It's Not a Bug, It's a Feature!

A friend of mine who is a software engineer first introduced me to "It's not a bug, it's a feature" when I was describing a problem I was having with our library management software. I fell in love with the expression immediately because it's adaptable to just about anything! So you added 3 eggs instead of one to the brownies, resulting in a pudding instead? Hey, INABIAF! (Yes, it's in the Acronym Dictionary.) Toss a new red towel in with the whites, with the predictable pink linens? INABIAF!

As I set up the library for the new year, I realized we'd been INABIAFing our library long before we'd ever heard it was a thing. Here are a few of our work-arounds that I am now declaring INABIAF victories! Some are tiny, but each one adds up to a better library experience for students.

When your circulation desk is big enough to be seen from space:

When our library was built 15 years ago, it was intended to be a joint use library (which means it's a lot swankier than other libraries in our district!) The circulation desk is looooong. It used to be empty space, but we saw that as a feature. Now, Mrs. Goris's side of the giant desk features books on display. These are right next to the printer, so students often browse and grab a book while waiting for their pages to print. It's also a great spot for a topical display when we don't have quite enough books to fill a bigger display area.

My side of the desk has items from all over the world, many of which have been given to me by students or parents. Since I'm here all day, students checking out are generally in line in front of my desk. They love playing the kalimba or nesting the dolls while they wait! Our two long and formerly empty counters have become display areas that spark a student's interest and often lead to interesting conversations.

When you have random support beams in the middle of the floor:

The good thing about these beams is that they're not big and bulky. The bad thing about them is that they're easy to miss when you're walking, and they hurt  when you walk into them, which you tend to do when you're a middle schooler awkwardly growing into your body! With our current configuration, this one is in the middle of our tables and chairs. Our amazing art teacher made us these directional signs, which not only highlight some great fictional worlds, but are eye-catching enough to prevent most collisions. We used to have chairs around the beam to ward off most accidents, but now our flow around the tables is much less congested. (And I am confessing here that when I retire, the London sign is going home with me!)

When your desks disappear:

I love my new table-free presentation area, but when students need to take notes, they resort to using clipboards as desks. You can see them stacked randomly under the whiteboard--and that's after a helpful student straightened them for his class!

One plastic gutter purchased for $5 at our local hardware store (cut to size for free) and we have a much neater solution in the photo below. Our students figured out the second half of this INABIAF: they sit behind the cushions and use them as desks! 

When you no longer need your magazine display rack:

We stopped our magazine subscriptions a few years ago, as a result of a smaller budget and little student interest. We had a beautiful magazine rack that matched our oak furniture, but it wasn't very useful for anything until Mrs. Goris had a brainstorm! She took it home over the summer and painted the back with chalkboard paint. She's thrilled to have a large sign for her displays and we're both happy we are using less paper.

When I look at all the changes we've made in our library, I no longer see the bugs, just the great features that make our library a more user-friendly and welcoming space. What bugs have you turned into features in your library?