Last week was a stressful one, but one big success was the long-awaited installation of our new shelving units in the lower library walkway. I’ve invested a significant amount of time and our library budget in beautifying our library over the past few years, and this was the next step in the process.
When I first came into the library, I managed to scavenge some old desks that were being removed from one of our classrooms and for the last few years they were the site of my new release and themed book displays. While they got the job done, they were messy, didn’t match each other or the rest of the furniture, and required shelf risers to create visual interest. Additionally, students would crawl into the space underneath and staff tended to move the books to sit at the desks during meetings without putting them back afterwards, which created more work for me since I was continuously having to redo the displays.
The new shelves were expensive, but worth every cent! Not only do they now match the other furniture, but they’re easily adjustable to allow for book displays while allowing space for our games to be visible underneath, which will allow me to remove our old, tacky games cupboard. I also love that they have reversible shelves, which means I can have them flat or slanted to create visual interest.
I’m still in the process of adding the finishing touches, but so many people (including our Principal) have taken the time to comment on how nice they look. Along with the new carpet and paint job installed last year, this old 70s library is starting to feel like a modern, professional library! I was so excited I even made a CapCut video to celebrate, which will eventually go on our social media platforms to advertise the space to our school community.
My experience with these shelves just goes to show that our library spaces are important advocacy tools, and creating an inviting, professional-looking space is not just about resource management; it can also go a long way in advertising our own professionalism.