PLANNING PROCEDURES for SCHOOL MEDIA CENTERS A Thesis by Heather Deitch 2004/2005

Statement of the Problem Are the planning procedures school media specialist use effective in reconfiguring school media centers?

Research Questions What planning processes or strategies did media specialists use in renovating or building a new library facility? How effective were the strategies the media specialist used? After completing the projects, what recommendations did media specialists suggest to improve planning strategies?

Why is this important? “Too often, poor planning and limited dialogue between the school and architectural teams leaves educators with a facility that shapes the school library media program, rather than the reverse” (Klasing, 1991, p. xiii). School Media Specialist’s need effective planning procedures in order to have elaborate libraries.

Purpose of Proposed Research The purpose of this study was to determine if media specialists were using effective planning processes in renovating school libraries and/or building new school library facilities. A second purpose was to propose recommendations for improving planning processes to make them more effective and efficient in creating the best possible school library facility.

Related Research In Architectural Follies, by Serena Fenton, there are five basic stages for constructing new school libraries. 1.information gathering stage (schematic design stage) 2. developmental phase 3. construction development stage 4. construction phase 5. final construction

Research Studies Renovation of a School Library: A Case Study Nancy Bard and Pam Spencer In 1982, as reported by Klasing (1991),Bard and Spencer, completed a study of a renovation project of a media center built in The case study was done because of the lack of guidelines found in the district. They completed the steps for renovation similar to those described by Fenton (1999). After the project was completed, no follow-up research was done.

The Student’s Viewpoint Jane Anne Hannigan & Kay E. Vandergrift They conducted an exploratory research project of students’ views of the school media center. This study looked at the student’s viewpoint of school media center facilities. The exploratory study was conducted by surveying elementary and secondary school students’ opinions. The results showed as a whole that students felt there was a need for space in a media center to be set aside for group work as well as privacy. Students also voiced their opinions that resources and space should be made for alternative students with special needs.

Methodology Experience Survey using Qualitative Research Gives the potential for further research in this area since there has been little research studies done on the effectiveness of the procedures of renovations and/ or building new facilities.

Population and Sample The population consisted of those school media specialists who have renovated or built new school library facilities. The sample was composed of those school media specialists that responded voluntarily and completed a survey of questions. The survey was posted to 2 listserv’s. EMAnj and CALIB12

Data Collection Techniques A request was put on listserv, requesting volunteers who have renovated or helped in building new school library facilities. Survey was sent to volunteers via . A second request with a resending of survey. Gather surveys.

Questionnaire A survey was composed of a checklist of strategies/planning procedures possibly used during renovation or building a new facility. Open-ended questions asked the effectiveness of process and success of project. Recommendations for improvement of planning process were requested.

Findings The results demonstrated that library media specialists did use the planning processes, some strategies more than others. The results showed that those media specialists who renovated libraries relied on the steps more so than those who were involved in building new facilities.

References Fenton, S. (1999, February). Architectural follies. School Library Journal. 45: Hannigan, J. A. & Vandergrift, K. E. The student’s viewpoint. In J.A. Hannigan & G. E. Estes (Eds.) Media center facilities design (pp ). Chicago: American Library Association. Klasing, J. (1991). Designing and renovating school library media centers. Chicago: American Library Association.