If you think of a classroom library as a cozy, welcoming space where students can read quietly or browse through a rich collection of texts, you are only partially correct. The fact that classroom libraries are places for storage and quiet is only one small part of their purpose. They are the backbone of classroom activity.
When it comes to school libraries, at any age level, there’s been a large focus providing more than just a place to study or checkout a book. Many school libraries seem to compete with one another to offer the most options for students and patrons.
There are many factors when repurposing libraries and selecting school library shelving. Sometimes it’s not about making room for more collections, but reducing your storage space all together. Many school libraries are going digital and providing downloadable options for current and future collections. By reducing paper storage of books and archives, it allows for libraries to use that space for other things like: collaboration Workspaces, cafes and digital media labs.
Shelving is about so much more than storage. So many shelving systems look like warehouse racking whereas the purpose of shelving in a library is not just to house lots of books – it is to display them attractively. Everything about library shelves is designed to make your books look good so students want to pick them up and read them.
Shelving often takes up about half of a library’s space, if not more. To use this space as efficiently as possible, many libraries are turning to compact shelving for the storage of books, journals, magazines, DVDs and CDs, among the other items you might find.
Compact Library Shelves allow you to store more books in less space. If you are looking to expand your library, possibly adding a cafe, collaboration areas, study carrels or computer stations, compact library shelving can help you consolidate storage and use the space you have more efficiently.
Shelving can even go as far as doubling the amount of storage you have per square foot. You can also consider compact shelving for the areas where patrons and students store their things while spending time at your library, giving you the full benefit of efficiency.
If you are remodeling or building a new library, using an efficient shelving system can open the door for cost-saving benefits that would otherwise be difficult or impossible. You can keep your construction costs down when building a new facility by building smaller and using more efficient storage methods. Having a smaller, more efficiently used space also gives you the benefit of lower operational and energy costs.
When you reduce your space needs with compact shelving, you can reduce your usage of energy. Compact library shelving can be a vital aspect of energy-saving strategies, as using less space means building a potentially smaller building, not having to expand, and heating and lighting less space.
Storing items consumes the most space in the library — premium space that you would like to use. Turning to a balance of compact library shelving and creative space can help you take advantage of this space and still maintain a highly accessible library.
