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Chelley Vukmanic
Professor Megan Whitehead
SLM502
30 March 2014
Assignment 01: Library Facilities Floor Plan

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Assignment 01: Library Facilities Written Portion
School Description
Broadneck High School is located in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The enrollment
for the 2013-2014 academic year consists of 2,126 students in grades nine through twelve. The
school is located in one of the more affluent areas of the county, and out of the thirteen high
schools within Anne Arundel County, Broadneck High School is consistently ranked within the
top three for state test scores, graduation rate, SAT scores, and minimizing behavior issues.
Sadly, the media center is not used as frequently as one would hope. There are some teachers
who do bring their classes into the media center to complete research-based assignments and
there are a handful of students who visit the media center during their lunch period. The most
frequently used area of the media center is typically the computer lab that is attached to the main
media center.
Media Center Vision and Mission (Anne Arundel County Public Schools)
Vision
Library Media Specialists, in partnership with teachers, provide instruction to students
in information literacy, communication, reading and technology. Library media resources
provide students with meaningful and authentic learning experiences that promote student
achievement and lifelong learning.
Mission
The mission of the library media program is to ensure that students and staff are
effective users of ideas and information. This mission is accomplished:

By providing intellectual and physical access to materials in all formats

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By providing instruction to foster competence and to stimulate interest in reading,

viewing and using information and ideas

By working with other educators to design learning strategies to meet the needs of
individual students
Addressing ALA/AASL Standards
The media center layout that I created addresses the ALA/AASL Standards/Elements 3.2

and 5.3. According to 3.2, part of the job of a media specialist is to facilitate access to
information in print, non-print, and digital formats, which is successfully completed in my floor
plan. Students will have easy access to all formats of resources through the books kept on the
shelves to the reference encyclopedias, and finally the computers that give students access to the
Internet, as well as the many databases that my media center subscribes to. The floor plan is
open enough to allow students to see all of the materials and equipment so that they can be
accessed easily.
According to Standard 5.3, library facilities [should be organized] to enhance the use of
information resources and services and to ensure equitable access to all resources for all users.
This is also successfully completed through my floor plan because the media center is clearly
divided into sections without the unnecessary barriers of walls. The sections are segmented to
provide ample space to each of the necessary parts of the facility without alienating the portions
from one another. In order for students to all have an opportunity to access the Internet and
online databases, which are the most helpful for research-based assignments, there are multiple
computer s located throughout the media center, as well as a full computer lab attached to the
main media center.

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Explanation of Facilities
According to the Maryland State Department of Education, there are five necessary areas
of a school library. My floor plan for the media center incorporates all five of these essential
areas.
6.01.01 Study and Research Area
This media center floor plan includes multiple locations for students to research and
study. Many of the students at Broadneck High School use the media center for studying and
researching primarily when their class signs up for the media center. Their teacher brings the
class down, spends the first fifteen or twenty minutes for direct instruction, and then allows
students to spend the rest of the time working individually on their research-based assignment.
The instructional area is located directly next to the nonfiction and reference sections because of
this. This section is also located directly next to the computer lab for classes who will be using
the online databases for research purposes. The rectangular tables are large so that students can
share table space, while still feeling comfortable with their individual space to get their own
work done.
In addition to when students come with a class, there are three separate computer pods in
the media center for students to use as needed. If a student comes into the media center alone to
work on an assignment, he/she may use the small circular tables, an individual computer in one
of the pods, or even the instructional area if there is not a class currently using that space. There
are multiple locations within the media center that can be used for students engaging in studying
and research.

