Function Before Form: Designing the Ideal Library Classroom

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Function Before Form Designing the Ideal
Library Classroom
Diane Dallis Carrie Donovan

• LOEX 36th National Conference
• Librarian as Architect Planning, Building,
  Renewing
• Oak Brook, IL
• May 3, 2008

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Function Form
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Outcomes

• Think about how you teach
• Envision classrooms that will facilitate your
  teaching
• Establish shared criteria for ideal library
  classroom
• Design the ideal library classroom floor plan
• Create a community of experts

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How We Got Here

• IU Libraries Instructional Space Committee
• Charged in 2007 to review library classrooms and
  identify needs for improved teaching spaces

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Step 1 Gather Info

• Identify current use/location of classrooms
• Survey librarians instructional space needs
• Consider campus guidelines for designing
  classrooms
• Review of the literature

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Step 2 Discuss/Design

• Determine ideal scenario
• Considerations, limitations, etc
• Realize realistic option
• Reconsider, repurpose, redesign

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Step 3 Make Recommendations

• Needs/wants
• Reuse/Recycle
• Knock down/drag out

• the results
• Awareness
• Expectations
• Consequences

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Library Classroom Paradigm

• Our teaching is different
• Library instruction is a mystery to many
• The ideal classroom depends on your perspective
• Experts often lack realistic solutions

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Embrace Your Inner Expert

• Librarians as design experts
• have no fear!

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Classroom Contradictions

• Big expectations for small spaces
• Doing too much with too little

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Classroom Therapy (discussion)

• What do you love about your classroom?
• What do you struggle with when you teach?
• What is missing from your classroom?

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Thinking Moment

• Describe the teaching style(s) would you adopt
  for the following scenario
• Students in a magazine writing course are
  asked to explore web 2.0 technologies and write a
  paper explaining and justifying the usefulness of
  these technologies for reporters.
• Consider
• what you want to communicate
• what you want students to learn
• how you want to move
• how you want students to interact with each
  other, you, sources,
  etc.

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Activity

• Together with your group of fellow experts, use
  the packet provided to design your ideal teaching
  space.

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Unanswered Questions

• Budget
• Technology
• Shared Space
• Physical Constraints
• Pedagogical Differences

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Continuing the Conversation

• www.libraryteachingspace.org
• Diane ddallis_at_indiana.edu
• Carrie cdonovan_at_indiana.edu