Your school library is a learning hub. It is a place where students can go to revise, find new learning materials, and focus on their studies. Because of how important libraries are to young people, you need to do everything you can to make sure that yours is properly designed. If you have never had to design a library before, you likely won’t know where to start.
This post will explore this topic in more detail, explaining how you can ensure your library is somewhere for students to devote themselves to their studies without disturbance.1. Buying Quality Furniture
The first thing that you need to make sure that you do is invest in high-quality library furniture. The type of furniture you buy needs to reflect the kind of library it is. For example, some school libraries are designed with relaxation in mind. Whether it’s that kind of furniture or another you are looking for, prioritize quality. The reason you need to think about quality is because school furniture gets a lot of use. If the furniture you buy isn’t built from robust materials, it will deteriorate and break over time. If it breaks, it could end up injuring students. One provider makes clear on their site, “Our school library furniture is robust and durable, made to last.” Always read a provider’s reviews before committing to working with them, just so you can be sure their furniture is worth what they are charging for it.
When you are looking for somewhere to buy furniture, in addition to reviews, you also need to think about costs. Furniture can be very expensive. You need to do everything you can to get yourself a good deal. A good way to ensure that you are getting a good deal is to use comparison sites. Comparison sites will help you to figure out which retailer is the best to work with. You may also be pleased to learn that a number of school furniture retailers offer repayment plans, allowing school headmasters to pay for furniture over a period of months rather than all at once. Paying over a period of months means headmasters and stakeholders can save money in the short term. Make sure you are able to make repayments on time if you plan on buying furniture on credit.
2. Investing In Equipment
In addition to buying furniture, you also need to make sure that you buy proper equipment for your school library. Ensure that there are computers, laptops, and tablets available. It’s unfortunately very common for impoverished households in the United Kingdom not to have internet connections at home. Allowing students access to computers in the library ensures they are able to keep up with their schoolwork and revise using the same materials as students who do have internet access at home. You may even want to consider giving students without their own computers laptops to take home.
If you are planning on giving students access to the internet, you need to make sure that you impose security blocks, preventing them from being able to access inappropriate content. Young people are always going to use the internet. It’s sadly very common for them to access pages that they shouldn’t be visiting. By implementing blocks and restrictions, you don’t have to worry about them misusing the internet on school premises. Make sure that if you give laptops or computers to students to take home, you ensure the same blocks are in place, preventing them from visiting inappropriate websites on their own time.
3. Understanding Needs
You need to understand the needs of your students. Bear in mind that different years in school have different needs. For example, sixth formers need a lot more time to revise and access more learning resources and materials than year sixes or sevens do. It’s fairly common for sixth formers to have their own private libraries where the rest of the school cannot disturb them. If you are going to create a separate library exclusively used by sixth formers, make sure that you always have staff members in there to prevent other students from entering.
Talking of needs, going back to impoverished students for a moment, if students in your school come from struggling households, you need to make sure that you have a lot more computers available than you might in a school where everybody has their own computers at home. The reason for this is that students are more likely to want to use computers at school if they do not have access to them outside of it. If you do not have enough money to buy lots of different computers for your school, you may want to consider applying for a grant. It is possible to apply for grants that will give you the money you need to buy computers.
4. Book Catalogues
Finally, think about books. While modern libraries are places where students can revise and browse the internet, there are still places where there needs to be books available. You’re not going to be able to stock every single book in the world and you therefore need to partner with another library in your town or city so that you can order books. Make sure that when students are ordering books, they are vetted. You should not allow students to order inappropriate reading materials. Ensure forms are readily available on the librarian’s desk so students can take them and fill them out when they have books they want to request.
Ensure that in your library there are books available for every single class taught in your school. If you have an economics class, make sure there are books devoted to that discipline. You can buy bulks in bulk. Buying in bulk is a lot easier and much cheaper. Buying books one by one will take you a lot of time and could cost you a lot of money.
Your school’s library needs to be designed with students in mind. The tips here should help you to do that. Make sure that your library is a modern learning hub, complete with computers and internet access. The more modern your library is, the easier it’ll be for pupils to study and revise there.