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6.01.02 Informal Reading Area
This media center floor plan includes a very comfortable informal reading area
conveniently located in the fiction section of the library. There is one corner dedicated to
fictional works, which is the best place for an informal reading area. This area consists of a
mixture of oversized black leather reading chairs and more petite, less padded black chairs. The
chairs are arranged in a loose circle around a central coffee table. While students are not going
to be allowed to have food or drinks in the media center, the coffee table will serve the purpose
of being a surface to place items that students have with them. Also, there are small drawers in
the side of the coffee table that will be filled with bookmarks for students to take and use. These
bookmarks will feature the latest Young Adult novel reading lists, tips on finding the perfect
book, lists of upcoming college visits, as well as a bookmark featuring the meeting times and
dates of the Broadneck High School Book Club, which meets in the media center. This area will
feel comfortable and lived in for the students who enjoy coming to the media center for the
purpose of engaging in some relaxing reading for pleasure.
Other than the fictional selection of books, the magazine and newspaper racks are also
located near the informal reading area so that the teenagers may browse through the latest trends,
hobbies, and fashions while they relax and socialize in the comfortable seating area. There is
also a small selection of picture books located on smaller bookcases near the informal reading
area by the circulation desk. Broadneck High School runs a partial day preschool through the
Child Development classes, and the informal reading area is a location where the preschool
students can take a field trip for story time. The high school students who act as the preschool
teachers can select picture books, and then sit down in the comfortable reading area to share
these books with the preschool children.

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6.01.03 Instructional Area
This media center floor plan includes one main area to be utilized as an instructional area.
This large instructional area is located on the far right side of the media center. It contains six
large rectangular tables with five chairs at each. While each table could accommodate six chairs
comfortably, there will not be a chair on the right end of the table because students will not be
provided with an opportunity to have their back to their SmartBoard, which will be mainly used
as a presentation tool by the teacher or media center specialist. This area is set up for whole
classes to come to the media center for direct instruction followed by individual and/or group
research.
This instructional area is conveniently located next to the nonfiction and reference section
of books because classes typically come to the high school media center for research purposes,
and not to select fiction books, which is seen more in elementary and middle schools. The
instructional area is also conveniently located next to the computer lab for classes who receive
direct instruction on how to use the databases, and then are given the remainder of the time to go
into the lab and put that knowledge to use while researching.
This instructional area will also be used for a popular film club that meets once a week
after school to watch a film and discuss it. The club usually watches about forty minutes of a
film when they meet, and then they finish that film the next week. The large SmartBoard and
rectangular tables make for a wonderful viewing area. Other than the film club, this area will be
used by the faculty and staff for professional development opportunities.
In addition to the main instructional area, the computer lab itself and the small group area
are two locations that can be used as instructional areas for classes working solely on computers,
or smaller classes that can use the smaller circular tables.

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6.01.04 Production and Group Project Area
This media center floor plan includes a group project area that is designed to allow
students to work together in a smaller group setting. The circular tables create a nice setting for
students who are working in small groups of two to four classmates. The round tables are
symbolic of equity, which is ideal for small group projects where all students are supposed to be
working together toward one goal. The circular tables and simple chairs are lighter in weight
than the other furniture in the media center so that they are easier to move around if necessary.
For instance, if two smaller groups combine to work on a portion of an assignment, the tables
can slide closer together or the chairs can be moved to surround just one of the tables.
This area is located in the center of the media center and directly across from the
circulation desk. This location was selected intentionally for multiple reasons. First, small group
projects could consist of a number of possible assignments, which may need the use of fiction or
nonfiction materials, as well as magazines and newspapers. Its central location allows for
students to easily access all possible resources and materials. Also, unlike times of direct
instruction or individual research, group projects tend to lend themselves to more discussion and
movement. Having the small group project tables directly across from the circulation desk
provides the media center specialist and her assistants with the opportunity to assist teachers in
keeping an eye on students as they work together, even if the media staff is primarily using that
time to check out students and/or assist other students with questions.
6.01.05 Administrative Area
This media center floor plan includes a wonderful administrative area, which would be
used frequently by school faculty staff members not just the school media staff. First, the
circulation area is very spacious. It contains two staff computers in addition to the one computer

