WF Education Whitepaper Library Spaces of Tomorrow

The Libraries of Tomorrow.

Creating future-fit, engaging, and inspirational Library spaces and learning environments, is essential to support the development of the next generation.

"The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.“ – Theoretical physicist, Albert Einstein

The Libraries of Tomorrow.

A whitepaper commissioned by WF Education and Gresswell.

Published by WF Education.

Written by Nicola Haw, BSc (Hons) and Rebecca Bradbury BA (Hons).

WF Education are designers and installers of specialised library and learning spaces across the educational landscape.

As part of the WF family of brands, Gresswell offers a comprehensive product range, excellent service, technical support, advice on space planning and supportive resources to save time and ideas to enthuse library users.

Working with librarians we aim to be a respected library partner – helping to shape and inspire the citizens of tomorrow.

Design and production of this whitepaper is copyright WF Education 2021. All rights reserved.

You may print copies of any part of this whitepaper in hard copy if it is for your personal use or for use by others in your organisation and if you do not edit, alter, amend or delete any part of it or combine it with other material.

You may re-copy the material to individual third parties for their information only if you acknowledge WF Education as the source of the information by including such acknowledgement and the website address of WF Education (www.wf-education.com) in the copy of the material AND you inform the third party that the material may not be copied or reproduced in any way.

A pdf copy of this whitepaper is available for download at: www.wf-education.com/blog/the-libraries-of-tomorrow

Foreword

“We have to recognize that human flourishing is not a mechanical process; it’s an organic process. And you cannot predict the outcome of human development. All you can do, like a farmer, is create the conditions under which they will begin to flourish.” ― Sir Ken Robinson

This whitepaper is constructed from research undertaken with schools and colleges in the UK, although we have worked extensively with establishments across the world, and anecdotally at least, the challenges and requirements for library spaces appear to be similar.

There are many excellent reports that cover the health and safety requirements, use of furniture and inclusion of technology in library design for education, which we have utilised alongside our own research.

This whitepaper aims to explore what these spaces are like to visit and obtain information in, and what, if any improvements could be made when designing library spaces. Good design can affect the learning outcomes of students and the wellbeing of students and library staff.

The authors wish to acknowledge the support given by our customers – past and present for invaluable help and advice during the initial research and development work associated with this project.

Huge thanks to our team of Innovation Specialists, Philippe Galland and Matt Evans and our team of talented designers, headed up

by Michaela Lancaster for translating our findings into workable designs.

Introduction

“I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library”

– Short-story writer, essayist, poet and translator, Jorge Luis Borges

As specialists in educational space design, we consider here the requirements unique to these unique spaces and how they are changing.

Designing libraries and learning spaces has become more complex over recent years with the introduction of shared services, self-service, merchandising and e-books, and accepted requirements for spaces for collaboration and to enhance wellbeing. The scope for designing a library space is broad (and will only get broader!) and needs to take a considered, strategic, collaborative approach.

Libraries come in all shapes and sizes. In fact, few building projects are as complex as a library in terms of a mixed audience, equipment, and purpose.

To maintain the utilisation and requirement for libraries and resource centres, the space itself must continue to evolve and adapt.

WF Education and Gresswell set out to better understand the utilisation of specialised library spaces, the challenges, and the hopes for the future of Heads of Department, Librarians, Support Staff, Educational Specialists and Designers from around the UK. Over the last six months, we have conducted a number of discovery interviews and surveyed hundreds of librarians and support staff.

Our research highlights recurring themes from shelving and light to storage and comfort levels and more. We present our findings in this whitepaper.

We have taken the results of our research and used them to influence our team of innovation specialists and designers to design libraries that best support students, the community and a schools underlying ethos.

The History of School Library Spaces Chetham’s Library in Manchester, founded in 1653, is the oldest surviving public library in Britain.

In some ways, school libraries are as old as classrooms, as teachers were often the only people with books, a fact that necessitated sharing. By the 1700’s libraries were considered a key element in the ideal set up.

