Renovations on the Western Brown High School library space began this summer. Photo courtesy of Trenton MacMillan
Summer break is underway for Western Brown High School, and for most students (and teachers), it means that they can catch a break and enjoy the summer sun. However, while students are enjoying their time off, there will be something else keeping staff on their toes. The school library is being renovated into a newer, more resourceful space.
First of all, the library will still be accessible.
The space for the library is changing, but there is still plenty of room for students to do anything that they would have done in the old library, such as reading, studying, chatting, or looking for new books. There will still be fiction books back on the shelves, and a streamlined nonfiction section, according to Lori Turner, the school’s librarian. Even if students want to read a book that they remember seeing last year that is not on shelves, they can request it from a storage room, where books will be held.
An addition to this new space is a multi-purpose room, which was before a regular storage room, and was mostly kept off limits to students. An interview with Turner revealed that there will be a green screen, equipment for recording and producing videos, such as spots for tripods and lights, all reserved in a closed off room where students do not have to worry about noise or clutter interfering with their projects.
“The idea is to make it more appealing for students to work and collaborate, while still offering private areas for students who want some time to study or read on their own,” said Turner.
However, the most ambitious project to this redesigned area is the new coffee shop. A room that was first designed as a closed-off and private meeting room is now being transformed into a space where students can get work experience directly from the school due to it becoming a spot to sell coffee. It conveniently also has a window, similar to a cafeteria tray return window, where the coffee sellers can place fresh drinks for students, in order to reduce clutter. One other feature about this spot is that the students are encouraged to sell school merchandise created by the students, such as hats and shirts with the school’s mascot on it, to encourage school spirit.
This new coffee shop approach is due to the new academic courses that will introduce upper-classmen into skills necessary for the workfield, while still providing enough guidance to ease them into it softly, and with the comfort of continuing to be under the roof of the high school. Classes will be held twice a day for upperclassmen where their curriculum will be focused on learning various business operations techniques, claims one of the business teachers for the school who is also a huge contributor to the new idea.
The interview has also established that there are other additions to this new workspace, such as a dedicated area for presentations, which will have round horseshoe tables, so it is easier for students to see the presentations, while also maintaining a sense of school spirit with the Bronco mascot. It has also been revealed that the internal design of the new workspace will change, ranging from charging tables, to mobile white boards, to more comfortable seating, to a new open ceiling approach.
Students and staff members alike are ready for the new change in the library area, and hope that students find confidence in using the new school workspace and resources.
