Learning Commons debuts at Revere HS

REVERE – Revere High School Principal Lourenco Garcia said he liked his school’s new Learning Commons so much he’d move his office in there if he could.”It’s wonderful, it just has a different feeling,” he said.Garcia and Library Director Rachel Bouhanda last week unveiled a room that is all about adaptability and interaction with a side of homeyness and a big dollop of comfort. Gone is the notion that a library is a room filled with rows of tables and antiquated shelves of books, Garcia said to a gathering of about 60 students, city and school officials, and parents who came together to celebrate the official opening of the Learning Commons.”It’s a nice room,” he added. “Let’s keep it in simple terms; it’s a really nice room.”Bouhanda said, before the makeover, the space was a typical library with rows of tables, large stacks of books and unattractive green walls.”It was a little overwhelming and very dark,” she said.Last Wednesday the brightly lit, sprawling space looked more akin to a college media center or even a Starbucks’ waiting room. Soft green and yellow cafe-style tables mixed with high tops and barstools and booths, and filled the front portion of the room. Comfy armchairs are scattered throughout the space that also includes three SMART Boards along one wall, several small banks of computers, three “genius spaces,” small glass-walled workrooms and, of course, shelves full of books.Garcia also pointed out the “genius bar,” an area where student interns troubleshoot computer problems for students and staff.”It’s much more than I ever expected,” Bouhanda said smiling.Bouhanda said she got the idea to revamp the space after attending a conference in 2010 on the future of school libraries.”They spoke about transitioning from traditional libraries to Learning Commons,” she said.The largest difference between the old and new is that neither computers nor books are the focal point of the new space, learning is, she said.A video created by students was also shown during the opening. In it Literacy Coach Mary Ellen Dakin likened the space to a living room “in the true sense of the word.” She said she was heartened to see students sprawled in the armchairs flipping through magazines or studying.English teacher Matthew Despres said even in the first few weeks the space has generated an energy he’d never felt there before despite his two years at the school.Biblio TECH Consultant Rolf Erikson, who helped design the new space, said the vision was very clear from the start.”The school wanted to provide something that would serve everyone well into the future,” he said. “It’s not your father’s library. This space has the ability to change with the times. Students can find information here but it’s also a place where they can learn, think, ask a question, collaborate and create and that’s the type of environment we want for students today.”Chris Stevens can be reached at [email protected].