By the turn of the 20th century, the need for trained, professional librarians in schools was leading to the creation of certification exams and the hiring of the inaugural generation of specialists in school libraries.

Current State The form must follow function. The provision of library facilities can either enhance or impede the learning outcomes of students.

"Bad libraries build collections, good libraries build services, great libraries build communities."

- Professor and Director of the School of Library & Information Science at the University of South Carolina, R. David Lankes

Research by the National Literacy Trust suggests that not only do children who use the school library have a higher reading score, they are also more likely to enjoy reading, to see themselves as good readers and are more motivated to read.

This sector is full of experienced librarians and library managers, with the average length of service amongst our respondents an impressive 14 years.

This wealth of experience and better understanding of student needs has led to improvements in new library design and space planning to ensure spaces are engaging and welcoming.

Once a silent sanctuary of books, new technology and improved design means that spaces are suitable for various applications.

Current State None of our respondents stated that the were ‘very satisfied’ with the size of their library space, 71% of library staff felt ‘unsatisfied or ‘very unsatisfied’ with the overall size of their space.

40% of those surveyed were neither satisfied or dissatisfied with the storage in their library.

But less than 1% stated that their storage was adequate.

The DfE Building Bulletin 103 states at least one library or learning resource centre (LRC) with a total area of at least 9m2 plus 0.05m2 for every primary pupil place and 0.12m2 for every secondary pupil place; we would consider this to be the minimum required as an effective library space.

All library storage solutions are designed with day-to-day functionality in mind, whilst keeping materials and resources safe and secure.

Inadequate or a lack of plentiful fit-for-purpose storage has a real impact on the efficient dayto-day running of a library.

Our survey asked respondents what they liked most about their current library space.

What do you like about your current Library?

Light

Ventilation Size

Aesthetic Overall Space Colour Scheme Shelving Flexibility of Space Computer provision Clear sightlines Display Boards Plentiful seating

Current State Over 50% of those surveyed told us that the amount of light in their library was what they liked most about the space.

30% noted that library size and 30% noted that ventilation was in their top three features.

Also scoring highly (25%) was the chosen colour scheme and overall aesthetic of the library.

Students spend much of their time in various educational environments, and these spaces play a pivotal role in their psychological, physical and social development.

The widely accepted wisdom of the WELL Building Standard™ certification could transform healthy learning environments and improve the wellness and well-being of students, faculties and supporting staff members. WELL measures the attributes of buildings that could impact health by looking at seven factors, which include, air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort and mind.

Poor quality air can lower performance by 10%, a 2006 analysis found. Not only can airless rooms make people who sit in them sick; it drastically reduces productivity too… which isn’t great if students are spending time revising for their exams or studying for prolonged periods.

It is therefore unsurprising that well ventilated spaces rated highly on our survey..

Another important requirement needed to optimise productivity is daylight. Many offices don’t have plentiful or large windows, and it’s a similar situation for learning spaces too.

People who work in a space with windows are exposed to 173% more daylight than those who don’t. That results in an extra 46 minutes of sleep on average every single night – helping with concentration, motivation and productivity.

Light and airy spaces was the most popular response in answer to our question, ‘What do you like most about your current Library?’

Colour is a powerful communication tool and can be used to signal action, influence mood, and even influence physiological reactions.

A careful choice of colour can have a positive impact on the user's ability to learn – the colour of everything, furniture, carpets, and walls could all make a difference.

Current State The top three least liked aspects of a current library space is shelving (29%), inflexibility (25%) and old fashioned/outdated furniture (21%) Poor acoustics (17%) and restricted sightlines (17%) also ranked highly amongst our respondents.

We also asked our respondents what they liked least about their current library space.

This question was posed as a free text field and elicited a much more varied range of responses, focusing on both the physical space that their libraries occupied and the furniture and fixtures within them.

It was interesting to note that the key feature of libraries – shelving was identified as ‘least liked’ feature of those surveyed. Comments ranged from fixed, heavy, inflexible to not enough or unattractive. As such an integral part of a successful library space there is clearly scope for improvement.

