Our administrators are in dire need of office space/classroom space for a staff member.  Several weeks ago I was told to clean out our very limited (229 sq. ft.) AV workroom/secure storage area/ production room by next fall so that it could be put to other use.

I have done my professional best by preparing informational materials for my principal in order to educate her about what this space is used for (we ARE in the process of cleaning out what is now out-dated/unused…but, that is on-going), the supplies, materials and equipment housed there, the services we provide which are supported by its content and the impact on services when the room is no longer available to us.

It also occurred to me that it might be interesting to find out if there are any  library media centers in the state with no differentiated designated space for such use (always formerly recommended, but, with changing and emerging technologies, and facilities design and concepts morphing to accommodate, I wondering what is available to other schools.

We renovated in 2000 and moved from a small, but well-designed LMC to a spacious, light, lovely facility—with little practical work space.  The 229 sq. ft “AV room” was actually intended to be my office…the architect wasn’t listening or heeding our advice on the need for AV.  I gave up the space and crowded in our other (very small) office with other staff, office equipment and periodical storage stacks. The AV room continues to be a very well used area for our purposes.  Losing it will drop us below what used to be state standards in 2000.

Input please!

Jean Alvarez-Calderon

Library Media Specialist

Granby Memorial High School

860-844-3014 (Media Center option 5)

calderonj@granby.k12.ct.us