[CALIBK12] HS Circulation desks

[Blanche Woolls]

Sandy,

What a challenge you are facing. The really good thing is that they are 
going to have a double-wide trailer, not a storage locker at Public 
Storage.

Why a circulation desk in the middle of the room? Is that the architect's 
idea? A circulation desk needs to be near the door the students leave by 
if for no other reason than to remind them to check out their books. Using 
the amount of space that a circular desk will take, unless you are really 
getting more square footage, is a lot of space for a one-use item. I'm 
sure the architect plans to make this his/her "statement" and this will 
give you concern until you can figure out what to do with a large piece of 
furniture in the middle of the room. Sort of reminds me of the old Library 
of Congress building with the gorgeous dome above the circulation desk in 
the middle of the room with all those cut little tables, each with lamp in 
circles around it.

While you are in this double wide trailer, where will reference and online 
searching be done? If that's the purpose of the double-wide, then get your 
teachers to help you figure out how to make curriculum-based collections 
that can be stored and pulled when that unit is being taught. Get your 
teachers to help you with your decision-making. They are going to 
understand better your situation if they have a part in the execution.

Does the school have a big study hall or cafeteria? Move some shelving and 
your fiction collection there and let a student from that big study hall 
handle circulation. It's always been a thought of mine that a coffee break 
in the cafeterial made more sense than study hall since most of us don't 
have a study hall once we leave high school. They might like to read a 
book if one was at their elbow. And, if you are worrying about losing 
books, think about how they will be two years older when the library is 
all back together. If you lost one or two, it wouldn't be the end of the 
world. If you have teachers who have students read certain kinds of 
fiction books in the year, box those up and store them (maybe in the back 
of that teacher's classroom.

Blanche

On Tue, 2 Dec 2008, Sandy Beerman wrote:

> Hello everyone!
> 
> I was just informed that I will be getting a new addition to my library beginning in
> August 09.  I have a couple of questions for this group:
>
>       1.   Does anyone know of a good companies to use to order a new
>       circulation desk? I will need a circular configuration since it will be
>       placed in the middle of the old  and the new room.
> 
>
>       2.  I have also been informed that I will be removed from my library for 2
>       whole years for the construction to take place. Needless to say I am a bit
>       worried about working with teachers from a double wide trailer that can
>       only house a small amount of my collection.
>           Can anyone share how they may have handled a similar situation? I am
>       concerned about losing all of the ground work I have set getting teachers
>       to collaborate with me up to this point. I am told I will be placed in a
>        small double wide trailer. I want to ensure teachers don?t forget what a
>       great resource the library continues to be even when I am displaced? Any
>       suggestions?
>
>       Any insight you can provide will be greatly appreciated.
>
>       Sandy Beerman
>       Rosemead High School
> 
> 
>