This spring and summer The Kovler Family Library is set to be undergoing major changes coming on the heels of the past two years of improvements, renovations, and discussion. The library will be more adaptable, will serve as a hub for collaboration, and will move further into the digital age, according to Lower and Intermediate School Library and Information Services Specialist, Mary Catherine Coleman, and Middle and Upper School Library and Information Services Specialist, Annette Lesak.

Marty Moran, Director of TIDES and Cross-Curricular Pedagogy who is spearheading the library renovations, said that the ideal time frame is a construction start date after Spring Break in 2017 with a usable space in the Fall of 2017. Informational sessions are being held throughout the Fall to educate the community about these proposed changes.

Over the past three years faculty, administrators, members of the Board of Trustees, alumni, staff, and parents have been discussing the need for additional change in the library. An early step toward a change occurred two years ago when Coleman and Lesak came to Parker.

At that time, the space was opened up to allow for a more comfortable working space. The librarians recycled old books and magazines that become available digitally. This enabled them to remove printed material in order to expand the space for more students.

The space was opened up, according to Coleman “to give us a little bit more flexibility for more students to be able to be in the space.” The changes that have been implemented so far have allowed students to connect with their surroundings, but there is a need for more, according to Lesak and Coleman.

Lesak said, “It was a pretty long process that led us to the final design.” The school worked with a company called WONDER, By Design, which helped Parker determine what is important in a library space.  The school concluded that there was a need to make the space more accessible to and adaptable for all students. There were several workshops with various stakeholders within the Parker community, including students and teachers.

In order for the library to be the most effective space for students and teachers, it must be modular, where the objects in the space will be movable, according to Moran. This, he says, will allow for more collaboration among students and teachers.  The goal, according to Moran, is to “make the library even more of a place where everybody, regardless of what grade or class you’re in,” according to Moran,  “has the opportunity to go there and do something relevant and meaningful that they weren’t ever able to do before.”

Traditional uses of the library – for studying and research – as well as hands-on activities in keeping with the progressive mission of Parker. “We want to be able to make it used for everything from reading a book to doing research but to also have the opportunity to do things like projects and activities that have been going on the past couple of years,”  Moran said.

It will be a versatile space that meets the various needs of students. “We want it to be a heartthrob, a center of activity and learning in the school and the design for it should be very welcoming,” Principal Dan Frank said, “so it has both a study studio dimension to it as well as a community center quality where people can come together. Students and teachers will find the library an exciting place to go.”

There will be more activities students can do in the space.  There will be a “maker space” that allows for creativity and innovation.  Moran said, “You will be able to see more different types and variety of activities coming out of the library.”

These futures activities and changes will redefine Parker’s library.  “I think the new library space will expand the way people think about libraries,” Fifth Grade teacher Mike McPharlin said.  “Historically, people tended to think of libraries as a place to solely find information and check out books. While that is still the case, to me libraries are more of a learning, collaborative space.”

Senior Isabel Saltman is enthusiastic about the plans. “The proposed changes look amazing!” Saltzman said. “It will be an exciting place to go for hands-on learning and social interaction.”