Tuesday, August 24, 2010

BER - the first tour!

Library - external

Yesterday, as I informed an outdoor assembly of the students of the results of the 2010 CBCA Awards for Book Week, work continued on our new BER (Building the Education Revolution) school library at my school. They are now starting to prepare the grounds for paths and covered walkways.

Last Thursday, I had my first tour through the site, and was able to get the inside scoop! It's really coming together in there!

Library - main doorway

These wooden boards are protecting the new glass double doors of the main entrance. Behind me, an external vestibule area - complete with a toilet (luxury!) and a staff/grade/"special programs" room - is taking shape. This meeting room has very generous storerooms, and will have a sink and an interactive whiteboard. We are getting this room because there was no way to use BER funding to overhaul the existing staffroom. Adding this area onto the library plan has given the building some character, especially when compared to the long, rickety tin box of a demountable library - which the school was so used to having around, for over two decades.


Library circulation
This will become the spacious library office and circulation areas.

An IWB (the second one in the building) shall be installed on the far wall, about where that ladder is standing.

Library office
I venture into my office for the first time!

Library - internal
Circulation, as viewed from the location of the library's IWB.

Library exit
Yes, we will still have a second door for faster exits.

Down the other end of the school, a matching building, comprising a modern double classroom, with wet areas, storerooms and a glassed-in, shared withdrawal teaching space, is almost complete!

Hand-over of the new buildings may be only about six weeks away, but I'm not holding my breath. I know that many school libraries are ordering shelving and furniture at the same time and I guess some delays will be inevitable. But the new library is really coming. We can almost smell it!

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