Rebuild/Refurb

R. Cosentino: independent school, South West Sydney

Our beautiful Library was purpose built as part of a brand new school in Sydney's South West. 

I was involved at the later stages of the build, after Council approval, therefore there were some elements that I was able to influence and others that were beyond my control. As a result, the functionality of the space for teaching and learning is not optimal.  

When dealing with a new build or renovation I recommend that the TL arms themself with research about: 

- Temperature control for book storage 

- The effects of direct sunlight and ambient light on screens, books and students 

- Noise level assessments within and around the Library 

- Access to data and electrical points. 

In my case temperature control and heat/glare from direct sunlight is an issue in this large open space. We are fortunate to have numerous air conditioning units which create some level of control whilst school is in, but weekends and holiday periods are unstable times. Additional costs to the build to assist with this included a large window decal installed to reduce direct sunlight onto shelving, and roller blinds that are left down on top windows. Dependent on the season, I move my teaching space to reduce glare on the portable screen and in student's eyes and move the shelving out of direct sunlight.  

The increasingly popular open plan aspect of new Library spaces is great when combined with flexible furniture and shelving that can be moved around but the noise levels also need to be considered, especially when the Library is situated in the central space of the classroom block and it becomes a thoroughfare during class transitions and breaks. To mitigate this I was able to have an additional external staircase included so that all of the first floor classes arrive and leave outside of the Library space but I definitely regret agreeing to having the glass doors at the back of the Library to the classroom wet areas removed. There are plans to install these at a later date as part of a Library extension. 

Talk with your IT department early on to try and secure pop up powerpoints and data cabling requirements if WiFi will not be your only source of access. In our case, a concrete floor meant that these were not possible, necessitating the use of power boards and extension cords. Forward thinking on these would reduce the likelihood of extra cords.  

Overall, my advice when dealing with Library spaces is to outline your concerns based on how it affects teaching and learning. Consider each of the above as well as your legal requirements. For example, a mezzanine space may be suitable for a high school, but line of sight, duty of care for younger students makes a mezzanine space a waste unless it can be used for an alternative purpose. And if this is the case, acoustics will need to be considered. If the space will be used by multiple classes, can rooms be contained within the space as part of the design? 

If you are fortunate to have a new Library space to create or renovate these are just some of the tips that I recommend you ponder. And...good luck!