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that will be used for checking out books. All three of these staff computers will contain the
Vision Classroom Management software that allows staff members to access all of the student
computers in the media center, as well as in the computer lab attached to the media center. This
is a convenient way for staff members to keep an eye on what students are looking at on the
computer. This software provides staff members with the power to override any of those student
computers to lock a student out if he/she is utilizing a computer inappropriately, and the program
also has a feature for staff members to take a screen shot of whatever the student was doing
before locking that teenager out. Having the program uploaded on three staff computers at the
circulation area will help with monitoring computer use, even at times when the media center is
very busy and the media staff and/or accompanying teachers may not have time to continuously
walk by each student computer.
There are also bookcases behind the circulation desk which contain popular teaching
materials that faculty members frequently check out. For instance, there will be popular
educational films or audio books that could be used in the classrooms. This will also be where
media staff members will pull materials to reserve for teachers who will be visiting the media
center with a class for the purpose of researching particular topics. There is also a filing cabinet
that will be organized by subject, grade level, course, and teacher. Within the hanging file
folders, there will be assignment sheets for the research-based assignments teachers have given
to students. The media center staff can access these assignments to prepare for a class visit, or
assist students working on the assignment. It also allows students who forget their assignment
sheet to go to the media staff and request to view the copy that is on file in the media center.
There are four administrative rooms located behind the circulation area. The first is on
the far left and it is a conference/planning room for all faculty and staff members to use. This

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will be very useful for the faculty for a variety of reasons. For instance, teachers with common
planning times looking for a neutral environment for which they can plan could utilize this room,
as well as IEP facilitators who would like to hold IEP meetings with students, parents, general
educators, special educators, guidance counselors, and administrators present. This conference/
planning room contains a large conference table surrounded by extremely comfortable high-back
office chairs, a spacious desk with a computer, and a SmartBoard.
The second administrative space located behind the circulation area is a large storage
closet. This is mostly for electronic and instructional equipment not being used at that time. To
the right of the storage space is the media staff office. The entrance into the media office is
located directly behind the circulation desk, so students will not have access to the office. This
office space contains two desks with computers, a midsize rectangular meeting table, a filing
cabinet, and bookcases. This office space will be used for the media center specialist and her
assistant, since Broadneck High School only has one media center assistant position. The
meeting table will be useful for a comfortable location for teachers to come and cooperatively
plan a lesson or assignment with the media staff prior to bringing their class to the media center.
Off to the right of the media staff office is a small kitchenette/lunch room for the media center
staff to use on weekdays during their lunch. There is a separate entrance into the kitchenette
from the media center so that the media staff can go directly into the media center when
necessary, but that door automatically locks so that it will never accidentally be left unlocked for
students to wander in. Since the media center is located the furthest away from the teachers
lounge in a very large school building and the media center does not close for the media staff to
enjoy their lunch, it is nice to have a kitchenette and lunch area available for the media staff.

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Furniture and Equipment: A Closer Look
Furniture / Equipment

Location and Explanation

The fiction corner of the media center will
have bookshelves lining the walls. This
allows for easy access to all sections, and it
provides the media specialist with an open
view of students browsing the fictional
selections. Lining the walls with shelves
rather than having all shelves in free standing
rows also prevents students from hiding
among the books.
http://www.usd308.com/hhslibrary/

The magazines will be located on shelves

that are more open and allow the magazines
to be presented with their cover facing out
and a bar to prevent the magazine from
falling forward. These shelves are also more
open because the gaps in the shelves allow
for more visibility, which provides the media
specialist with an easier time of monitoring
students.
http://gallery.bradfordsystems.com/gallery/74
14/Library-Shelving-Computer-Lab-atAkron-Summit-County-Public-Library

Furniture / Equipment

Location and Explanation

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The few newspapers that are regularly
delivered to the schools media center will be
on display with a newspaper rack that allows
the paper to sit flat, but also gives students an
opportunity to see the cover of the magazine
by not covering it.
http://www.houzz.com/photos/products/news
paper-and-magazine-rack

These reading chairs will be located in the

informal reading area. With how comfortable
the chairs are, they will motivate more
students to visit the media center for leisurely
reading for pleasure.
http://www.overstock.com/HomeGarden/Chairs/Black,Leather,/color,material,
/2737/subcat.html

Furniture / Equipment

Location and Explanation

These reading chairs will also be located in
the informal reading area. These are smaller

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chairs and less padded for student preference,
but they will be located in the same area as
the larger padded leather reading chairs.
http://www.overstock.com/HomeGarden/Chairs/Black,Leather,/color,material,
/2737/subcat.html

