Abstract

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This article hopes to answer the question "Why a Learning Commons?" for librarians, administrators,
technology coordinators, and other middle school teachers. The San Francisco Friends School has
created a middle school learning commons on the third floor of its urban enclave in the Mission
district of San Francisco. Over five years, the school has renovated a space to fit its program and
staffed it with a coordinator, technology director, librarian, and educational technology integrator. The
model was developed and adapted to be among the first for middle school students in the United
States. After five years, our library was at a breaking point. With no new staff or physical expansion,
the program had grown to be K-8 in the same sized room as the K-5 program that it had started in.
The school enrollment had doubled, and it was now being scheduled relentlessly between classes
and adult meetings. Technology needs were increasing, and shelving had reached capacity; the
room, after school, was a major hub for kids but was too loud and crowded to
be a quiet study space. A second level above the library had always been reserved for expansion
since the school moved into its current location, but it had yet to be developed. During the five years
in our new home in a renovated former Levi's factory, information needs and growth in technology
had moved light-years onward. Ideas for integrating educational technology had moved ahead, and
technology like iPads and e-book collections had become commonplace. In addition, students who
were third graders were now eighth graders, and with all their homework and gear, could hardly fit in
the space during their class visits. In conjunction with building out the second-floor facility, staffing
would need to be added to supervise and be a presence in the space, as well as to grow and
facilitate the program. One of the challenges for this person would be to build out the space
alongside (or possibly behind) building out the program. Another would be to design a space that
would house a traditional print library program but support newly developing areas in educational
technology. The school hadn't yet developed the program or curriculum, but the space would need to
be designed for what was to come next. The second level would not just be a physical extension but
an extension of the library program, focused on the middle school students, families, and teachers.
The program would also need to include project-basedlearning with technology and information
literacy, as well as to build on the "culture of reading" begun in the lower school portion of the
program.

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ABSTRACT:

This article hopes to answer the question "Why a Learning Commons?" for librarians, administrators,
technology coordinators, and other middle school teachers. The San Francisco Friends School has
created a middle school learning commons on the third floor of its urban enclave in the Mission
district of San Francisco. Over five years, the school has renovated a space to fit its program and
staffed it with a coordinator, technology director, librarian, and educational technology integrator. The
model was developed and adapted to be among the first for middle school students in the United
States.
After five years, our library was at a breaking point. With no new staff or physical expansion, the
program had grown to be K-8 in the same sized room as the K-5 program that it had started in. The
school enrollment had doubled, and it was now being scheduled relentlessly between classes and
adult meetings. Technology needs were increasing, and shelving had reached capacity; the room,
after school, was a major hub for kids but was too loud and crowded to be a quiet study space.
A second level above the library had always been reserved for expansion since the school moved
into its current location, but it had yet to be developed. During the five years in our new home
in a renovated former Levi's factory, information needs and growth in technology had moved lightyears onward. Ideas for integrating educational technology had moved ahead, and technology like
iPads and e-book collections had become commonplace. In addition, students who were third
graders were now eighth graders, and with all their homework and gear, could hardly fit in the space
during their class visits.
In conjunction with building out the second-floor facility, staffing would need to be added to supervise
and be a presence in the space, as well as to grow and facilitate the program. One of the challenges
for this person would be to build out the space alongside (or possibly behind) building out the
program. Another would be to design a space that would house a traditional print library program but
support newly developing areas in educational technology. The school hadn't yet developed the
program or curriculum, but the space would need to be designed for what was to come next.
The second level would not just be a physical extension but an extension of the library program,
focused on the middle school students, families, and teachers. The program would also need to
include project-based learning with technology and information literacy, as well as to build on the
"culture of reading" begun in the lower school portion of the program.

GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF A LEARNING COMMONS

A campaign to raise funds for this space was under way, and the head of school needed to
bring a vision of the space to present to donors. It would have to support and focus on middle school
students and would need to incorporate a modem vision of a learningenvironment. To build support
for this vision, we invited David Loertscher, author of Learning Commons: Where Learners Win! to
help us build a vision of what would become our learning commons. We toured the yet-to-be-built
space with our head of school, technology coordinator, and middle school head to build a picture in
our minds of what the space would do: house the collection, help students and teachers collaborate,
and be a hub for learning with a flexible floor plan. Accompanying it would be a virtual learningspace
that would help students collaborate and build knowledge and projects together online.
Additionally, we invited Debbie Abilock, a national library advocate and consultant, to join us on
another tour. She helped us consider how this space would not only serve information needs but
would also help teachers and students build knowledge and real-world connections
between learning and projects. She noted that it should include the needs of the entire
community's learning to help fulfill its goal as a learning space.
But a name is what we really needed. To best equip our head of school to begin helping others to
envision the space, help us build alist of supporters, and help us hire someone to staff it, we decided
it would need to be something understandable and expandable to include all these areas of program
and purpose. We chose "learning commons" to meet these needssomething familiar to college
campuses and recognizable to applicants who may be either librarians or teachers with a technology
background and one that would give them focus to design a unique program with a basis in
education and design in common areas.
A GOOD FIT FOR EXTENDING THE LIBRARY PROGRAM
In the first version of the library, the design called for the technology director and librarian to share an
office in the library. This was intended to centralize the technology service needs and library services
while also giving a home to both programs. An added benefit was to unify the programs and services
by having the two key players create an environment of built-in collaboration by sheer adjacencies.
This model also scaled well, as the program was built to include other people, as offices of the
library learning commons(LLC) would house both technologists and library counterparts to the
program, eventually on both levels.

The new learning commons would also need a caretaker. The learning commons coordinator would
share an office with the director of technology and would need teaching experience, experience
working in libraries, and a solid foundation in technology for students. This person would also design
the learning commons itself and be a teaching partner for middle school teachers.
The vision of the learning commons would be that it would do many jobs for many groups-it would
be a place to make learningvisible, allow groups and classes to meet and use the space, be flexible,
house a middle school library collection, work in flow with the lower school library, and serve
as a third space for a "lab model" of student creation and production of content. As we began our
search to hire the coordinator, the committee struggled to articulate answers to several questions:
What makes a learning commonsdifferent or unique from a library? What would be similar? What
background would a person need, and how would we find that person? How could our community
adopt this new space? Would visitors make their way to the third floor of a building to access this
new space, and what would keep them coming back?
As a librarian, my focus was to be sure the learning commons included goals that aligned with our
existing library program and served as an extension of it. Technology and library programs would
need to continue to support one another using the space but allow teachers to have greater support
in using the tools in that space.
We knew our key was our hiring of the learning commons coordinator-would it be a librarian or
technologist? My best hope was afusion, a hybrid of the two roles, plus someone who could design
and teach the hybrid curriculum, all the while presenting this new model as cohesive and a good fit
for the school.
As the search continued, the job description was refined. We became more focused on
finding a person with teaching experience in middle school, and then experience in technology and
libraries. And as each candidate brought more to the table, we realized that our search delay had
helped us articulate how the learning commons would benefit our school's program beyond
what a standard library program would. And as we narrowed our decision, the person became more
and more clear to us . .. just in time.
The final job description focused on the skills of establishing a welcoming and well-used space,
collaborating with teachers to support the integration of information and communication skills, and
contributing to the development of the K-8 scope and sequence in media literacy and information
technology. Other key skills included teaching students how to access, evaluate, use, share, and
create information; modeling and promoting literacy and the enjoyment of reading; developing the

