The 21st Century Library Learning Commons

When it comes to converting a school library to a learning commons there is a lot to learn and there needs to be an understanding that it is a process that happens and evolves over time, probably years. In undertaking such a process there are many stages the teacher-librarian will need to go through, and much like any process these stages will likely cycle back and forth. In my research I attempted to find valuable resources that would address some of the different stages of a change-over.

Justification

I can be difficult to get some staff members and members of the community on board with major changes, often encountering the “If it isn’t broken….” attitude. However, a traditional library no longer addresses the educational needs of 21st century learners.

1) BCLibraries. (2011, October 18). Learning Commons in BC [video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LglFl1BYfFs 

This video is a description of the core values of a library learning commons and a justification for change. It could be really useful when presenting an action plan to administrators and educating staff about changes that will be made to convert a school library to a learning commons. It covers the history of the library learning commons, how they originated in universities and also shows clips from current secondary and elementary library learning commons.

2) Bondi, G. (2012, December 14). The “Why” Behind A School’s Learning Commons [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://learningthenow.com/blog/?p=2222

“The ‘Why’ Behind A School’s Learning Commons” is a great blog post on Learning the Now that also helps with the justification of a conversion. An easy read, the post describes what traditional school libraries do and compares them to the goals of a school library learning commons. The effect is that we are moving from a very prescribed, shallow use of the library to a rich, learner-centred environment that allows students to develop learning skills.

Background 

Of course, before any major project is undertaken it is important to have a good basis in research and background knowledge.

3) Canadian School Libraries (CSL). 2018.  “Leading Learning: Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada.” Retrieved from   https://llsop.canadianschoollibraries.ca/library-learning-commons/

This page, from Leading Learning, “What is a Library Learning Commons?” defines what a learning commons is. A very useful and concise definition that is a great starting point for teacher-librarians starting from scratch with their conversions. This site really emphasizes the importance of the focus being learner-driven. It lists a number of different “focus” areas such as collaboration, creativity, innovation and opportunity.

Process

Perhaps the most extensive category is the actual process of a changeover. Where to begin? What does it look like? What to do when encountering problems?

4)BCTLA. 2017. “From School Library to Library Learning Commons”. Retrieved from https://bctladotca.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/from-school-library-to-library-learning-commons.pdf 

This document,  published by the BCTLA, called “From School Library to Library Learning Commons” is an attractive publication with a lot of functional information. It provides an analogy about the different levels of service ranging from “a room with books” (p. 6) all the way up to a functioning library learning commons which is helpful when analyzing what the space might need for growth. It provides a proactive model for change and a list of criteria to be met in a functioning library learning commons.

5) Mueller, L. (2015, 10). From library to learning commons. Teacher Librarian, 43, 12-17. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/docview/1721911745?accountid=14656 

This article walks the reader through the real-life process of one secondary library in it’s conversion to a learning commons. It documents both successes and hurdles. Having resources such as this one provides the teacher-librarian with useful tips about what worked and what didn’t so that they might emulate the successes and avoid some hardships. Having a few documents such as this one would prove very useful in a transitional period. One of the take-aways that I really appreciated from this article was the admission from the author that the transition is an on-going process. Even though they feel like they are in a comfortable place, they need to continually reflect and evaluate what is needed by the learners.

There are more resources on this topic than anyone could ever possibly read. My goal was to source out some great resources that covered different aspects of the topic. This is merely a sample of the research that would need to happen in the actual process, but I believe it’s a good jumping-point.

Growth of a Library Learning Commons

In my last post I discussed my interest in exploring how to convert a library to a learning commons. I was also interested in what kind of technology should be added to a library learning commons. As I began to search, I found that having both these topics might be a bit too broad for one inquiry, and so I decided to focus mostly on the conversion question. When I was first brainstorming ideas, I had a strong feeling that technology would be a big part of the conversion, and I still believe this, however I think it’s too big of a topic to lump in with the conversion research.

As I suspected, my first Google search “converting library to learning commons” returned a hefty number of hits...over eight million! Exploring the list of results, I came across some valuable documents.

Image Source

The first hit, from Leading Learning, “What is a Library Learning Commons?”

 defines what a learning commons is and serves as a working document for the teacher-librarian to use as a guide.

The next document that caught my eye was one published by the BCTLA called “From School Library to Library Learning Commons”. I like that this one is published by our local professional association and gives a good description of the expectations of a library learning commons.

This video is a description of the core values of a library learning commons and a justification for change, as well as some history on the learning commons concept. 

“The ‘Why’ Behind A School’s Learning Commons” is a great blog post on Learning the Now that also helps with the justification of a conversion. It’s easy to read and will help the teacher-librarian address some of the questions that arise from skeptical staff and school community.

Lastly, an article called “From library to learning commons” published in Teacher Librarian (2015) details one secondary school’s conversion story, giving teacher-librarians an example of the challenges and experiences that could arise.

The biggest challenge in this research was paring it down to only five sources! There are so many good resources available right now. The idea of converting a library to a learning commons has been around long enough for many to have researched the experience and gone through it. My biggest take-away after this week and after reading many sources is that the conversion is very much a process that could take many years and will likely evolve as time passes. Much like the classroom teacher who is constantly seeking to improve their practice and “grow” with their learners, the teacher-librarian will go through a similar growth process with their learning commons as they work in the space with their students.

Teaching with Technology

As a full-time classroom teacher never having held a teacher-librarianship position I am going to use the library at my current school (a single-stream K-7 elementary) for context. 

This poor old library hasn’t seen much love in the last few years. The teacher-librarian

position has been filled with two people who required extensive medical leaves and quite a few temporary staff. While everyone has done their best with the position they’ve been given, no one person has had the time to invest in upgrading the space. This library has not made the shift to learning commons as of yet and will need some dedicated attention to the issue. Currently there is no technology available to the students in this space.

As a primary classroom teacher I have not had much access to technology that I can use with my students. Up until this year I’ve only had four iPads in my classroom and a one-hour block of time in the aging computer lab. The iPads were used mostly for the “outliers” in my class - those needing enrichment or those needing support. This year our computer lab has been disassembled and I will now get to share access to a class set of Chromebooks. I’m really looking forward to exploring the new learning opportunities this provides.

When thinking about becoming a teacher-librarian my thoughts revolve around what I would do if I landed in a library that was still operating under a very traditional model. How would I change the layout? What would I add to incorporate technology? What would get taken away? How would I justify changes with reluctant colleagues and parents?

Scaling some of those questions back to an achievable inquiry question, I began to think about the basic needs of a school learning commons. What do I hope to achieve in the space and what do I need? Learning commons provide so much more than traditional libraries. They need to go beyond book research and engage students in hands-on learning involving a variety of tools and resources, including technology. My search terms to address these topics will include:

• Converting library to learning commons
• Teaching primary students with technology
• Technology use in the library/learning commons
• Apps to use in the library/learning commons
• Teaching literacy with technology
• Teaching digital citizenship in the library/learning commons

* All pictures acquired through Creative Commons and are labelled for noncommercial reuse