Renovating on a Shoestring

There was no way that St. Francis De Sales, our Catholic elementary school in Sherman Oaks, CA, could afford the hefty $150,000 price tag needed to remodel its media center. But something had to be done. The two classrooms that passed as our school library were in desperate need of an overhaul, the carpeting was 20 years old, the inadequate book collection was housed in mismatching metal filing cabinets, and there were no computers or tables.

With 315 students, St. Francis suffered from a common problem facing many small private schools: we simply didn't have enough money to upgrade our library. And unlike public schools, we're not eligible for federal funds distributed through the Library Services and Technology Act and other government grants.

My dream of turning the school media center into a mini Barnes & Noble started when my daughter entered kindergarten in 1996. As a lawyer, I've always had a keen interest in children's literature and the importance of school libraries. So I approached Jackie Miller, an extremely able and overworked teacher who served as the school's part-time librarian, with the idea of buying library books through a monthly, parent-funded "book registry." She not only liked the idea, she put me in charge of it. We eventually increased our collection by 300 titles, based on books chosen by faculty, classics, Newbery winners, past American Library Association notables, and School Library Journal starred books.

Two years later, I sought permission from the principal to explore ways to renovate the entire library. She enlisted me as the library committee chairperson. Four mothers—ranging from executives to soccer moms—joined the effort. We visited a dozen school libraries and spoke to librarians. We poured through articles on library improvements and interviewed architects. Meanwhile, St. Francis hired a part-time librarian, Jan Cushing, who gave us practical guidance on what would be required in the new library. After eight months, we had a blueprint for a beautiful media center.

Our dream, however, came to an abrupt end when we were told the school couldn't afford the renovations. Just as we thought our plans would go unfinished, our new librarian came up with a brilliant idea: ask parents to buy one piece of furniture at a time. The plan had worked when we needed more books, so why not for furniture?

Brodart, a furniture supplier, was willing to sell us high-quality oak shelving, tables, chairs, and accessories at sensational discounts, provided we agreed to use the company to furnish the entire library. The advantages were immediately apparent: there would be no contractor's fee and, most importantly, we could literally construct our new library one piece at a time as the money came in.

We scrapped our original plan to add walls and hire contractors. We redrew plans under Cushing's guidance, benefiting not only from her sense of space and style (she was very conveniently a former space planner), but her professional advice. She insisted that the circulation desk be placed where it had the best view of the entire library, that the elevated seating area not face a window (too distracting), and that there be plenty of space in front of the circulation desk for children to line up.

We received many freebies from friends and parents. A few generous families underwrote renovations, such as paint, lights, and carpeting. In the end, we slashed the $150,000-plus estimate to about $50,000 for the entire project, including wooden tables and chairs. Although we anticipated a five-year project, the library took only two years to complete. Circulation has increased more than fivefold, and teachers are integrating the library's resources into their classroom lessons. The library, which is now fully automated, is always buzzing with student activity. Although we were sad to see Cushing leave last year, she's been replaced with our first full- time media specialist. Our library has turned into an exciting place to find a book, conduct research, do homework, or check out a chess set on a rainy day. It's also now the most comfortable place in our school.