On Making an Emotional Map of Our Library

Recently a group of us- Tibetan Librarians from across India- wanted to explore how the library looks and feels to our students, using art as the medium. The idea was to make collaborative images that represented their emotions towards the school library space, and to reading there.

Presented below are some pictures of the emotional maps from different groups of students who came together to do this activity, in response to the same common instructions.

This is a detail from the map of the junior school library drawn by class VI and V students of TCV (Tibetan Children’s Village) Bylakuppe,  where I am the Junior school librarian. I gave them the instructions and observed through the activity that the children’s minds were full of imagination.

This piece was created by Lhakyi STS Bylakuppe students, Class XI Arts. The instructions were simple: that they needed to draw an “emotional map” of the library, drawing it together. They could make things up if they wanted, and one constraint was that all white space on the paper needed to be completely filled by colours.

This emotional map of the library was created by Class XI Science students of TCV Bylakuppe. It was up to students how they created their maps.

One more that was created by Kyinzom’s students, XII B Commerce (from a senior school).  As we can see, the instructions were interpreted in different ways by all of them.

Before introducing this session, I asked children about their favourite spaces in the library where they like to sit and read. I have also asked them how they see their library. I asked them to imagine how the library space could be in their minds. Many relevant answers emerged. One student even said that he wished to have a swimming pool in the centre of the library! Some details from their map can be seen below.

My students enjoyed the activity. I could see their imagination come alive in the picture. The freedom to explore and be yourself in the library can clearly be seen. I feel it showed the positive relationship of the children with the library space.

It made me think from their point of view, and to have a vision of our library through the eyes of the children.

I believe this was a great platform for our children to use their imagination and emotion to draw a map of our library collaboratively.