Exploring Participatory Design for School Libraries [34:40]

If we honor the idea that everyone shares ownership of our libraries and should feel welcome there, then it makes sense to include as many voices as possible when it comes to designing those shared spaces. In this video conversation, Dr. Hilary Hughes, author of the article "Practical Charette Guide," provides guidance on a participatory designing process for school libraries. Based on her previous experiences and research, Dr. Hughes provides immediate ways we can enable others to share ideas about their ideal library. Whether we are building an entirely new library or simply looking to refresh a small corner of our current space, participatory design allows us to collaborate with students and others in our community to make sure that our school libraries best serve their needs and their dreams.

In addition, if we invite our communities into collaborative design processes, we can tap into our own capacity as designers. With this practice, we can continuously evaluate and improve our libraries to ensure they best reflect those we serve.

If your interest is piqued by this conversation, Dr. Hughes has a number of other resources to explore on her School Library Designing blog (https://hilaryemh.wordpress.com/) and through other published works (https://staff.qut.edu.au/staff/h.hughes). Happy designing!