Library Buildings

Discusses the effort taken by various U.S. libraries to create or renovate spaces for reading, playing and learning.

News briefs on public libraries including: The Denver Public Library (DPL) in Colorado has launched ideaLAB, a space for hosting weekly technological club meetings and other programs for teenagers. The Phoenix Public Library (PPL) in Arizona has opened a space called hive @ central.

This study investigates essential elements of public libraries for teens. Based on the community engagement model, this study adopted a case study approach with a regional central library in Seoul, South Korea.

Grigsby, S. (2015). Re-imagining the 21st Century School Library: From Storage Space to Active Learning Space. Techtrends: Linking Research & Practice To Improve Learning, 59(3), 103-106.

Describes the Learning Lounge, a most recent transformation at the Raroa Normal Intermediate School library in New Zealand. It specifies new facilities of the Lounge and describes how furniture could be moved to accommodate users.

It discusses the Modern Learning Environment and two plans for a new school library. It discusses ideas about the new library, and a staff meeting on what the staff want from the new library.

In a landscape where children report that they enjoy reading less, parents, educators and policymakers are increasingly concerned about how to engage children in reading for pleasure. School libraries are core spaces for encouraging reading for pleasure.

Topics discussed include perceptions of libraries and motivations for library use, such as social interaction and leisure opportunities and how to increase and improve the use and perceptions of school and public libraries.