Not your traditional libraries: District 21 unveils new school media centers

Wheeling Township Elementary District 21 this year is unveiling four new school libraries — or “21st-century library-media centers,” as district officials call them — including one dedicated Thursday night at Riley Elementary School in Arlington Heights.

The ribbon-cutting at Riley followed similar ceremonies earlier in the week at Tarkington and Twain elementary schools, both in Wheeling. The final dedication is scheduled for next Thursday at Cooper Middle School in Buffalo Grove.

It's part of a district plan to renovate all school libraries over a three-year period. If all goes according to plan and supply chain and labor issues don't impede progress, library renovations at a dozen schools across the district will be complete by the summer of 2024, said Micheal DeBartolo, the district's assistant superintendent for finance and operations.

While the old spaces were traditional — large and bulky furniture, plus isolated instructional and reading areas — the new libraries have flexible seating, mobile and height-adjustable tables, and pieces of varying shapes and styles. Each library has at least one small group room, one classroom area, and shelving on wheels that can be moved to accommodate classes or groups large and small, DeBartolo said.

Each library's cost is $1.25 million to $1.5 million to build, with a tab of $125,000 to $150,000 for furniture in the elementary buildings and $170,000 in the middle schools. The renovations took place over summer break.