by Joseph Jeffery and British Columbia Teacher-Librarians’ Association (BCTLA) Committee
School Library Design in British Columbia
Abstract
Older models of school library design may fit with a resource-centric approach that past school libraries utilized, but not with the learner-centric model of the school library learning commons. The author, current Canadian School Libraries (CSL) Chair, provides largely Canadian research that shows it is important that the school library learning commons space is designed with participatory instruction in mind. Includes a recent (November 2023-January 2024) survey conducted by the British Columbia Teacher-Librarians’ Association (BCTLA) with teacher-librarians leading to recommendations that address critical aspects to include in school library design and possible usability issues.
Joseph Jeffery is the District Learning Commons Teacher-Librarian in School District 57 – Prince George, BC where he supports teacher-librarians in creating and maintaining information literacy rich library learning commons programming, designing participatory and flexible learning spaces, and developing culturally responsive library learning commons. Joseph holds a Master of Education in Curriculum and Pedagogy specializing in Teacher-Librarianship from the University of Alberta. Joseph is currently serving as the Chair of the Canadian School Libraries Board of Directors. Outside of school, Joseph is an avid gamer of all types from card to tabletop to video games and enjoys being transported to imaginative worlds of science fiction and fantasy as a reader.