This reflection has been prompted by reading LaMarca and Manning’s (2007) article on the library as an essential learning environment has clarified how I might view and understand the seveal points of frustration which staff and students are experiencing in new architecturally designed and award winning library space. Despite a lack of background in design and architecture, I can fully appreciate the need to plan and evaluate a space according to its users’ needs. In the case of a school library, our users are in the business of teaching and learning- formally and informally. Our struggles with this new space are arising due to the conflicting needs of users in this space. The space has all of Thornburg’s archetypal learning spaces, but just not enough or are in locations which become compromised easily. There is hope though! By considering our library in terms of these learning spaces, I can think about how to use them better, preserve them, and frame our needs.
Our library has some excellent campfire spaces. These are spaces for the storyteller- where wisdom is shared and stories are told. These might be actual narratives, but it might be information in various forms. We have an amphitheatre in our library which sometimes serves this role and a ‘fish pond’ which features the story teller’s chair, picture book shelving, and rugs. A stairwell runs up and down the amphitheatre which connects the lower floor to the upper floor. Primary learning space to high school learning space. Our circulation desk sits at the base of the amphitheatre. We have a heavy curtain which can hem us in, but the stairs remain! The fish pond is a little more idea though our school’s ICT office has now been located through a door just off this storytelling space and trying to redirect that traffic is a new challenge.
Our watering hole spaces are probably most successful. The watering hole is a place for interaction and social learning; dialogue and shared learning. Because of our flexible spaces, we can transform one of our campfire spaces to a watering hole very quickly. The amphitheatre, with its tired seating, can also host pairs quite comfortably. We are awaiting some lap desks which should help this space- and other spaces- support this kind of learning. It seems that in this sort of learning space, peripheral movement and activity does not make such an impact.
The cave– a place for quiet reflection, or for engaging more intimately with materials like books (or even an idea). The cave is very hard to find across our K-12 library. We have a ‘reading room’ in the secondary level which is often closed to everyone but Years 11 and 12 who have serious learning to do. It would make more sense to simply guard this as a quiet learning space for anyone (probably high school only due to its size). Tuohy (2021) suggests just this: identify the space not the user. The space designed for this, our “reading tunnel” is a tunnel with carpeted ceiling, floor and walls with a long running along one side. Mostly, this is respected as such, and it is located in the rear of the library. It’s only challenge comes from students who do not want to respect the cave space, but that will happen regardless. This cave, however, does not facilitate more rigorous study, but is ideal for those who want to read a book uninterrupted.
The last space- Life! The place where we get hands on and try to apply our learning and see what works and what needs revision. As Oddone (n.d.) points out, this is probably the space which is shrinking in schools- or at least the time given to this space. Life might get a bit messy and can be time consuming. What I find most interesting about this space, and the activities therein, is that this is where we find out what we actually have a grasp on and will give us the clearest indication of what needs revision or what we want to dive into! Yet, this is where time eats in. This is where all of our teaching and learning ideals are challenged the most. While I am an experienced Makerspace TL, the after school demands on our space are constant and unpredicatable. While we have great potential for Life- life keeps getting in the way! Our school desperately needs alternative spaces to our library- spaces for the most rudimentary of things like waiting around for other things; non-learning activities.
Now I have some framework to view our spaces and discuss our spaces. I can use Thornburg’s archetypal learning spaces as a way to talk about our learning with staff and students and this is exciting. We can convert our watering hole space into a campfire space with a conceptual shift made possible with shared language and ideas.
La Marca, S., & Manning, M. (2007). The library: an essential learning environment. In L Marca, S. (2007). Rethink! Ideas for inspiring school library design. School Library Association of Victoria (pp 9-18). https://primo.csu.edu.au/discovery/delivery/61CSU_INST:61CSU/12148033900002357
