction Chapter
Nonfiction Books Nonfiction Books
Facilities Floor Plan
Circulation Desk
Current Floor Plan
Area
Read
Fiction Chapter
Nonfiction Books Nonfiction Books
Fiction Chapter
Teacher Book Room
Storage Room
Facilities Floor Plan 4
Teacher
Book/Storage Room
Circulation Desk
Makerspace
Media Production
Room
Seasonal Display
Makerspace
Video Equip
& Green
Screen
Everyone Fiction
Everyone Fiction
Everyone Fiction
Computers
Work/Collaboration
Area
Computers
Nonfiction Books
Everyone Fiction
Fiction Chapter
Nonfiction Books
Fiction Chapter
Nonfiction Books
Reference Books
Fiction Chapter
Nonfiction Books
Reading Area
Independent
In the current floor plan, the first thing you notice are all the bookshelves lined up in
rows and along the walls. The media specialist said she has it this way to keep all areas
in the library visible. The books are still grouped by fiction and nonfiction, but they run
together. Without the provided labels, it would be hard to tell where one section stopped
In the revised floorplan, the bookshelves are used to break up the media center into
separate areas conducive for student collaboration and independent reading without
disturbing others while still leaving the media center open and visible.
With the current floorplan, there is only one area with tables and chairs that are used for
class lessons and story read alouds. When this area is in use, it leaves individual
The revised floorplan is broken into different sections providing multiple areas that
accommodate different types of student learning. The fiction chapter book and
nonfiction areas both have flexible seating. There are beanbags that can be moved near
the windows to take advantage of the natural light for independent reading. The tables
and chairs are convenient to students who are collaborating and conducting research
The current floor plan does already have an area for whole class read alouds and
lessons with the use of a Promethean board. However, with the placement of the
cramped at the front of the library. Everyone has to sit at a table since there is not
enough space for a carpeted sitting area. Although technically there is enough room for
a whole class lesson, this leaves individual students visiting the library
disturbed.
In the revised floorplan, the computer tables, bookshelves, and library tables have been
moved to new areas of the library. This provides a large enough space for whole class
read alouds/teaching area on the rug with access to the Promethean board. This leaves
room for another class to come to the library with their teacher and use the grouped
library tables or other parts of the library if needed along with individual students looking
to conduct research, read independently, or work on a STEM project. The class read
aloud/teaching area is located near the everybody fiction section. This allows for easy
checkout for students in Pre-K through 2nd grade during or after a story or lesson. Once
the students have checked out their book, they can sit on the carpet or beanbags and
read. Having this area near the front of the library makes it easier for the media
specialist to keep an eye on younger students will still conducting whole group lessons.
Facilities Floor Plan 7
In the current floor plan of the media center there is not a makerspace area or a place
for students to go to work on electronic projects except for the computer tables located
in the front of the room. They are hard to get to when whole class teaching is happening
and intimidated students won’t bother. However, this is a change the media specialist
wants to make this school year along with starting a morning news media team.
On the revised floor plan, I made an area dedicated to 21st century learning. There is a
makerspace area that has tables for projects. Two bookshelves, one for makerspace
items, such as, craft supplies, Ozobots, Legos, snap circuits, etc. and the other shelf for
books pertaining to STEM. The computer tables were relocated to this area not only for
coding purposes and electronic projects, but also for easy access to all students
needing to conduct research or look up books in the electronic catalog. The room to the
right used to be a storage room that is now turned into the media production room. It’s
equipped with the necessary equipment used for the morning news broadcast, school
video camera, and green screen. There are also tables and chairs provided for students
who are using laptops and the green screen to work on moviemaker projects.
Currently the way books are organized on the fiction chapter book shelves are by
author’s last name. This makes it hard for students to find the types of books they are
interested in reading without looking them up on the computer first. This is time
consuming and a lot of students will not take the time to do it.
Facilities Floor Plan 8
With the revised floor plan, the fiction chapter books are grouped by genre. The genres
are realistic fiction, historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy, mystery, humor, adventure,
animal, sports, and graphic novels. Each shelf and book is clearly labeled for easy
reference. Having books grouped by genre will make finding a book less frustrating and
References
Woolls, B., & Coatney, S. (2018). The School Library Manager (6 ed.). Santa Barbara, CA:
th
Libraries Unlimited.