What do you like least about your current Library?

Shelving Inflexible Old fashioned/outdated furniture Restricted sightlines Size Poor acoustics Insufficient non-computer study space Lack of storage Lack of display No bean bags Lack of presentation space No whiteboard Too much light for projector Lack of interactive screens Inadequate seating Lack of ventilation

Multi-purpose Spaces

46% of libraries are used to support additional services, EAL, such as exams and trainee teachers.

88% of schools used their libraries as extra teaching space and even more so after the recent restrictions around pupil numbers in classrooms.

67% of schools are using the space for in-house and external events.

Our discovery interview research highlighted that most libraries in educational settings were used for other purposes on a regular basis. Our survey asked ‘How else do you use your Library space?’

Perhaps unsurprisingly, only 3 of the schools we surveyed did not use their library for any other purpose!

Library space is in demand! As well as the expected author visits and book groups, the space is being commandeered for exams, parents evenings, COVID bubble classrooms, office space, a trainee teachers lounge and more.

Libraries are also a useful for area to hire out as a means of generating additional income for the school or providing additional community space.

Space for Teaching?

English was taught in the library in 59% of the schools we surveyed and 33% taught ICT to students.

Research by the National Literacy Trust established the impact a library can have on pupils’ literacy levels; enjoyment of reading; information literacy skills and access to knowledge; on their self esteem, confidence, sense of safety and wellbeing in the school community.

A library encourages students to read for pleasure and find and research resources to assist their own learning and also support teaching and learning across the curriculum.

With 4 out of 5 schools using their libraries for additional teaching space, we asked respondents, which subjects were most usually taught. English and ICT faculties were most commonly found to be sharing the space.

Libraries have a unique and valuable place in schools. For some pupils the library is a haven separate from lessons and more formal learning. There is an argument that the space should be reserved purely as a place of reading and supportive resources, connected but physically separated from classroom space.

Designed for Purpose Our survey revealed that the top 5 on a librarians wish list are:

1. More/better SHELVING (38%) 2. Soft SEATING areas (30%) 3. Better TABLES (25%) 4. Interactive DISPLAY (25%) 5. More STORAGE (21%)

Designing libraries and learning spaces has become more complex over recent years with the introduction of shared services, self-service, merchandising and e-books, and accepted requirements for spaces for collaboration and to enhance wellbeing.

The scope for designing a library space is broad (and will only get broader!) and needs to take a considered, strategic, collaborative approach.

We asked librarians and library support staff, if they could design their own library space with no budget, what would they include that they don’t currently have.

It came as no surprise that the responses were plentiful and varied and mainly focused on improving the student experience.

What would you include that you do not currently have?

More/better shelving Better tables More storage Zoning More display space Book repair area Meeting room A water cooler Soft lighting in reading areas Mobile furniture New carpet Blinds Sound proofing

Designed for Purpose What’s interesting to note here is that even without budgetary restrictions the vast majority of librarians are looking for improvements to the basis of what makes up a successful library space – shelving, seating, tables, display and storage.

According to the Linking School Libraries and Literacy paper – for 56.4% of students, access to reading materials is why they use the library, compared to 37% who use it for the computers Green may positively impact our thinking, our relationships, and our physical health. Green is thought to relieve stress and help heal.

Green can even improve reading ability. In one study, a green light environment improved reading ability in participants, whereas a red light environment reduced reading ability.

Well over a 1/3 of those surveyed wished to improve the shelving they have to display their stock of materials – comments ranged from having mobile shelving, more shelving options, better looking options and to use materials other than metal.

With the SLA recommendation that a secondary school library should stock a minimum of 10 books per pupil it is no surprise that fit-for-purpose shelving that adds to the aesthetic of the space is at the top of library improvement wish lists.

We also asked what colours and materials would be appealing when designing a new library. Overwhelmingly librarians wished the space to be brightly coloured, with natural materials and textures.

