The library at Revere High School used to be literally old school, down to the shelves of outdated, dusty books. So when its media specialist suggested transforming it into a learning commons, it meshed perfectly with the student-centered learning approach being pushed by school principal Lourenco Garcia.

Though the district didn’t have all the money needed for the shift, the school applied for a grant and cobbled together the funds, supplemented by the district and school budgets. Opened in 2012, the space is abuzz with learning and energy.

Learning commons — flexible, open spaces with conference rooms, computer labs, lecture spaces, comfortable chairs, and wheeled tables designed for cooperative, small-group work, plus technologies to create music, podcasts, 3-D-printed models, and more — are emerging in public schools as information has exploded beyond library walls.

Read the source article at The Boston Globe