collection of print materials; and working as a full member of the middle school teaching team. Due
to the newness of the space, program, and position, we also focused on finding someone with an
innovative startup spirit and a collaborative, flexible, and approachable temperament. -Chad
Stephenson, librarian
LEARNING COMMONS COORDINATOR: DESIGNING A SPACE TO HOUSE A PROGRAM
Hiring the coordinator for the entire school year ahead of the build-out allowed for planning the space
to house a program. Starting from scratch with an empty space instead of redesigning a currently
existing library or lab also allowed for an original, ground-up vision of the space.
However, this presented the challenge of concurrently planning a new instructional program and the
physical space to support that program. Clear collaboration and communication with all school
constituencies was vital to achieve this double goal. To gain an understanding of student, faculty, and
parent needs for our new space, gathering as much information from each group as we could was
important. Middle school teachers were interviewed to gain an understanding of how a new
collaborative workspace could change how they teach and how each teacher could
envision a modem collaborative classroom. Middle school students were interviewed to leam what
they would like in a new middle school hub, both academically and socially. Parents were asked for
detailed feedback after all construction project informational meetings and throughout the fundraising
process.
A 2,200-square foot open floor plan (on the third floor of our building) meant a clean palette on which
to create the learning commons. However, contingent conditions included regularly spaced structural
wooden support columns from the original historic construction that could not be relocated but were
used to help structure usage zones: a central teaching area with a large flat-panel display for groups
up to fifty, wall and mobile shelving to house a print collection of 3,500 items, small-group
collaborative areas, aconference room with a retractable glass wall, circulation desk with built-in
"genius bar," printer and copier station, and laptop cart storage. A large outdoor patio was created in
order to provide middle schoolers with much-needed additional outdoor space and to expand the
functional space. With the learning commons located directly above the original library, a staircase
was built to connect the two spaces and their programs.
The school's original architects and the construction company were on board to continue this third
phase of construction. Their prior knowledge of the building, the school, and its program reduced the
amount of time and energy needed for the planning process. From the very beginning, the architects
were communicative and responsive to suggestions, questions, and comments from our team. To

reduce the number of communiques between the school and architects, all e-mail communication
was funneled through our school's business manager. At each face-to-face meeting with the
architects on campus, members of our LLC team were always present, as well as members of the
administration and business department, guaranteeing a collaborative planning process and clear
communication and expectations.
There were many visits to other schools to examine libraries, technology labs, and common areas to
see how design could impact the successful use of a space. We focused on campus location,
furniture, lighting, ingress and egress, display options, and shelving. Regarding the programming of
such spaces, we examined scheduling, staffing, and curricular integration.
Local "design thinking" experts were invited to come and offer suggestions and advice on our
project. A small team from IDEO, acompany specializing in design thinking, came and helped the
LLC team and several teachers define the main challenges to our work, then "ideate" solutions to
what an ideal learning commons would offer. Through a series of workshops and brainstorming with
IDEO, we were able to refine our hopes and dreams for the space. Later in the year, local awardwinning designer Yves Behar came to discuss what he had found successful in creating productive
work spaces that enable small and large groups to collaborate. Adding to information gleaned from
these experiences, the book The New Learning Commons: Where Learners Win! (Loertscher,
Koechlin, and Zwaan) was an invaluable resource for envisioning how our new teaching space could
add to our overall educational program.
Through this research, we learned that a room's furnishings could make or break the usability of the
space. We realized that we needed seating, tables, and fixtures that were lightweight, easily
moveable, and stackable, yet sturdy. In addition, we wanted to have avariety of hard and soft seating
options to allow users to customize their collaborative and individual workspaces to their liking. We
arranged for samples of seating to be delivered to our school and carried out multiple "inthe-seat"
tests of each sample with several students of various heights and sizes. Scale drawings and floor
plans were created to test how the tables, chairs, and shelves could all fit within the room. Final
furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FFftE) decisions included flip-top tables on wheels, lightweight
aluminum chairs, bookshelves on casters, moveable whiteboards, four flat-panel display screens,
and a variety of upholstered ottomans and lounge chairs. We expanded the middle school print
collection by adding approximately one thousand new titles, with the help of asmall student advisory
panel.

Construction began in March 2013 and was completed in late August the same year. Display and
signage were quickly put in place, and the room opened to great fanfare on the opening day of the
2013-2014 school year.
THE LEARNING COMMONS AS A HUB FOR LEARNING
In its role as a new middle school hub, the learning commons was an immediate success. The
students quickly warmed to the more developmentally appropriate nature of the room and greatly
enjoyed the new outdoor space offered by the adjacent patio. The school's strong culture of reading
was supported by both the expanded collection and the new areas for quiet reading. The soft seating
was most popular, with students discovering new ways to organize the ottomans and whiteboards to
create private reading nooks and workspaces. Parents, administration, and faculty adopted the room
as a comfortable work area and meeting space.
A few classroom teachers became early adopters and used the learning commons as an expansion
to their current classrooms. With much more space than the school's typical classrooms; far greater
options of display screens, seating, and table arrangements; and built-in collaborative work tools,
the learning commons offers teachers new opportunities to teach existing units. In a seventh-grade
math unit on linear equation, bungee cord drops of stuffed animals and dolls off of high bookshelves,
and then out of our third-floor windows, made use of the new space. A fifth-grade class studying
geometry and area used the room's layout itself as an investigation into shapes and measurements.
Seventhand eighth-grade humanities classes used the small-group collaborative opportunities for
book groups and writing labs.
As the school year progressed, attention could be focused more on the library learning
commons program. The team of librarian,learning commons coordinator, director of technology,
technology integrator, and academic dean began focused research into best practices of information
literacy, technology, and project-based learning. After examining the work of, among others, The
Partnership for 21st Century Skills, the ISTE NETS, the AASL Standards for the 21st Century
Learner, and a variety of maker movement resources, we narrowed our library learning
commons program to focus on a three-tiered system: information and media, technology, and
innovation and creativity. These categories best fit the existing curriculum of our school and offer the
most connection points for our faculty to begin examining how our new program could add to their
teaching. Faculty meeting time and individual interviews with all faculty to explain this new work and
gather information on their current teaching are currently under way. Additionally, our school's
curriculum-mapping software helps to see both an overview of curricula and to map out the nascent
LLC program.

KICKING THE TIRES: LOOKING BEYOND THE PHYSICAL SPACE

Looking ahead to upcoming years, we realize the new library learning commons is just getting
started. As a physical hub to our middle school and a center for middle grade and young adult
literature, the newly constructed space is an unqualified success. Next steps include using
the learning commons as a catalyst for developing a stronger middle school online class presence,
increasing the sharing of student learning and expertise, and encouraging more use of the space by
parents in their own learning. Looking ahead, the focus will be on developing the LLC program to
fully support instruction across all grades to support innovative teaching and learning in the areas of
information and media, technology, and innovation and creativity. This is the true challenge, and it
will be the core of making the most of the new space and program.
In the coming years we will be careful to continually evaluate our progress and regularly gather
feedback from all users. Given that a learning commons is only successful when it is offering all of its
users a quality learning environment, we need to hear from those users. With the full support of the
faculty, administration, parents, and students, it is exciting to see how our library learning
commonsprogram can help give our community the true twenty-firstcentury educational experience it
deserves.
-Jason Stone, learning commons coordinator
Chad Stephenson has served as a teacher librarian for over 16 years, most recently at San
Francisco Friends School as the lower school librarian. His ideas about library design and program
implementation have been influenced by having worked at over fifty sites throughout the Bay Area,
both public and private. Chad has also served as the president of BAISL (Bay Area Independent
School Librarians). He can be reached at chadstep@gmail.com.
Jason Stone has been working with libraries and technology departments since 1995, He
has a passion for helping children and adults learn to use technology as a tool for learning,
discovery, and play. In his current role as Learning Commons Coordinator at The San Francisco
Friends School, he is intrigued by the learning opportunities offered by these tools and the access to
seemingly endless amounts of information. Jason can be reached at jstone@ sffriendsschool.org.
Sidebar
"There were many visits to other schools to examine libraries, technology labs, and common areas to
see how design could impact the successful use of a space."
Word count: 3059

Toward a Learning Commons: Where

Learners Are Central
Harland, Pamela. Teacher Librarian 38.4 (Apr 2011)

We began the switch from a legacy-model library to a learning commons in 2006. We were faced
with students, faculty, and administrators who asked the question: why does our school
need a library if we have access to so much information from our classrooms via the Internet?
We had been in the time-honored mode of preserving the library resources and enforcing the
library policies for decades. Wc preserved the seiiool archives, the reference collection, and
those feelings of preservation naturally extended to other resources like popular fiction,
newspapers, and even glue sticks. We enforced the library rules and policies that had been in
place forever, because they worked. We believed we were leaching students to be responsible
members of society by limiting the number of books they could check out.
We had computers in the library and the staff was well-trained in formatting and documenting
research papers. We had a seldom-used web site with links Ki the subscription databases that the
library paid for and the students only used when forced to by a supportive faculiv member. We
were doing nothing wrong-we were continuing wiih business as usual.We hail been doing Mie
same thing thai many icacher-librarians were doing in the face of lcchnological change: we
added computers to our library, liiere is nothing wrong with what we were doing, but how were
we preparing our students to be 21st century learners? What did we offer that a classroom
with abookshelf and laptop could not? Our ad ministrai ion wanted the best for our students, so
we knew we had their full support; we just had to figure out what the best actually was.
LEARNING COMMONS MODEL
Luckily for our students, al about the same lime, the local universiu transformed their library
imo a learning commons. According to hlamc Allard. an Associate Professor as well as
Coordinator of Technical Services & Electronic Resources anil Comanager of thelearning
Commons Project al Plymouth State University's Lanison Library and Learning Commons, "we
wanted to create a campus centerpiece for research, computing, and presentation. The Learning
Commons gave us the opportunity to colocale campus services, such as the Library. IT Help
Desk. Academic Support Services. Writing Center, and a Cale, in one central location to meet (he
needs of our students, facuhv. and staff." We were able to visit the newly redesigned facilities
and observe how their users were arriving in droves and using the resources made available io
them like never before. It was a huge effect to be able to sit down with the Lamsnn Library

and Learning Commons faculiv and brainstorm ways timi we could adapi their learning
commons model Io best suit our high school learners.
After we made several small policy changes, we invited Elaine to visit our high school learning
commons. She met with our staff and our Technology Director and pointed out what she thought
we were doing right and what could use improvement. She appreciated how quickly our students
adapted to a more welcoming, less-restrictive and less-policy-focused atmosphre. She pointed
oui that our learners were naturally arranging the space for their specific use. However, she also
told us that our main check-out desk looked like an intimidating barrier that kept the students
away from the staff.
The ability to visit a functioning learning commons is a huge first step in shifting the
way a library oprtes. We appreciate the faci that we had access io one in our town and their
faculty was willing lo assist us in those first few challenging months.
Once we decided to make the transition from library to learning commons, we made several
small changes. Wc moved the supplies (glue siieks. scissors, ami paperclips) to a work-shopstyle environment. We wanted students to have access to the resources ihey needed and we did
not wan! teacher-librarians to spend their (lays monitoring glue stick use. We also changed our
static weh site froma rarely used page uf links to a wiki where students and faculty could
collaborate on research together. In addition, we subscribed to an online bibliography generating
tool and utilized our new wiki to create research guides for classes. Finally, we began publicizing
everything we did.
We spent very little money on these initial changes. What was most valuable for the learning
commons to flourish was ihc support of our students and faculty. As soon as we began allowing
students to rearrange furniture, help themselves to supplies, and edit the wiki pages, we had
complete student buy-in. The faculty was a bit more challenging. We chose several faculty
members to work with initially and as lhey found success with our new model they trumpeted
the learning commons to their fellow faculty members. Word spread through their departments
and through our publicity.
LEARNER-CENTERED
We were able toa informally work together more closely with our technology department by
including the Director in all departmen! meetings, emails, and other communications. We make
an attempt to touch base with each other daily. This docs not always happen, but striving for it
has proven to be a way to keep the lines of communication flowing between the technology
personnel and the users of that technology. Our goal was not to be "technologycentered" but to
focus on the needs of our student learners and faculty. The question we asked was "What
technology did learners need in order to access, evaluate, and utilize information in the 21st
century?"
The information we share daily with our technology director is always about learners and how
they utilize the tools and resources provided to them by our school. We let the technology
director know about frustrations that our learners have, brainstorm new ideas about tools for our
faculty, and share information about our existing technology. We do not complain about slow

computers, ask for new resources that we have not vetted, or whine about blocked sites. We keep
our communication positive with solutions as Ihc focus. In addition, our ultimate goal for this
continued communication is to make technology a tool for learning rather than a barrier to it. Our
aim is to make technology a transparent, resource to aid all learners in their education rather than
an end in itself.
We spent our equipment budget on resources that our students were asking for in the mid-2000s:
digital cameras, flip video cameras, digital voice recorders, cords, cables, batteries, and USB
jump drives. Five years later, we are still using the same equipment we invested in back then. We
focused on purchasing name-brand equipment with simple features and a good reputation. We
did not look for the least expensive cameras or the cameras with the highest megapixels, instead
we read reviews of good quality equipment that we would want to use ourselves.
As we became the center for innovative technology in our school we found that teachers were
turning to us for assistance with resources and especially for new ideas. This forced us to become
the local experts on learning tools like blogs, wikis, and digital recording and storage devices.
We found that by reading severa! educacional/ teacher-librarian news feeds (we
use Google Reader) and keeping up with current professional journals (we love Teacher
Librarian) we can remain on the cutting edge of educational technologies in order to he one step
ahead of our users.
FACULTY LEARNERS
As we continued to update our policies and philosophical beliefs, our learning commons quickly
became much more than a silentstudy hall with books anil computers mixed in. Students were
calking, reading, using luols, and interacting wirh resources, which turned out to be a noisy
activity. Several faculty members referred to ihe learning commons as a "clubhouse" or a "zoo"
because they never spent enough time in the space 10 see how our siurlents wert' actually using
the facility, so we began a faculty ducation process. Our first step was to creale a newsletter that
went home with repon cards. We shared new resources, pictures of happy learners using
The learning commons, and book reviews. We made sure our faculty received a PDF color copy
of the newsletter in their email each quarter. Everyone enjoyed reading [he lasi page titled
"PRHS Library by the Numbers", in which we shared easily-measured statistics about trends
in learning commons use. We shared data on the increase in checkout statistics, the students who
cheeked out the musi books that mon ih, and the number of databases we subscribed to.
We also established a dialogue with departments about bow they could utilize the learning corn
nions more effectively. We introduced the English department to NoodleTools and volunteered to
take their classes into the learning commons at the beginning of their next research project and
show them how easy citing" sources is with this online resource. We inlroduced ihe
Social Studiesdepartment io our historical databases. We suggested to them, that if they continue
to insist, that their students use at least one primary source and at least three print resources
for a research paper, than we will show th use students how easily our databases will access the
exact, type of resource they need. Students were pleased they could use a computer to
access a "print" resource (after all, the databases that we subscribe to are essentially and
primarily digital versions of rei eretice books and periodicals). The faculty was pleased because
they were finding students using high quality references for their research. We even met with the

teachers in the Miith department to show them the imerest ing books available, the access we
have io resources on investing, credit, and statistics, HS well as invited them to recommend tools
for us to purchase for their students.
I have always thought it crucial for teacher-librarians to be part of school-wide decisions, so I
began joining every committee I could. I am a member of the Technology Committee, the
Lheraey Committee, and ihe School Community Council. The learning commons also has
representation on our Faculty Senate. By serving on these committees, fellow faculty can see
more of what the learning commonshas to offer. We noticed that if we missed a committee mm
ing, decisions could not be made until we were there. We found that after EI year of changing our
philosophy, communicating more with our users, and joining in on school-wide decisions,
the learning commons was fast becoming the heari of our school.
As our faculty saw their students' skills develop because of our methods, their advocacy and
support grew for our program and there were fewer comments about the learning
commons atmosphere being a "hangout" rather than a center for learning.
NON-USERS
At times I would walk down our crowded hallways between classes and see students I did not
recognize. I wondered how many students were noi using the learning commons. Our statistics in
one school year liad gone up over 100%. but what percentage of our studenl body was actually
using the learning commons? We decided to survey all potential users, supporters, deeiders, and
other stakeholders who would have an impact on our learning commons. We developed surveys
for students to be completed in their English classes. We developed surveys for parents, which
were mailed home (along with an optional online component). We created asurvey for faculty,
staff, and the administration. Wc spent an entire summer combing through the survey results and
incorporating more changes imo our learning commons based on our school's needs.
The changes we made were so successful and positive for everyone involved that 1 decided to
write a book about what we did and how we did it. The book, The Learning Commons: Seren
Simple Steps to Transform Your Library, is filled with sample surveys, newsletters, reports, and
simple steps that any library can lake to transform into a learning commons.
KINDLE LEARNING COMMONS
As we began adding tools and resources thai our users were requesting we were occasionally
faced with massive policy creation or rules that affected our entire school. Wc liad a faculty
member who began assigning his students to lisien io weekly podcasts. Acouple of students in
his class did noi have access to a computer at home or an iPod of their own. We requested several
iPods in our next equipment order and got them-but then we were immediately faced
with a school-wide rule against the use of iPods on campus. We tell like this was an example
of a school being out of touch with its learners. The school's rules were preventing students
fromlearning while in our building. We approached the Technology Committee, the Faculty
Senate, and finally the administration and finally got the rule adapted. We were satisfied that
students would be able to listen to iPods while in the learning commons or in classes where the
teacher approved and assigned them.

Our next major crisis hit when the entire country began talking about e-readers. With the support
of an assistant superintendent, we wrote a grant and received 20 Kindles in the fall of 2010. At
that point, we could not find another school library or learning commonsthat was using these
devices. We began, then, by learning how use them ourselves. We added gift cards to our
Amazon account, registered each Kindle, and started adding titles to the devices. Next we
decided to circulate the Kindles to our faculty so they could model the devices' use to their
students and act as a resource when their students had questions. Our next step was to get them
into the hands of our learners. I chose the high school book club as a pilot to see how students
would want to use the Kindles. Initially we planned on students requesting books that they
wanted to read on the device and we would push the titles out to their Kindles. We never
questioned what a student wanted to read; in my five years of working at the high school I never
said no to a student's book request. So, we made a giant leap and told our students they could buy
any title they wanted to read on the learning commons' account. They were stunned and
unnerved by this power. I was asking them to do collection development for our e-readers and
they were initially resistant to the idea. They insisted on rules and policies. They asked:
* Should we only purchase one book?
* Should they only be titles that we use in classes?
* What if you don't approve of a title?
I told them that I trusted them. I honestly wanted to know what they wanted to read on these
devices.
We've been circulating Kindles for over a year and a half now and we still allow students (and
not just our book club students) to purchase titles. Our Kindles are filled with everything from
Vonnegut to Gossip GMs. The titles on our Kindles are entirely learner-centered. I have found
that when I talk to other teacher-librarians about our policy they shrink back in fear. Are there
books that you do not want your students to read? If so, our learnercentered collection
development ideology is probably not for you.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON LEARNERS
This morning we had a group of visitors on a tour of our building. Two of the visitors walked
into the learning commons and said, "Wow! This looks like a mall...an information mall G As I
looked around the learning commons myself 1 saw a group of juniors browsing for books for an
English project with the theme of "discovery." The students were reading book flaps, looking up
titles in the catalog, reading spines on the shelves, and talking to each other about their own
recommendations. Another group of students had thirty-foot timelines spread out
across a bookshelf, over a cart of books, and on top of an atlas display. They were researching,
designing, and creating timelines marking the history of Earth, all 4.6 billion years of it. Another
group was working with their Biology teacher on finding images to explain mitosis for a video
project.
Some students were on PCs, others had Netbooks at a table with textbooks and notes spread out
around them, while another group had a digital camera and were taking pictures. Some students

were using headphones to listen to music while typing their papers, others were simply
socializing. As I looked around 1 realized our space /S an information mall. The students are the
customers and they are looking for digital data, technology tools, print books, supplies,
and a place to congregate, study, work, and socialize.
We're open for business-are you?
Sidebar
"What was most valuable for the learning commons to flourish was the support of our students
and faculty."
Sidebar
Our new space is indeed learner-centered.
Sidebar
Students use their mobile devices in the Learning Commons.
A student working diligently on his timeline.
AuthorAffiliation
Pamela C. Harland is a teacher-librarian at Plymouth Regional High School in Plymouth (NH).
She recently published The Learning Commons: Seven Simple Steps to Transforming Your
Library, Libraries Unlimited, 2011. She may be reached at PHarland@prhs.sau4B.org.
Word count: 2836

from library to learning commons: a

metamorphosis
Diggs, Valerie. Teacher Librarian 36.4 (Apr 2009): 32-38.
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Abstract
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[...] women were generally hired to build library book collections and men were hired to handle the
new array of audiovisual equipment and materials that were emerging rapidly. [...] the principal was
taking a bold step in merging all formats in a single location in the school. From our principal, to
principal emeritus, to town manager, chairperson of the board of selectmen, state senator, school
committee chair, to library gurus from across the nation, as well as teachers, parents, community
members, and fellow teacher-librarians from across the state, we were honored by everyone's
presence.

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In August 2008, Carol Koeehlin and Sandi Zwaan, and David Loertscher published a book proposing
to the school library community amajor shift in the foundational ideas of the school library. They
proposed a shift to a Learning Commons concept based on client-side principles. Unknown to them,
Valerie Diggs had been doing such a transformation in Chelmsford, MA. Loertscher visited
her Learning Commons for its dedication in December, 2008 and asked Valerie to document the
development of the Learning Commons in her school as a case study for major change in the
concept of the school library. The following is Valerie's account. Editorial comments (in the shaded
boxes) have been placed throughout to provide some analysis of how teacherlibrarians can actually
move into the center of teaching and learning.

RECENTLY, THE CHELMSFORD HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY (CHSL) IN MASSACHUSETTS

UNDERWENT A TRANSFORMATION THAT WAS NOT ONLY LONG OVERDUE IT WAS
ALSO A METAMORPHOSIS THAT WAS TO HAVE TREMENDOUS EFFECTON THE STUDENTS,
ADMINISTRATORS TEACHER AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
Although 1 knew the physical transformation of our facility was important and would certainly
have a positive effect on the school, 1 did not expect the response it received from the community.
We unveiled the new space in a special celebration that drew the press and such giants in the field
as Dr. Ross Todd, associate professor of library and information science at Rutgers University, and
Dr. David Loertscher, professor at San Jose State University, who came to see what we had done.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines metamorphosis as "the action or process of changing in form,
shape, or substance; esp. transformation by supernatural means". The slow metamorphosis of
CHSL into a space we now call a Learning Commons was deliberate and involved substance, form,
and shape; and as for the supernatural- well we think so!!
This is a story of transformation in the truest sense, from the traditional media center to the not-sotraditional Learning Commonsnow occupying the third floor of Chelmsford High School (CHS), right
where the library used to be.
I would like to be honest and open; I did not arrive in school one day and say: 1 think 1 would like to
renovate this physically tired space known as the library and, while doing so, 1 think we will start
calling the space a "Learning Commons". There is much more to this transformation than
just a name change, new paint, carpeting, and furnishings.
There were numerous environmental factors involved in the decision to renovate the library. I must
make it clear, however, that the condition of the physical facility was subordinate to the programmatic
changes that made this transformation one of substance and meaning.
What, then, exactly happened?
We must recognize that program is paramount in the foundational principle upon which Valerie sets
off on her long journey toward the center of teaching and learning. We will draw attention to
significant markers along the journey. As you read this case study, make your own list of important
leadership principles and then compare your list with the ones we notice in our comments.
BACKGROUND

Chelmsford High School was built in 1971. Then principal, George Simonian, whose tenure at CHS
was nineteen years long, presided over the planning and construction of the high school
with a tenacious hand. He ensured, to the best of his ability and despite being limited by funding, that
all programs had adequate space. One of the programs was library services. Back then, the library
was called the Instructional Media Center (IMC), and 12,500 square-feet were set aside in the middle
of the building that included a large workroom and office.
The IMC was state-of-the-art for its time. The storage room housed 1 6mm Elmo projectors to show
the numerous reels of film in the library's collection. Film loop players and film loops were stacked
neatly on bright yellow metal shelving. Filmstrip projectors of many types were also kept in the
storage room, along with hundreds of boxes containing little round plastic filmstrip containers. Vinyl
records lined the slanted yellow metal record bins framed by case after case of record players, all
with neat black handles. As technology slowly changed, VHS tapes began to fill the empty shelves.
In 1971, the Building and Equipment Section (BES) statement of the function of a school library or
IMC came from the 1969 standards for school libraries published by AASL. These standards
envisioned, like the 1960 standards had, a place where the full j range of books and multimedia were
made available to the school as a whole. At the time, women were generally hired to build library
book collections and men were hired to handle the new array of audiovisual equipment and materials
that were emerging rapidly. Thus, the principal was taking a bold step in merging all formats
in a single location in the school.
In the library space, books were housed on the same bright yellow shelving with walls painted to
match. Most of the shelving was 84 inches high and positioned to block the natural light from the
library's rear windows. The six rooms on the periphery of the IMC, built to accommodate student
work groups, were barricaded with wrought iron gates and locked to prevent students from
misbehaving within the glass-enclosed walls. The same wrought iron was used to fortify each of the
two main entrances to the IMC.
While the vision of the merger was made between books and AV, note that the facility was
constructed with tight control in mind and signaled a suspicion of teen behavior. Bright colors were
thought to counter such anticipated attitudes. However, the facility's ambiance signals negativity.
TRANSFORMATION OF THE PROGRAM
When I was hired to be the high school librarian in 2002, I began to seriously look at what we were
offering students as they entered the library. Before my arrival, study halls were eliminated with the

introduction of block scheduling. Study halls had been held in the library because of lack of space
elsewhere. However, those structured classes were eliminated and teachers were free to bring
classes into the library at anytime.
Then the District of Chelmsford received a grant from Sun Microsystems for 60 desktop computers,
40 of which were placed in the high school library. The introduction of computers brought more
teachers and students into the library.
Notice the very late introduction of computers into the library. For whatever reason, it is fifteen years
behind in the adoption of a new information world. Upon adoption of current technology, interest
begins to revive for both students and faculty. It is now five years until the actual emergence of the
new Learning Commons.
ALL ABOUT THE PROGRAM
However, the mere existence of computers and available space is not enough to meet the students'
programmatic needs. On my arrival, I began to work more closely with teachers. They became
familiar with my questions, requests for assignments, as well as requests for time to look closely at
assignments to determine how I could help. With the introduction of two new courses in the English
Department, Writing for High School and Writing for College, as well as a deliberate movement by all
departments to require more writing, I became more and more involved with the curriculum and
instruction. Student learning became the focus behind everything we did, and teaching information
literacy skills in the library, in computer labs, and in classrooms flourished. Our library began to
playa key role in students' literary lives and was central to their learning experiences. Teachers
began thinking about projects with the library in mind. The culture of teaching and learning changed
over time to include the library as a major player. Was not this enough? Is this not what all teacherlibrarians strive for?
At this point, the facility with its negative ambience is 30 years old. The introduction of computers
provides the excuse for Valerie to make a major push into the center of teaching and learning in spite
of barriers both real and perceived.
What were we offering students and teachers? Reliable information? Yes. Technology? Yes. Help
with assignments? Yes. 1 began to think this was all we could do. Yet something nagged at me.
There had to be more; but what?

Note that Valerie is uncomfortable as she tries to turn stuff into productive learning. For the next five
years she is constantly trying new ideas and she provides a list of things that begin to work.
Undoubtedly there are failures along the way, but persistence and creativity will pay off.
With one small step at a time, 1 started to build an assortment of events, ideas, and ways of doing
things into our program. One of the first changes we made was to serve coffee one day per week in
the library. Every Wednesday, from 6:45 a.m. to 7:24 a.m., coffee, hot chocolate, and tea were
available. We developed a collaborative arrangement with a local coffee shop that allowed us to
purchase their coffee and cups at a discounted price and the Chelmsford High School Library's Java
Room was born.
On Wednesday mornings in the library, pots of steaming coffee and hot water for tea and hot
chocolate were lined up on the aging classroom desks, which were placed side-by-side in the center
of the library to serve as a reference desk. Trays of pastries and bagels donated by generous
Chelmsford businesses beckoned the hungry students and staff members. The lines were long, the
laughter loud, and soon the gathered students were enticed by the books on display to browse and
check out while they waited for their hot drinks. Students also sat and talked while teachers and
administrators readied themselves for a day of teaching and instruction by recounting events of the
previous days and catching up on daily news.
It's the old bait and switch technique. You come for coffee and end up with a book. But a large
change is taking place. The culture of the place is turning around. The direction is toward a clientside focus.
Almost at the same time, the Chelmsford Public School community began a professional
development initiative to introduce the concept of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) into all
seven of its schools. The theory behind PLCs is a perfect fit for any library program. Simply, a PLC
encourages teachers to work together collaboratively. The book Reinventing ProjectBased Learningtells us that "Creating a professional learning community means making time for new
ways of working with colleagues" (Boss, Krauss, & Conery 2008). The concept of this new way had
come to CHS; new to some, familiar to others, and frightening to a few. From the library's point of
view, it was a welcomed initiative. What a perfect fit for what we had already been doing with
teachers: collaboration with a focus on student learning and results (DuFour, 2008). I began to think
of ways in which different departments might work together.

Notice that Valerie does not invent ways; to move toward the center of teaching and; learning.
Rather, she links her vision to ai major school improvement initiative. HeH client-side initiative is not
thought of as an add-on but a collaborative push across the school.
SOCIALIZE THE LIBRARY?
The fine arts department consists of many talented teachers and students, but I had not had the
opportunity to work with them other than on a very superficial level. Why not draw on the talents of
this department and offer these students a venue to showcase these talents in a positive way? 1
met, talked, and brainstormed with some of the staff members of the fine arts department and our
discussions led to the birth of the Listening Lunches program.
Named by the students in the fine arts department and supported by both the library and fine arts
staff, this new collaborative program changed the culture of the high school and has become central
to the life of the school. On at least one Friday per month, students pour into the library carrying trays
of food, bottles of water or sports drinks, and paper bags bursting at the seams with sandwiches,
fruit, and cookies. On Listening Lunches day, students love the opportunity to have lunch in the
library while listening to their peers read poetry, sing songs, perform skits, play musical instruments,
and more. Large rolling barrels stand ready to accept half-eaten lunches and empty bottles; round
tables adorned with tablecloths and vases of artificial flowers are arranged in the back corner of the
library; and rows of red folding chairs are usually stacked awaiting the throngs. For two and a half
hours the library is filled with the sounds of student talent. Students and teachers sit, stand, eat,
listen, and socialize in the space called the library.
Clever. Clever. The change in culture is not Valerie's program. It pushes the fine arts into the center
of school culture. But what about the food, drinks, and noise? And all of this on the new carpet that is
in Valerie's future?
Socialize in the library? Here is a concept often thought to be in comparative opposition to learning.
Henry Jenkins, in his white paper entitled Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media
Education for the 21st Century, speaks of students in aparticipatory culture, one which
requires a new set of literacies that "...almost all involve social skills developed through collaboration
and networking" (Jenkins 2006). One of these skills Jenkins describes as "Collective Intelligence"the ability to pool knowledge and compare notes with others toward a common goal" (Jenkins 2006).
The school library should give students the space to work with each other, 1 thought. A place to go
that offered technology, some privacy, and the atmosphere conducive to learning experiences.
Someone nearby to answer questions could also help.

With an aging facility and rooms originally meant to be group study rooms now full of old AV
equipment and locked to students, helping our students work in groups, collaborate on projects, and
develop this skill of collective intelligence was difficult, at best.
The new image is not just about culture or a social place. Valerie is worried about the library's central
role in learning and she reaches out to the best theorists in education for ideas.
TRANSFORMATION OF THE FACILITY
As hard as 1 tried to convince our administrators that renovating the library would benefit every
student and staff member in the school, my detailed reports, requests, budget submissions, and
pleadings were in vain. All 1 was hoping to do was transform a facility that was dreary and tired.
While 1 was busy trying to convince everyone, the District of Chelmsford began a 31 -million dollar
renovation plan, which included plans for a new performing arts center, new science wing with
sparkling new labs, technology classrooms, and instructional spaces. The two middle schools
received new libraries: 5,000 square-foot wonders that soon became the "place to be" in both
buildings. Other schools were outfitted with new flooring, roofs, boilers, etc. Through all those
renovations and building projects, the high school library remained as is: a tired, 34-year old space,
with duct-taped carpet, bright yellow shelving and walls, and desks with broken drawers and peeling
facades. 1 admit, I did whine. But, whining did not seem to work. Now what?
How does Valerie inch up the priorities ladder for a facility to match the major change in her
program? The squeaky wheel is beginning to turn.
The Town of Chelmsford hired a new town manager, Paul Cohen, who had been taken on a tour of
the town's buildings and facilities by the search committee during the interview process. He saw the
high school and its new science wing, the new performing arts center, and the two beautiful new
middle school libraries. The search committee did not dare bring him near the high school library. It
had become so embarrassing a space that avoiding it was an accepted practice.
However, in May 2007, 1 invited Paul Cohen for a special visit to the library. To hear him tell the story,
it was the first time he had ever been called by a teacherlibrarian in his over 17 years of public
service. 1 gave him a tour, served him coffee in the workroom, and told him all about our programs,
services, and student learning experiences. He saw for himself not only the duct tape but the entire,
sorry mess. That fall, the capital budget was announced and included over $200,000 for the

renovation of the high school library. In this case, a tour was worth many thousands of capital
funding dollars. Our Learning Commons was on its way.
When the frontal assault does not produce results, Valerie does an end run. Notice that we are now
five years into the transformation.
Many people have asked me how 1 was able to create such a space. How did 1 decide to call the
library a Learning Commons and why? My response is that 1 did not decide; the program
did. A recent article in Teacher Librarian describes the vision of a truelearning commons as "... the
showcase for high-quality teaching and learning- a place to develop and demonstrate exemplary
educational practices. It will serve as the professional development center for the entire
school- a place to learn, experiment with, assess, and then widely adopt improved instructional
programs..." (Koechlin, Zwaan, Loertscher, p. 10). Our program defined us and the definition of what
we did every day transformed our space into one that we now call a Learning Commons.
Notice that the vision for improvement keeps evolving and pointing toward excellence. It is a path to
constant school improvement that is really never finished.
TEACHING AND LEARNING IN THE LEARNING COMMONS
A Spanish Honors Six class is investigating the current immigration policy in the United States. What
do they need to know about United States policies and why should they even want to know? These
senior students came to the Learning Commons with their classroom teacher to find out.
At this point, Valerie could have taken us j on a tour of architects, design, problems * with vacating
the library and construction, etc. Rather, we are taken on a tour of what ; this space is designed to
accomplish- the \ tour of a fine learning experience. The \ facility must support the central focus of \
the program.
COLLABORATION WITH TOlS NEW MODEL
The class came into the Learning Commons interested and ready to ask questions. How did this
come about? Why was 1 not facing agroup of disinterested students with the typical "Can't wait to get
through this assignment" look on their faces? It is because, prior to coming into the Learning
Commons, the students spent time with their classroom teacher discussing their own roots as a way
of making the lesson personal. This discussion got them hooked and interested. Then they

read a story called "Cajas de Carton" (Cardboard Boxes), a true story about illegal migrant workers
in California in the 1950s, and discussed it as a group.
The students then participated in an activity to consider four different positions the United States
could take regarding the immigration problem, and were encouraged to come up with a fifth option.
The learning and engagement with the topic continued when the students listened to three songs
about immigration and saw the respective music videos. They discussed the songs and videos in
small groups and made voice recordings of the discussions for future reference.
In her own words, the classroom teacher Merrie Mclvor said she got what she wanted from the
activity; she "wanted to have them consider immigration seriously and individually" and "wanted them
to write something" (personal email communication, January 7, 2009). So, the students were left to
develop answers to their own questions. The activities leading up to the writing helped the students
refine and define exactly what they needed to know and why they needed to know it. The short story,
the songs, and their brainstorming of alternative positions taken by the United States on future
immigration policy helped these senior Spanish students prepare. Not only did we have unique
papers, but we had students who were invested and interested in what they were asked to
investigate. The resulting inquiry process was a natural progression.
FOR AN INFORMED AND ST1MUTATED STUDENT
Organizing inquiry-based units around question development is a practice described by Wiggins and
McTighe in Understanding by Design as being essential to providing "...teacher and students
with a sharper focus and better direction for inquiry." They go on to tell us that developing personally
meaningful questions "...render the unit design more coherent and make the students' role more
appropriately intellectual" (2005, 27).
In our daily practice, how often do we see units based on essential questions, particularly those
developed by students? How many units or projects such as the one on current-day immigration
policy attempt to inform and stimulate students and bring them to the point where they can ask the
question, and know why it is they need to ask it? There are too few such experiences for students
today. What can we, as teacher-librarians, do?
The answer to this question is nothing new, and certainly nothing any library school student or
current practitioner hasn't heard time and again. It is collaboration. Not simply pulling books, or bookmarking web sites, or even creating pathfinders. But it is sitting down with teachers and saying "How
can WE improve on this unit so our students can leam not only more, but better?" It is the "WE" in