As previously mentioned, colour psychology suggests that different colours can evoke psychological reactions. The most popular colour was green which has associations with nature and is often described as refreshing and tranquil.

Flexible Spaces Flexible learning environments give the teacher the ability to adapt the physical space to best support the needs of the student and different learning styles.

A library space should be no different. We asked if spaces that can be reconfigured from one rigid layout would be attractive. 83% of our respondents felt that the ability to reconfigure some or all the furniture elements in their library would improve overall utilisation of the space.

Creating a space for larger events and combining class groups was a particularly common response, as was creating smaller solo study or small study spaces for students to work in.

We also asked, ‘Would group collaboration be used?’. All but two schools said that they would use collaboration spaces in the library.

Would spaces that can be reconfigured be attractive? Our survey says…

The benefits of collaborative learning include: • Improves knowledge acquisition and retention (up to 50%!)

• Self-management and leadership skills • Increases skills and knowledge

“Massively. Our space is completely unmovable.”

• Improves relationships and cooperation

Learna, Librarian and Reading Lead

Classrooms are not the only form of learning space. While the classroom is assumed to be a primary location of learning, data suggests that the majority of student learning activity takes place outside the classroom – with the library a key location.

“Yes, definitely. My existing tables are too large to move at all!”

Philip, College Librarian

“Yes, as long as it is all easy to move!’

Katharine, Librarian

• Promotes engagement

Treating the whole campus as a learning environment and creatively utilizing any area to encourage students to explore other options for study is a key consideration for space design at WF.

Student Needs

Optimum Student Wellbeing

As we demonstrate in our ‘Student Needs’ section, consulting young people about what they like and dislike about the library space can also throw up some interesting points that simple design considerations could address to improve the learning experience.

Space is a powerful tool to foster engagement, inspire innovation, and drive outcomes. Our ethos is to empower those with the responsibility for shaping spaces to design future flexible environments.

Physical Wellbeing

Adapting and designing spaces to best support student learning is at the heart of this exercise.

Mental Wellbeing

Social Wellbeing

We asked librarians both during discovery interviews and the survey what it was about their library that their students liked and disliked most.

It is interesting to note that a handful of our respondents had not previously considered their students opinion of their surroundings.

25% of librarians felt that it was both the larger space to move around and the availability of comfortable seating that drew students into spending time in the library, ¼ of respondents also highlighted that the library is considered a ‘safe, friendly space’.

Of the majority that offered an opinion, there were a number of consistent themes.

Librarians felt it was the easy access to computers that was the most attractive (30%).

As digital natives' today’s students are used to being able to instantly access information, when they want it. Something they are not always able to do in a lesson environment.

Students come in all shapes, sizes and heights, and particularly through the teenage years, the disparity is most obvious. A growing body of research demonstrates that physiological comfort and wellbeing has a strong impact upon attainment and productivity.

The survey highlighted the importance of the physical environment and how it affects the enjoyment of spending time in school environments.

Student Needs

Another aspect that librarians felt students did not enjoy was a lack of access to the space when they wanted it – due to the space being used for lessons, exams, etc.

It is, therefore, no real surprise that students sought out a space where they had more readily available access to comfortable or active seating, outside of the classroom.

A survey carried out by the National Union of Students in November 2020 found that over half of students say their mental health is worse than before the pandemic, and the Sutton Trust reported that 70 per cent of students were concerned about their mental health and wellbeing.

A quarter of the librarians we surveyed felt that students appreciated the library as a ‘safe and friendly space’. The importance of this service should not be underestimated, and more support should be offered to staff to best support students.

When asked what their students disliked, the top two answers were that the space itself was not big enough and that a lack of sound proofing meant the noise levels could become unacceptable and distracting.

A ¼ of Librarians thought that integrating more interactive technology, digital displays and computers into the more traditional library setting would increase their student's engagement.

Holograms, interactive screens, vein authentication, AR, VR, foldable and bendable screens, robots, drones, and smart translators could all be part of the library's future!

