5 ways to maximize space in a school library

School libraries play a vital role in creating a supportive learning environment for students. They offer a space where students can access resources and engage in meaningful learning experiences.

A well-designed library not only provides a comfortable and inclusive atmosphere but also helps to foster creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking, through the use of innovative and practical furniture solutions. These solutions can help to increase efficiency, reduce stress, and create a dynamic and organized learning environment.

Libraries must be designed with ergonomic furniture, ample lighting, and a comfortable temperature to create an environment conducive to learning and research. Moreover, a library designed to meet the needs of students with disabilities, such as adjustable height tables and comfortable seating, can promote inclusiveness and accessibility.

Maximising space utilisation in a school library can be challenging, but with the right furniture, it's easier than you think. Here are five ways to utilise the furniture to its full potential and create a functional, stylish, and organised library environment that promotes learning and creativity.

1. Mobile Bookcases

Bookcases are a staple in every library, but traditional ones can take up a lot of floor space and limit the number of books that can be stored. Using furniture pieces with castors allows you to create different learning spaces by relocating the units depending on the activities you are working on.

Our recommendations: 

       

2. Comfortable Lounges with Built-in Storage

Adding comfortable lounges to your library creates a cosy reading nook and extra seating for students. Look for lounges with built-in storage to keep books, magazines, and other materials organised, saving floor space and making the library look tidy.

Our Recommendation:

3. Space-Saving Storage Solutions

Instead of cluttering your library with piles of books, consider incorporating storage solutions that make the most of your floor space. From rolling carts to wall-mounted shelving, there are plenty of options to choose from that are both practical and stylish.

Our Recommendation:

       

4. Multi-Purpose Furniture

Maximise your library's functionality by choosing pieces that serve multiple purposes. Consider adaptable tables and lounges that integrate with other furniture.

Our Recommendation:

5. Collaborative Furniture

Encourage group work and collaboration by incorporating furniture that encourages interaction and teamwork. This type of furniture creates a welcoming atmosphere and fosters creativity and collaboration among students. From round tables to comfortable couches, there are many options to choose from that promote a sense of community in your library.

Our Recommendation:

       

A library that has a proper layout and organisation can increase efficiency and reduce stress for students and staff alike. In short, investing in a well-designed library is not just about improving the appearance of the learning space; it's about creating a functional and supportive environment that promotes collaboration, creativity, and wellness.

The right furniture solution can transform your school library into a dynamic, organised, and functional space that promotes learning and creativity. Invest in innovative library furniture today to optimise space utilisation, increase functionality, and enhance the overall aesthetic of your library.

Our Projects: Peter Carnley Anglican Community School

Peter Carnley Anglican Community School's latest addition to their already impressive facilities, is ‘The Hub’, an Innovative and flexible learning centre. This space includes a senior reading lounge, collaborative spaces for E-learning, meeting/multi-purpose rooms, and a junior library area. The Office Line team worked hard to design and furnish a magnificent space which promotes creativity and collaboration, and exceed the school’s needs and expectations. 

COLOURS AND FABRICS

Finishes are a very important part of our projects. In this case our interior design team selected Laminex’s Seasoned Oak, a soft warm oak with subtle grain, and Warwick Fabric’s Gravity range in Pomegranate, Navy and Forest shades. The Gravity fabric was chosen for its heavy commercial properties, calm muted tones, and subtle tactile herringbone texture. These selections help the educational furniture support flexible learning and create a comfortable and inviting space for students to learn, read and collaborate. 

SENIOR READING LOUNGE

We designed a comfortable, open space that takes advantage of natural light coming in from the 12m span of windows. The curved Spectator Bookcase Collection with round I.AM tables and Eduflex Ottomans creates a perfect area for students to sit and work together, with ample shelving and relaxed bench seating below the windowsill. Ponder Lounges and joiner ottomans are also used as casual seating throughout the learning space, with a low 850h back and many configuration options to suit different group sizes. 

