Analysis of Facilities

Overall Learning Climate

The learning climate at Taylors Creek Elementary Schools Library has high expectations
of its students. This library is large, bright with plenty of natural light. The physical space has a
sufficient amount of tables for social collaboration and properly lined bookshelves for children to
access resources for curriculum, academic, and personal needs. It offers educational resources
and materials such as computer laptops, iPads, etc. that students are able to utilize in an active
learning space. They learn problem solving and critical thinking skills while using the inquiry
learning model. The library collection includes large print, fiction, non-fiction, junior fiction,
newspapers, audio books, and reference materials. All students have access to iPads, but only
grades 4 and 5 can check these devices out and take them home. Students use Study Island,
Moby Max, and BrainPop. They also use Myon and Follett Shelf at home to access the schools
catalog and eBooks. There is a work resource room for teachers to work on projects. The library
contains large tables in the back, which enable librarians to meet with teachers and teachers to
collaborate with peers.

Furnishings
Taylors Creek Elementary strives to make the library as inviting and comfortable for all
patrons. The lighting is soft, however, the fluorescent lighting is bright enough for reading yet
budget friendly at the same time. There are several windows to allow for natural light, which
makes the library warm and cozy. The library is quiet creating an environment that encourages
concentration, but the traffic inside is barren and lonely. The temperature is controlled by the

Media Specialist and is comfortable for students. A dehumidifier is used to control the humidity
for the safety of books and media materials.

Accessibility
The Media Center is available for the entire population of Taylors Creek Elementary.
Although the Media Specialist is available to assist those with special needs, there are no
specifically marked sections of the media center for the special needs population.

Analysis of Virtual Facilities

Resources
Using SLMC and OPACS provides the user with endless resources. It opens the door to
literature that was once limited to one library, now the information is accessed through many
facets. The patron can access resources from the nearest library to a library across the country. A
book can be located at several libraries to meet the needs of the user.

Filtering Software
Filtering software is important in school media centers because it blocks access to
materials that are inappropriate for its users. The Media Specialist determines what is appropriate
and what is not. With the use of software filtering programs, the media specialist blocks material
that would be offensive and inappropriate for the user.

Analysis of Needed Changes

Effective Elements In Place

Taylors Creek Media Center is full of resources- books of all sorts, die-cuts and printers
for staff, a fun reading house, generous workspace, and student computers. Most students can
navigate the library with ease due to genre labeling, low and uncrowded shelves, and an easy-touse LMS. Teachers come to the library to check out professional development literature,
technology, print posters, copy papers, and to use the multitude of die-cuts. Additionally,
students are allowed to come to the media center anytime they wish with teacher permission and
the librarian meets with classes regularly for lessons on how to access more resources or reading
comprehension.

Needed Changes and Barriers

While the media center at Taylors Creek Elementary is filled with resources, they may
not be accessible by all populations. The narrow shelves are not maneuverable in a wheelchair
because there is only one way to enter and exit the row. Also, the reading house is geared toward
PK-2 able-bodied children. Besides the white chairs at the front of the library, there is no
alternative seating geared toward grades 3-5. In addition, genre labeling the shelves serves the
literate population well, but does not provide ease of access to emergent readers. In terms of the
overall design and feel of the library, it lacks aesthetically. There is little color, other than the
overwhelming wood tones of the shelves and tables. Furthermore, the teacher resource area,
while a great space to access printing and die-cuts, does not provide a usable work area for
teachers to plan or meet. The area is too full of storage and clutter to be a conducive and inviting
area that teachers would want to be. To improve the library at Taylors Creek, a movement
toward a learning commons should be made. Small changes, such as providing different types of
student seating, and picture cues on genre labels could be implemented immediately with little

cost. Larger changes, like obtaining wheelchair-friendly shelving, updating the circulation area,
and modernizing the furniture, would have to take place over the summer and would require a lot
of time, money, and manpower.

Analysis of Additional Items

Student Learning
The media environment as it stands is weakly conducive to student learning and teacher
use. The media center is bare-boned and provides the necessary resources. There are plenty of
print resources, technology can be checked out, there are student workstations, and teacher work
areas. But the library is transactional, not transformational. The library lacks design, comfortable
seating, equitable access to students with disabilities, and a place for students to create and
thrive.

Attractiveness of Facility
The Media Center at Taylors Creek is very plain for an elementary school. The signage
has not been updated in many years, and it is placed up high out of students sight. There is not
ample comfortable seating for students for pleasure reading. There is a lovely wooden porch
front that was built for storytime, however that is not what our current Media Specialist uses it
for. There are some contemporary style chairs mixed in with rocking chairs on the porch along
with some dingy looking pillows. Books are crowded on the tops of shelves and not even located
in the correct areas for students to find them with ease.

Positive Climate

The educational climate is not necessarily negative, but not completely positive either.
The students are not always greeted when arriving in the Media Center. Productive conversation
is deemed too noisy by the Media Specialist. It is a restrained environment.

Accessibility to Individuals, Small Groups, and Classes

There is adequate space for students and groups; however the layout could be better.
There is not one table or section that can hold a single upper grade class. Students have to sit on
the floor for an activity because of the lack of seating. Smaller classes, in the younger grades,
would be able to be accommodated.