Our research highlighted that design decisions taken and implemented when originally creating the library had a negative affect on the ease of teaching and learning in the resulting space.

Most of the negative points raised in the survey were not difficult and, in most cases, were inexpensive to resolve. For example, lack of solo study space and uncomfortable seating scored highly as a negative in 17% of those surveyed.

We asked what other elements could increase student engagement. Answers echoed those previously discussed but the top response was to increase the number of display areas on offer in the space – either fixed or mobile.

Student Needs What do students like about your current library?

Computers Safe, friendly space Comfortable seating Space Lots of books Bright and colourful Peace and quiet Manga books Generous desk space Clear sightlines Social areas View

What do students least like about your current library?

Too small Too noisy Seating arrangements Lack of study space Inaccessible at certain times Not enough copies of bestsellers Younger students can't reach top shelf Old fashioned and dull Lack of private areas Uncomfortable seating

Catalogue system Round tables

Render

A WF Education Library Space?

"Libraries store the energy that fuels the imagination. They open up windows to the world and inspire us to explore and achieve and contribute to improving our quality of life."

- American writer and producer, Sidney Sheldon

A WF Library design creates an environment for pupils to learn, discover and enjoy exploring.

We design and install libraries that integrate all delivery and health and safety requirements with adaptable layouts for reading, presentation, collaboration and quiet study.

We work with you to understand your requirements and create layouts perfect for your space and application.

Traditional, fixed layouts can be restrictive and not conducive to evolving pedagogy. Our range offers you the choice to select the layout, furniture, and equipment best suited to you.

Our turnkey service means that as well as design and installation, WF Education offers a wide range of suitable quality library equipment and consumables to complete your project.

Effective Library Departments

Larger more open spaces offer more potential for flexibility than smaller areas.

Fewer fixed structures also offer more future flexibility.

Buying cheap furniture and fittings will probably turn out to be very expensive over a 25year lifetime.

We’ve listened. Our ‘Design and Install’ service has been created to assist and develop the considerations of librarians, educators, advisers, architects, and designers.

Librarians require a learning environment that will assist students to establish a sound knowledge base and skill set to enhance their learning and foster a lifelong love of reading and enquiry.

The Everna™ Range:

Limitless combinations of application, colour, and configuration to create unique learning spaces.

Your space. Your design. The Everna™ range has been developed for you to select a layout that works for the physical space, its application and utilisation. Easily select and configure the solution that works for your needs.

More than just shelving! From a wide range of options, you can create different zones and aesthetics by combining different inserts to create a bespoke design.

Why choose Everna™?

• • • • •

Easy to configure – your space, your design Wide choice of options, colours and finishes Adapts to ALL spaces Peace of mind – UK quality manufactured And finally… it looks great!

It doesn’t matter how big your space is. The shape of it. Or the use; the Everna™ system will easily support to your specific requirements. Making it versatile in design and endlessly adaptable.

Inspire and engage your students and staff, maximising utilisation and create spaces that are truly unique to your school. wf-education.com/solutions/everna

Discuss Your Space Together we can create amazing libraries…

Whether you require a full fit-out in a new build, to upgrade part of an existing library or refurbish a whole new learning space, we offer you a complete turnkey service including: • Preparation of library designs and layouts • Consultancy on space planning, library furniture, equipment, and associated installations • Expert Project Management • Quality and Safety Management We will provide you with all the help you need, from planning your library layout design right through to installation, aftercare and maintenance.

Contact us…

References and Useful Links: "Google can bring you back 100,000 answers, a librarian can bring you back the right one."

- Author, Neil Gaiman

National Literacy Trust - Children and Young People’s reading (2016) DfE - Area guidelines for mainstream schools (Building Bulletin 103) (2014) International WELL Building Institute™ - https://standard.wellcertified.com/well National Literacy Trust/Museum Libraries and Archives - School Libraries: A plan for improvement (2010) Clark, C. - Linking School Libraries and Literacy: Young people’s reading habits and attitudes to their school library (2010)