Design Proposal:

       

       

MAIN COLLABORATIVE SPACE

This 21st century learning space was designed to be flexible and encourage students to share ideas and engage in E-learning activities. It’s thrilling to see students fill this area with colours and vibrancy as they interact freely. The large U-Shaped Spectator Bench Setting seats up to 32 students and the wrap around benching combined with Eduflex Laptop Tables in the centre enable the use of devices, and foster the open, collaborative nature of this learning space. 

Design Proposal:

Final Results:

       

THE JUNIOR FICTION

This area is benchmarked by a Office Line’s Swell Collection, that was designed and manufactured specifically for the project. It offers 3 tiers of seating with 3 different heights: 300h, 450h and 600h for students to sit, read and learn in their own way. This space also has clusters of Spectator Bookcase Lounges in 90-degree segments around circular I.AM tables that provide an attractive surface for all reading, learning and creative activities of the younger students. 

Design Proposal:

Final Results:

       

       

Office Line’s portion of this fantastic project was successfully completed on time and within budget, fully meeting our clients expectation. Our team is delighted with the final outcome and would like to thank the school management for their trust and support throughout the process. Their confidence in the team's expertise in design and product selection was instrumental in the success of the project, and we were proud to be able to support their expectation along the journey with our market leading communication and personal support.

At Office Line we genuinely care about our clients!  

Our Projects: Salvado Catholic College

Salvado Catholic College have been a loyal customer of Office Line’s for many years. We are proud of the work we have done on learning area designs and layouts, and the manufacture of the educational furniture within the school. We have witnessed the growth of Salvado Catholic College from it’s opening in 2016 until now and feel privileged to be part of their journey.

The power of flexible learning spaces

In recent years, more schools are beginning to adopt learning spaces that allow students to work in different spaces that facilitate more open-ended learning and collaboration. Students and teachers alike have been celebrating these new types of learning environments that encourage students to take ownership over their own learning and be accountable for their own education.

The idea of letting children play and learn without the constraints of a formal classroom is not new; both Montessori and Waldorf schools, for example, are based on this idea. But it has been difficult to measure the effect these environments have comparing with a traditional classroom setting.

A study performed by the Gensler Research Institute measured the impact on students' attention and engagement in an enhanced learning environment, one that was flexible and mobile enough to provide students with opportunities to choose their own activities, learn from one another, and engage in hands-on work. The results found that students in the enhanced space spent less time learning from the teacher and more from one another and by themselves, reporting an increase in the efficacy across all learning modes—that is, an improvement in their ability to focus, collaborate, acquire, and convey information in the learning space.

The research also showed a higher productivity and commitment, thanks to the feeling of support by having the chance to work collaboratively with one another in a social setting and experiencing greater feelings of connectedness, which further create a positive association toward the school itself.

In addition to this, the role of presenter seamlessly shifts between teacher and student; as such, they were able to interact with the material at a deeper level than they could have when they were passive receptacles for information.

If you're interested in creating your own flexible learning space, there are some simple changes you can make. Many people are surprised to find that there is a huge difference between an ordinary classroom and a classroom designed to allow for flexibility in learning.

At Office Line, we believe education can be transformed by design, which is why our goal is to create spaces that support collaboration, bring students and teachers together and encourage creativity, our expertise can help you create the perfect space for your school.

Our experts are ready to assist you on the journey. give us a call 1800 762 460 or email us: info@officeline.com.au

Newman College Case Study

Newman College embraces creativity and innovation in their learning spaces and knows how important these environments are to the education, wellbeing and interactions of their students. That is why we, at Office Line, felt privileged to be able to support them in refurbishing their main learning Hub.

The St John Henry Newman Learning Hub is a key facility at Newman College, featuring a main open plan learning space, with breakout rooms, meeting areas and lecture theatre branching off. The three-story building provides modern collaboration spaces, and state of the art learning resources for students to work together and individually.

Our Projects: St. George's Anglican Grammar School