Reimagining Library Spaces: Transform Your Space on any Budget

Rechs, Catherine

Rendina, D. L. (2017). Reimagining library spaces: Transform your space on any budget. Portland, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.

Summary: This is a book written by a teacher librarian located in Oregon. She spent several years working on transforming her library from a dusty "traditional" book-cave to one that provides space for 21st century learning and learners. She details the steps she took in planning, getting buy in from stakeholders, securing funding and finally transforming her library. She also does a wonderful job showing the huge steps she took but then offering smaller, easier to achieve steps that one can take with less money and time. She discusses the importance of weeding and developing a good collection, making space for collaboration as well as quiet space, integrating technology and makerspaces.  

Opinion: I found this book to be incredibly inspirational. I've already implemented some of the smaller ideas she suggests, such as a lego wall and flexible seating and extensive weeding, and have a 5-year plan in place to achieve the larger goals like a technology lab and larger makerspace. The photos are helpful, although I would have loved them to have been higher quality, some of them were small and grainy. I also really appreciated how she addressed the wide variety of situations in various schools - like BYOD schools, 1-1 schools, Title 1 schools, private schools etc.