Designing a School Library Media Center for the Future

Designing a school library media center may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so take advantage! In this hands-on guidebook, school library construction and media specialists Rolf Erikson and Carolyn Markuson share their experiences of working on more than 100 media center building projects around the country, using conceptual plans from actual school libraries.Combining all aspects of design for the school library media center - floor plans, furniture, technology, bidding, and evaluation - this newly updated edition addresses: current and future technological needs of the student population; unique needs of the community library that combines school and public library services; sustainability and conservation issues to help designers and planners go green; accessibility requirements, including all ADA regulations from the first edition plus the latest material on learning styles and accessibility; and, cost control and ways to minimize mistakes using proven bidding and evaluation methods.With 30 new illustrations and floor plans and an updated glossary of technical terms, readers will be knowledgeable and organized when discussing plans with contractors and vendors. Using the

Rolf Erikson has been a school library facility consultant for fifteen years and has consulted on over eighty projects for public and independent schools, both in the United States and internationally. He has thirty years experience as a school library media specialist at all levels, K 12. Most recently, he was school library director at Minuteman Regional High School in Lexington, Massachusetts. Previously, he was director of library and audiovisual services at the Frankfurt International School in Oberursel, Germany. His professional experience also includes K 12 classroom teaching. He has an M.S. in instructional technology from the University of Wisconsin Stout and a B.A. in art education from Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota. He has presented workshops on school library design for national, regional, and state professional library organizations, and has taught courses on school library facilities design at the graduate level.

Carolyn Markuson is founder and president of biblioTECH, which offers consulting services to schools, public libraries, and regional library systems. Previously she was supervisor of libraries for the Brookline, Massachusetts school district. Her professional experience includes working in several school, public, and special library environments as well as leadership positions in state, regional and national professional library organizations. She has a doctorate in curriculum media and technology from Boston University and a C.A.G.S. (Public Administration) and M.L.S. from Rutgers University. As a librarian, system director, and consultant, she has worked with school systems, librarians, and architects both in the USA and abroad to design school library facilities that facilitate learning and welcome students. Most recently, she has been involved in the development of community library projects in the northeast in which both school and public libraries function in a single facility. In addition to facilities design, her consulting services have included the development of strategic plans, and comprehensive school library program evaluations for school systems seeking state of the art school libraries.