[CALIBK12] Portable as Library Media Center

[Alan Pickering-Walters]

Hi Calibbers,

I am looking for examples of a school library constructed from  
multiple portable buildings as one large room.  The two halves of my  
school consolidated over the summer due to declining enrollment.  The  
district  promised to bringing our former cafeteria from the closing  
site and making it our new library media center for K-6.  The building  
sits on a cement foundation, not directly on the ground like most are  
installed.

The issue is I just received an email from the district office  
claiming that the building cannot be used as library because the floor  
is not strong enough to hold our collection of 10,000 library books.   
It sure worked well supporting the weight of 450 4-6 graders, tables  
and benches, kitchen and refrigeration equipment everyday for 10  
years.  The former kitchen space was to become office space as we have  
already taken every conceivable closet space to make an office for our  
specialists to use and we still have folks without any space or  
working out of a classroom.

The building is the equivalent of 3.5 portable classrooms.

We are currently using a regular sized classroom that was our library  
K-3 library. Most of the upper grade materials are still packed as   
the new library space is still unknown.

Does anyone have a library like this and how difficult was the process  
to get it?  I have a meeting on Monday with the three administrators  
who make a final decision.

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

Alan Pickering-Walters
Ruus Elem. School Library
Hayward Unified School District
Hayward, CA
arpw at onlinepw.com