School librarians’ perceptions of the optimal school library space

Abstract

Insight into school librarians’ perceptions and beliefs regarding school library spatial features may facilitate the design of school libraries that better meet the needs of the patrons they serve. This exploratory study used cluster analysis to explore patterns and themes in survey data from n = 190 school librarians. Findings suggested a two-cluster solution for each survey section indicating polarization among school librarians on some issues such as the impact of location, the importance of security, the need for adequate space, and the importance of accessibility. The paper concludes with implications of these findings, limitations, and future research.