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Penny Mullin

LIS 540

9/18/2022

Facilities Plan

Mullin Middle Metamorphosis of 2023

Executive Summary

In accordance with Mullin Middle School’s vision of “Striving for the Future Daily,” the Mullin

Middle School Library Facility Plan of 2023 will propose to update our library to the next level

in accordance with the 21st century school library. The plan will detail necessary updates, needs,

budget, timeline, and what positives are expected after the completion of this renovation. We

intend to update technology to include the following: increase the amount of desktop computers

and update them, include printer/ scanners, add a professional area with a computer for staff, and

interactive whiteboards with ceiling projectors. We intend to improve student interactions and

meetings by updating the main lesson area tables, creating a reading space, social area, and

meeting room for small groups, studying, and staff. To provide these quiet spaces, we propose to

utilize two of the storage rooms by renovating the interior wall with windows for supervision

purposes and including comfortable seating and furniture.

Introduction

Mullin Middle School was built in 1973 in Nederland, TX and includes grades 5-8. The total

population is 800 students with one full time librarian for the entire middle school. Mullin

Middle School is an innovative school with an impressive desire for creativity, knowledge, and
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advancement hence the school slogan of “Striving for the Future Daily.” This is evidenced by the

teacher’s passion for executing lessons that are hands-on and outside of the box as well as

students’ vast interests. The library is located near the entrance of the school and is an area that

many students gravitate to before and after school as a place to socialize with others and to tackle

assignments and projects. Mullin Middle School is located in the middle of a growing

neighborhood in size and diversity. It is a school that is highly regarded in the community for its

reputation of student success, commitment to excellence, and drive for innovation.

Needs Statement

Mullin Middle School library is in great need of updated technology, comfortable seating areas

for reading and socializing, and an area for quiet activities such as studying, small groups, or

meetings to serve our current students and students for years to come. Since Mullin Middle

School is an older school, the last renovation that took place in 2018 focused on more practical

needs of the library such as new carpet, updating shelving, and window treatment replacement.

However, the structure of the library has never been renovated since its conception, and the

technology has not been updated since 2001. There have been significant advancements in

technology in the past 21 years which leaves our student population at a disadvantage in their

education. It is no longer adequate to have a few computers for research and assignments or a

simple whiteboard for library lessons and collaborations. The students need updated computers

and more of them, scanners/printers, more outlets, and interactive whiteboards with projectors.

The librarian also needs one up to date laptop to successfully teach and collaborate with teachers

for lessons with appropriate technology. Not only has technology improved, but the purpose of

the library continues to evolve year after year. The 21st century library is not only an information

hub but is also a meeting place for students for a variety of reasons: socialization, reading,
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individual and group work, and creativity. As we see many students flock to the library before

and after school, it is of dire importance that we focus on making the library a place that will

more sufficiently meet their needs and wants. This can be done by adding a comfortable reading

space, a social area, and a quiet room for small groups and meetings. The current library does not

have areas for any of this but rather groups all students together in the main lesson area in the

middle of the library. This can cause varying levels of noise which for some can be distracting

and difficult and is not a very comfortable, inviting environment for all. The library should be a

place that is enticing, enjoyable, stimulating, as well as helpful, and this plan is a ticket to

making that happen for the students.

Project Description

According to Rex of the South Carolina Department of Education, our library is missing several

important components of the 21st century library such as an updated information-reference and

production area, reading area, professional area, social area, and a meeting room (2009). The

committee proposes to overhaul around 45% of the current floor plan to include more computers,

printer/scanners, more outlets, a professional work area for teachers and staff with shelving, new

furniture for the main lesson area with 6 rectangular tables to replace the circle tables, a

comfortable reading area with shelving, bean bags, couch, chair, and end tables, a social area

with 4 sitting booths, and a small group area with a meeting table. The committee is inspired by

current research that “the library media center is typically the largest classroom in the school

