Making the Library a More Welcoming Space
By offering flexible spaces and creative activities that give students a chance to relax and connect, the library can become a haven for belonging—and the heart of a school.
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Go to My Saved Content.When librarians Becca Isaac and Rebecca Webster set out to turn their library at Fauquier High School in Warrenton, Virginia, into a more inviting place, they started with the doors—they’re wide open. In between classes, you’ll often find one of the librarians standing outside, ready to greet students as they come in.
Once inside, students can easily find a space within the library that suits their needs. Comfy chairs and sofas give students a chance to relax, while collaborative tables provide space for them to work together on projects. The maker zone offers supplies like markers and paper. Everywhere, there is student artwork, book displays, and chances for students to interact. Open mic poetry, book clubs, and collaborative craft projects give students a chance to see themselves in the library and contribute to a warm environment.
And notably, before school and during lunch, there’s audible chatter and laughter as students socialize and play games—a noise level that the librarians welcome, especially as the teens continue to relearn social skills they lost during the pandemic. Says Webster, “After Covid especially, students forgot how to talk to each other. So I love when we see a group with their phones down and they’re all talking or playing a game.”
To find more ideas for taking your school library to the next level, read Paige Tutt’s article for Edutopia titled “Setting Up Libraries to Be the Best Space in School.”
10 Comments
March 3, 2025
This is my first year as a teacher librarian in middle school. I am trying to transform our library into a learning commons. How do you manage numbers? Do you have a way to ensure you do not have more students than you have space or allowed occupancy? If you use passes, how do you handle when some students come and go, but the pass is no longer available for others to enter when the original passholder leaves?
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March 3, 2025
@Tracy B – Hi Tracy. I have been a Teacher Librarian in middle schools for about 15 years. I have puzzles, an art table, other games and such in the library. I manage numbers in a few ways. Number one is just basic classroom management rules apply: keep moving, make as much personal connection as you can with the moving numbers, learn student names etc. During lunch and break, one strategy both I and a high school librarian in our district use is keeping the student number in line with how many seats are available. I don’t officially let students sit on the floor, for example, and it keeps the large groups from forming too. I have open/not full and closed/full signs on the door and I let students in when others leave. Sometimes I have it closed/full even if not all seats are taken because I am helping individual students plus tables and my “brain is full” for a few minutes. I have rules that include “having a library-related purpose” that I introduce as part of library orientation for all new students (our 7th gade students) at the start of the year. I also have a self-checkout option which gives me more freedom to move about the room and help students.. During class, teachers often email me or call before they students over, but otherwise use passes. It doesn’t typically get crowded during classes. I have a sign outside the door that says when I am with a class and can’t help individuals. I hope this helps.
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March 4, 2025
@Tracy B – Great question! We reached out to the current librarian at this school, Katelyn Verrill, and here’s what she had to say: “We have made some procedural changes since the video was filmed. We limit our AE/Academic Enrichment time to 25 students each day. All students that visit the library during that time and throughout the day are required to sign in on Library Trac (our library pass management system). We are able to limit the number of students/available passes by class period or day. Sometimes it is a struggle to get students to sign in/sign out, but it does help provide tracking/checks and balances when teachers/admin are looking for students.”
The video producer who filmed at the school also remembers that the former librarians used to hand out a limited number of physical passes each day. When the student arrived, they would check in at a central computer at the front desk. The passes were for their Academic Enrichment time and lunch times, and because those were limited blocks of time, students weren’t coming and going.
Good luck with your transformation!
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July 18, 2024
I love how this library allows for more social and human connection. All too often we treat a library as a solitary space to connect with only books. Thinking broader, they should not only connect students to books but also humans- people with similar (or different) interests, common activities, games, and so much more. THIS is how we can help our students become less attached to devices and more to human interaction.
You marked this comment useful.
June 26, 2024
This library is pretty amazing, a place where you can enjoy being to yourself, have a cup of coffee, color, read, and/or socialize with friends and let us not forget still able to study.
You marked this comment useful.
June 21, 2024
There is nothing like a beautiful and well-kept library. It makes them so inviting. Libraries should be filled with giggles and discussions. I feel it’s a great place to socialize. Students could be discussing anything from projects due to the books they plan on checking out. Libraries should be another place in the school where they feel safe to be themselves, collaborate, and learn. Just like teachers, librarians are also facilitators of learning and should be treated as such.
You marked this comment useful.
June 18, 2024
This is really heartfelt. I love the noise policy! Totally agree with others that it makes sense to have libraries be communal spaces where socializing (respectfully) is encouraged.