This modern coffee table is located in the

center of the comfortable reading chairs in
the informal reading area. This will provide
students with a place to set their books and
belongings if necessary while also giving the
area a lived in feeling. I would fill the
small drawers with complementary book
marks for students to take and use.
http://www.houzz.com/photos/954901/Sutton
-Black-Coffee-Table-contemporary-coffeetables-

Furniture / Equipment

Location and Explanation

These desks will be located in three different
areas throughout the media center. As shown
in the picture, they are large enough to
provide students with ample work space in

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addition to a location for the computer
monitor to sit. Also, the slide-out keyboard
provides less clutter on the work area on top
of the desk.
http://www.wayfair.com/Anthony-LaurenCraftsman-Home-Office-50-W-SingleDrawer-Library-Computer-DeskANT1036.html

These round table and chair sets are located

in the center of the media center in an area
designated for small group work. These
tables and chairs are perfect because they are
just the right size for four teenagers to sit at
to work together or chat during a lunch
period. They are spacious enough without
being too large, heavy, and cumbersome to
move. This is a nice feature, since students
and faculty will more than likely want to
move the tables and/or chairs based on the
number of group members they are meeting
with at the time.
http://www.lnt.com/product/schoolfurniture/307733-29976/42-inch-round-tableand-4-zeng-stack-chairs-settbr42besc44.html

Furniture / Equipment

Location and Explanation

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The shelves located in the nonfiction and

reference section will be long, but they will
be shorter shelving units so that the media
specialist will be able to easily spot students
browsing through the nonfiction and
reference books. This will help with
visibility so that the media specialist can
notice when a student looks lost and in
need of help with research. Also, it prevents
students from hiding among the books
shelves.
http://www.cedarcreekschool.org/academics/l
ibrary.cfm

These rectangular table and chair sets are

located in the instructional area of the media
center next to the computer lab. These large
sturdy tables work well for students to sit at
while a teacher or media specialist presents
information from the SmartBoard located in
that section as well. There will be five chairs
per table, but no chairs will be located on the
right end of the table because no students
will have their back toward the presenter.
When classes are not utilizing the
instructional area, these table and chair sets
can be used for individual or group
assignments and study periods.

Furniture / Equipment

http://www.stacksandstacks.com/gift-markespresso-rectangle-table-with-4-chairs-bygiftware#.UzexCKhdVnE
Location and Explanation

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There will be a large SmartBoard mounted to

the wall with the projector mounted to the
ceiling in the instructional area. This will
allow the presenter to utilize the SmartBoard
without having the irritating carts or frames
in the way. It is a space saver, as well as less
of a safety hazard. There will also be one
mounted in the conference/planning room.
http://middle.usm.k12.wi.us/Faculty/montagn
e/tc_final_project/smart_room_index.htm

The computer lab will have computers lining

the walls, as well as computers in rows in the
middle of the lab. This will utilize the space
as much as possible by placing as many
computers as will fit comfortably into the lab
area. It is also nice for the teacher or media
specialist when the computers are set up in
this manner because when monitoring from
the back of the lab, or simply passing by the
lab and glancing in, the adult in charge is
able to keep an eye on everyones screen
easily because no screens are hidden.
http://ceenve.calpoly.edu/facilities/13-113/

Furniture / Equipment

Location and Explanation

These computer chairs will be located in the

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computer lab. Having the chairs on wheels
makes moving around to join partners/group
members at computers easier. These chairs
are comfortable and easy to keep clean.
https://brickellcollection.com/instantoperator-office-chair/

The circulation area is a narrow U-shape,

which separates the circulation area from the
rest of the media center. This allows the
media specialist and her aides to have their
own student free zone, which is also where
important calendars, schedules, and
documents can be kept out of reach of the
students. Directly behind the circulation
desk and counter are the doors leading into
the media center office and kitchenette,
which are also student free zones.
http://creedmoorelementarylibrary.blogspot.c
om/2011_09_01_archive.html

Furniture / Equipment

Location and Explanation

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This comfortable executive chairs will be

located in the conference room/planning
room. Whether the room is being used for an
administrative meeting, a parent conference,
or teachers planning, nothing is better than
having large, comfortable chairs to sit in
during the meeting.
http://office-turn.com/leather-desk-chairsfor-office-and-home