building and has the potential to be the school’s community center” (Grigsby 2015). Some of this

will be achieved by simply adjusting the space accordingly, but to properly renovate two of the

current storage rooms into a social area and small group area, there will need to be construction

done to 50% of the interior office wall to add large, industrial windows as well as adding more
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outlets. The committee also proposes to update technology to current standards with 9 new

desktop computers and workstations to be used by students and staff, a new laptop for the

librarian, two interactive whiteboards with ceiling mounted projectors and adding 4 updated

printer/scanners. Creating an updated information-reference/ production area as well as a

professional area for staff is paramount as “library users expect to find vast amounts of

information quickly and easily” (Palowsky & Ryan, 2016). According to Sullivan (2015), “New

school libraries need to evolve and mutate into something new that will be enduring for a new

generation of learners” (p. 5). The committee desires to emulate this sentiment by updating the

Mullin Middle School library as soon as possible.

Budget

The committee will be seeking $50,000 to accomplish the necessary renovations of Mullin

Middle School library. For the partial renovation of the offices wall to include installing multiple

large windows and re-painting as well as extra outlets throughout the library, the estimated cost

is $14,000. The cost of the updated technology of 9 new computers, 1 laptop, 4 printer scanners,

2 ceiling mounted projects, and 2 interactive whiteboards, the committee is seeking is $14,900.

For the furniture necessary to update and create new spaces in the library to include new chairs, 9

cubicles, 6 rectangular tables, 3 bean bags, 2 end tables, an upholstered chair, a loveseat, 4

booths, a meeting room table, and 2 bookshelves, the estimated cost is $21,100.

Project Timeline

As the committee is asking for a partial renovation to one wall and otherwise updating

technology and furniture, the estimated time to complete this project will be in the summer of

2023. The partial renovation of the office wall will take roughly 6 weeks to complete, beginning
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at the end of May 2023 and being completed in the middle of July 2023. The furniture and

technology for the main lesson area, comfortable reading area, information-reference/ production

area, and professional area can be ordered as soon as possible and be assembled and integrated

throughout the school year as the items arrive. The furniture and technology needed for the social

area and group meeting area can be ordered in March to arrive in May. These items can be

assembled and stored until the completion of the wall renovation. Once the renovation is

complete, the library will still have 4 weeks before school begins to place furniture in these areas

and install the new technologies.

Evaluation Plan

The expectation of the committee for these updates and renovations is to see more student traffic

in the library, increased use of library resources for research and schoolwork, and higher

circulation for personal reading. The committee will document the number of students that visit

before and after school, use of computers, circulation of books, and use of the new area rooms

throughout the 2023-2024 school year to see if there is the expected rise in student use of library

facilities and media.

Conclusion

Mullin Middle School is a growing, innovative, impressive campus that focuses on student

achievement and equipping them for success. For Mullin Middle School to exemplify our motto

of “Striving for the Future Daily” it is imperative that the library receive the necessary

renovations and updates as soon as possible to meet the standards of a 21st century school library.

For our students to thrive, a well-equipped, updated, and inviting library is a needed component

to take their success to the next level. The committee invites and implores you to consider and
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approve the Mullin Middle Facility Plan of 2023 to help better serve the students through an

excellent library facility.

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Reference List

Pawlowsky, S., & Ryan, T. G. (2016). The 21st-Century School Library: Perpetual Change or

Evolution? International Journal of Educational Reform, 25(1), 38–55.

https://doi.org/10.1177/105678791602500103

Grigsby, S.K.S. (2015). Re-imagining the 21st Century School Library: From Storage Space to

Active Learning Space. TechTrends, 59(3), 103–106. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-

015-0859-5

Rex, J.H. South Carolina Department of Education. (2009). School Library Media Center

Design Considerations and Recommendations.

Sullivan, M. (2015). High impact school library spaces : envisioning new school library

concepts. Libraries Unlimited.