You marked this comment useful.
June 17, 2024
The library was my happy place (and also my safe place) from the first time I walked through the doors. These ideas sound like exactly what we need to help the library feel relevant and safe for students today.
You marked this comment useful.
June 17, 2024
I like the idea of students using their school library as a “safe place” to socialize, collaborate and learn from each other. The students become facilitators of their own learning.
You marked this comment useful.
June 17, 2024
@Paula O – I love your idea of a library encouraging students to facilitate their own learning! That’s so powerful for them.
You marked this comment useful.
10 Comments
Share your ideas and questions.
Join our community or log in to comment.March 3, 2025
This is my first year as a teacher librarian in middle school. I am trying to transform our library into a learning commons. How do you manage numbers? Do you have a way to ensure you do not have more students than you have space or allowed occupancy? If you use passes, how do you handle when some students come and go, but the pass is no longer available for others to enter when the original passholder leaves?
You marked this comment useful.
March 3, 2025
@Tracy B – Hi Tracy. I have been a Teacher Librarian in middle schools for about 15 years. I have puzzles, an art table, other games and such in the library. I manage numbers in a few ways. Number one is just basic classroom management rules apply: keep moving, make as much personal connection as you can with the moving numbers, learn student names etc. During lunch and break, one strategy both I and a high school librarian in our district use is keeping the student number in line with how many seats are available. I don’t officially let students sit on the floor, for example, and it keeps the large groups from forming too. I have open/not full and closed/full signs on the door and I let students in when others leave. Sometimes I have it closed/full even if not all seats are taken because I am helping individual students plus tables and my “brain is full” for a few minutes. I have rules that include “having a library-related purpose” that I introduce as part of library orientation for all new students (our 7th gade students) at the start of the year. I also have a self-checkout option which gives me more freedom to move about the room and help students.. During class, teachers often email me or call before they students over, but otherwise use passes. It doesn’t typically get crowded during classes. I have a sign outside the door that says when I am with a class and can’t help individuals. I hope this helps.
You marked this comment useful.
March 4, 2025
@Tracy B – Great question! We reached out to the current librarian at this school, Katelyn Verrill, and here’s what she had to say: “We have made some procedural changes since the video was filmed. We limit our AE/Academic Enrichment time to 25 students each day. All students that visit the library during that time and throughout the day are required to sign in on Library Trac (our library pass management system). We are able to limit the number of students/available passes by class period or day. Sometimes it is a struggle to get students to sign in/sign out, but it does help provide tracking/checks and balances when teachers/admin are looking for students.”
The video producer who filmed at the school also remembers that the former librarians used to hand out a limited number of physical passes each day. When the student arrived, they would check in at a central computer at the front desk. The passes were for their Academic Enrichment time and lunch times, and because those were limited blocks of time, students weren’t coming and going.
Good luck with your transformation!
You marked this comment useful.
July 18, 2024
I love how this library allows for more social and human connection. All too often we treat a library as a solitary space to connect with only books. Thinking broader, they should not only connect students to books but also humans- people with similar (or different) interests, common activities, games, and so much more. THIS is how we can help our students become less attached to devices and more to human interaction.
You marked this comment useful.
June 26, 2024
This library is pretty amazing, a place where you can enjoy being to yourself, have a cup of coffee, color, read, and/or socialize with friends and let us not forget still able to study.
You marked this comment useful.
June 21, 2024
There is nothing like a beautiful and well-kept library. It makes them so inviting. Libraries should be filled with giggles and discussions. I feel it’s a great place to socialize. Students could be discussing anything from projects due to the books they plan on checking out. Libraries should be another place in the school where they feel safe to be themselves, collaborate, and learn. Just like teachers, librarians are also facilitators of learning and should be treated as such.
You marked this comment useful.
June 18, 2024
This is really heartfelt. I love the noise policy! Totally agree with others that it makes sense to have libraries be communal spaces where socializing (respectfully) is encouraged.
You marked this comment useful.
June 17, 2024
The library was my happy place (and also my safe place) from the first time I walked through the doors. These ideas sound like exactly what we need to help the library feel relevant and safe for students today.
You marked this comment useful.
June 17, 2024
I like the idea of students using their school library as a “safe place” to socialize, collaborate and learn from each other. The students become facilitators of their own learning.
You marked this comment useful.
June 17, 2024
@Paula O – I love your idea of a library encouraging students to facilitate their own learning! That’s so powerful for them.
You marked this comment useful.