Reading in a cave or at a campfire or waterhole?
Farmington Children's Room. Some rights reserved
Image: Farmington Children's Room by Nicole C Engard on Flickr
Libraries are magical places for immersing students in the wonders of reading and storytelling. Creating welcoming, colourful and interactive spaces has led to a range of imaginative ideas – akin to theatre scenery with artwork, props, and cosy seating to entice the reader and the storyteller.
Think of those school libraries and public library children/teen sections that have drawn you inside to explore further and nestle down to read quietly, or join others in listening to the librarian reading aloud, or see the lunch-time book club in action sharing their latest reading.
I recall my reaction during visits to schools on seeing the middle of the library transformed into a fairy tale castle or a teepee tent – and children seated inside on cushions engrossed in reading. Another library with a storyteller’s chair had two students dressed up in costumes enacting a story during lunchtime, to the delight of others. (The librarian was a former drama teacher.)
Other schools have considered creative ways to seat students – such as tiered steps in a corner of the library, a dinghy filled with cushions, and hobbit-like window seating. Book displays have included picture books face-out in bins shaped like racing cars, dangling a fishing net overhead tantalisingly filled with dust jackets, and … you name it - the creativeness of librarians and teachers is to be marvelled at!
There is a smorgasbord of photographs of aesthetic and functional modern library learning environments (MLLE) that engage readers, such as Virginia Allain’s Library children’s roomscurated photographs on Pinterest.
Further reading
School Library Journal article Divine design: how to create the 21st-century school library of your dreams
Services to Schools Scoop it, Modern Library & Learning Environments.