this equation that is important. Students will do only what is required of them; they will think thoughts
only as deeply as we require of them. It is OUR job, alongside the classroom teacher, to offer our
students today the opportunity to think critically and develop questions that they really want to
answer; questions that will lead them to turning information into knowledge and subsequently that
knowledge into wisdom for a lifetime.
SIGNS DO MORE THAN POINT THE WAY
In our newly renovated Learning Commons, a quote from John F. Kennedy is drawn across the wall
of the group work area: We set sail on this new sea because there is knowledge to be gained. It is
with this mindset that we (and 1 include teaching staff, students, administrators, and library staff)
conduct business. Knowledge can only be gained through the process of true and unadulterated
inquiry. The inquiry process is crucial to our students' experiences and central to the culture of our
space. According to Loertscher, Koechlin, and Zwaan, "Inquiry in the Learning
Commons is a dynamic learner centered process" (2008).
Above our central information desk are the words "Ask, Ask, Ask" and in the Caf area the words
"Think" and "Create" appear above the counter-top seating. We encourage our teachers to
make learning meaningful by requiring students to think, ask, and then create.Learning becomes
meaningful and lasting, and students come away with a wonderful skill: the ability to think for
themselves.
We know that signage has always been important in libraries, but in this one, we are not directed to
things or equipment; we are encouraged to learn. The first thing you see when entering the learning
commons sets that new ambience.
THE LEARNING COMMONS AS A CULTURAL CENTER FOR STUDENTS
Groups of students sit in a circle on our new eggplant-colored lounge chairs, discussing the
beginnings of World War I and how they would like their project to look. Smaller groups of three or
four students sit in the restaurantstyle booths completing projects, working on homework, and
collaborating on assignments. Some students sit on the cafe-height tables and talk among
themselves, while others use the counter. Students check out one of 29 laptops received as part
of a grant from a large technology firm in our community. These laptops are wireless and connect to
the Internet anywhere in our Learning Commons. The group workrooms have been opened up,
providing space for students to work together and for staff to meet.

A remedial reading class gathers each day to read a book of their choice, while sprawled comfortably
on the soft furniture. Their teacher could easily have kept them at desks in the classroom, but she
understands the students are much more at ease with themselves in the act of reading by sharing
our space, the Learning Commons. Classes of foreign language students file through theLearning
Commons to examine our art exhibits, take notes, and absorb the immensity of the works.
After school hours find the Learning Commons busy accommodating many students. Club members
meet here, groups meet to complete projects or assignments, and peer tutors instruct at our tables,
while other students find a quiet spot to read or think. Every day when we give the fiveminute
warning for closing, the announcement is always greeted with groans and pleadings of "just five
more minutes." If the budget allowed, our closing time would be much later than the hour-and-a half
we are now open after school.
One gets the sense that the learning commons is not only a flexible learning space but one that is full
all day long with multiple groups and individuals using a very welcoming space that is both social
and intellectual.
The fifty-eight-inch flat-panel LCD TV mounted on the wall across from the main information desk
serves to enhance our connection to students and staff by providing informational, entertaining,
collaborative, and educational messages. We use the television to showcase the projects and talent
from all constituents. As students enter or leave the Learning Commons, they may check out our
daily schedule, watch and listen to music videos created by the graphic arts students, see public
service announcements produced by our health classes, view slide shows on just about anything,
and absorb breaking news through a crawling banner. In our media-saturated environment, digital
signage captures the attention of students. It is also the perfect medium to capture the wide variety
of products our students create in the Learning Commons as well as throughout the school.
Capturing and archiving student creations reinforces the notion that if they help build the learning
commons, they will use it. Ownership transfers to both teachers and students.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
The new Learning Commons has been the recipient of continuous support from community
members both within and without the school. Our grand opening event was held on December 5,
2008 with huge attendance, a long list of speakers, and a virtual landslide of donations of food, time,
money, and wishes for success. From our principal, to principal emeritus, to town manager,
chairperson of the board of selectmen, state senator, school committee chair, to library gurus from

across the nation, as well as teachers, parents, community members, and fellow teacher-librarians
from across the state, we were honored by everyone's presence. Our Learning Commons was
launched, speeches were made, and the general consensus was that we had created a space that
had become the center of learning. Our impact on the culture of Chelmsford High School, the
teaching staff, and our students, was beginning to be felt by all.
Why will dignitaries, parents, students, and teachers flock to a learning commons? 1 was there. It
was community pride, an electric sense of excellence, and opportunity to pay tribute both
to a visionary teacher-librarian and to everyone who had participated in its creation.
The Learning Commons provides CHS students and staff members the opportunity to ask questions,
think about answers, and create new meanings. We have become central to teaching
and learning because our mission is tied to the mission and ideals of our school and district, and we
are committed to offering our services and space to all of our constituents.
If we read any of the major works on leadership and innovation, we can find lists of characteristics
that make transformation possible. We have noted many of those characteristics in our marginal
notes but there are others to think about and list. The end result in this case study is the turning from
an organizational model to a client-side model. It is about turning 180 degrees from thinking the
needs of the user are subservient to organizational needs. And, if you ask Valerie whether
this learning commons has arrived, she will admita certain sense of pride but with that nagging
feeling that the evolution is still happening.
My advice is to build your program first. This may take years to accomplish, as it did for us at CHS.
However, remember a strong program is the foundation for a true Learning Commons.
For more information on the project, and to see the before-and -after slide show on the school's web
site, visit http://www.Chelmsford.k12.ma.us/chs/library/index.htm.
Sidebar
Valerie Diggs with the new Learning Commons in the background
Sidebar
Variety in seating offer students flexibility
Student work groups interact comfortably

Sidebar
Students interact in the many comfy chairs of the Learning Commons
Students perform for their peers during a Listening Lunches program
A packed Learning Commons for the Listening Lunches program
Sidebar
Students in the Learning Commons on Inauguration Day 2009
References
REFERENCES
Boss, S., Krauss, J., & Conery, L. (2008). Reinventing project-based learning: Your field guide to
real-world projects in the digital age. Washington, DC: International Society for Technology in
Education.
DuFour, R., DuFour, R., ft Eaker, R. (2008). Revisiting professional learning communities at work.
Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree.
Jenkins, H. (2006). Confronting the challenges of participatory culture: Media education for the 21st
century. Cambridge MA: John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Retrieved January 19,
2009, from http://digitalleaming.macfound.org/atf/cf/%7B7E45C7E0-A3E0-4B89-AC9CE807E1BOAE4Eo/o7D/JENKlNS_WH1TE_PAPER.PDF.
Koechlin, C., Zwaan, S., & LoertscheT, D. V. (2008). The time is now: Transform your school library
into a learning commons. Teacher Librarian. 36(1), 8-14.
Loertscher, D. V., Koechlin, C, ft Zwaan, S. (2008). The New Learning Commons: Where Learners
IMh/ Salt Lake City, UT: Hi Willow Research and Publishing.
Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (1998). Understanding by design. Alexandria, VA: Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development.
AuthorAffiliation

Valerie Diggs is the Director of Libraries and Library Teacher at Chelmsford High School. She may
be reached at diggsv@chelmsford.kl2.ma.us.
Word count: 5010
Copyright Ken Haycock & Associates Apr 2009