Making a media centre

That's what I've been doing- making a media centre for the new Jewish school in Umhlanga.
I began by researching what goes into a primary school library; reading, Googling and visiting them. I became excited by the innovations in these centres of learning, which not only accommodate books but also computers and a multitude of other activities. I became overwhelmed by having to turn an empty room into "the heart of the school" (my brief) that would accommodate books, computers and a multitude of other activities. I took my ideas to a professional designer and bounced everything around with a wonderful librarian. We hired the designer and later the librarian too. We met with flooring people, lighting people, shopfitters, book sellers, technology sales people and specialists in educational computer equipment and programming. I made decisions. Along with Gaynor, the unbelievably capable and supportive woman in charge of making the entire school happen, I made lots of decisions. I also sought advice from the many clued-up folk in my life and even managed to leave a wall open for a collaboration between me and my dear friend Maria. In the end, that wall is what has completed the space. Maria's art work has only been up one day and has already brought people to tears upon entering the room. In the simplicity of the design lies deep significance and the love which went into its creation radiates off the once white and now so alive wall. I think the same could be said for just about each space in our special school. But the media centre has been mine and in the end, this is what we have: