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I removed and rearranged furniture so that the OPAC computer monitors faced outward, eliminating any sense of privacy. Then I had our IT guy disable internet on the four computers so they could only be used for Destiny computer catalog searches, which uses intranet.
I soon discovered a disadvantage of not having internet was that students could not place a hold for library materials. If a student wanted to reserve an item, they needed to request a hold at the circulation desk. Another downfall was that the eBook collection shown on Follett Shelf was not accessible, perhaps because they use an external server.
We had several donated book cases that had been used in our temporary library location transferred into a small storage closet and arranged them against each wall. This room had once been a catch-all for anything needed to be kept out of sight and is now the new location for teacher's resources. The best feature is that this room can be locked, providing more control over valuable, limited resources like teacher's editions.
Even though our stacks are on wheels, they are incredibly heavy. The men moved them in such a way that there is virtually no area that a student can hide. I have noticed that there is less food trash since students realize they can be seen if they try to eat in the library.
Handling construction demands and managing the school library over the last six months has not been easy. Library services to students and staff were disrupted despite our efforts to provide a reasonable level of service. Damage to library materials during construction resulted in a loss of many novels, textbooks and some audio visual items. Even though these materials will eventually be replaced by insurance, they are not available for use now. The removal of several electrical outlets, data ports and two telephones made reinstalling equipment difficult upon our return to the library.
The biggest misconception was that of the students and evident when they arrived in the reopened building. There are no visible improvements and students were disappointed that the library looked the same, if not worse because of the disarray. What many did not understand was that Phase One consisted of work that can't be readily seen such as wiring, A/C and heating upgrades and increased support for the structure. Phase Two, tentatively set for summer 2016, is focused on the remodeling and modernization of the library and hopefully will include expansion and technological upgrades.
Ultimately, construction has been advantageous for students, staff and community members of Moreno Valley High and when completed, will provide better opportunities for learning and advancing our students' education.