A few weeks ago, as we were discussing facilities in our school library management class, the students were curious to see some before-and-after renovations or rearrangements. What a great idea!

Thanks to folks on AASLForum, LM_NET, and MAME, we’ve got some great befores-and-afters to share with you all in this and upcoming blog posts.

First up, Deb Logan, who endured a lengthy renovation in Mt. Gilead, Ohio.

Here are three images of her library BEFORE. Note the dark woo, mismatched computers, and overflowing bookshelves.   The veneer on the circulation desk is chipped and small. It’s clearly a library that wasn’t built to accommodate the digital age. 

And here are the AFTER shots. Wow - so light and bright.  Chairs with sled wheels move much more easily to help the library staff straighten up and to help students quickly and quietly move their seats to accommodate group works or flexible seating. Light laminate table tops brighten up teh space, as does improved lighting and more windows. The library has real computer tables that disguise more of the cables and cords. A projector hangs from the ceiling. There’s more breathing room everywhere - including behind the circ desk!

Thanks for sharing these, Deb!

What do you see in these photos that you’d like to try in your own library?

This entry was posted on Saturday, March 6th, 2010 at 3:52 pm and is filed under Library Makeover, Library as Place. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.