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The
Library as Place: The changing nature and enduring appeal of library
buildings and spaces
September 2006:
Compiled and annotated by Sue Searing and Karla Stover Lucht
Printer friendly version
Introduction
Architects'
perspectives on libraries
Space planning for
The bookstore model
For further information and
inspiration
Introduction
In
1996, the Benton Foundation issued a report that galvanized American
librarians to rethink their visions of the future. "Buildings, Books,
and Bytes: Libraries and Communities in the Digital Age" reported a
public opinion poll on the future of libraries and contrasted it with what
library leaders foresaw. Key among the findings was the high value that
citizens placed on erecting and maintaining library buildings - ranking it
third in importance, right behind providing children's services and providing
books. In the ensuing decade, many publications and events have contributed
to a lively discussion about the centrality of "the library as
place." This issue of UI Current LIS Clips focuses on publications of
the past two years (2004-2006), with an emphasis on research findings, case
studies, and a variety of topics ranging from green architecture to the
lessons learned from successful bookstores. Because of the preponderance of
writings about academic and research libraries, Part 2 of this issue focuses
on them alone.
1. "Expert Opinion." Library Journal (Fall 2005
supplement): 45-46.
Available at: http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6255533.html
Six
very brief case studies of new and remodeled libraries, with advice from the
seasoned library architects who designed them. (The entire supplement is
devoted to buildings and furnishings.)
- Listen to people and
place, hire a creative architect, and be open-minded."
Steven Erlich: Steven Erlich
Architects
- "Work with a library
architect who can help you develop your
program and plan flexible interior space that can change with changing
library uses. Involve the local community during the concept phase to reach
consensus on services, resolve site issues, and gain widespread support
for your building project. Explore self-service options such as
self-checkout for some tasks, which will allow staff more time for
in-depth service."
Mark Schatz: Field Paoli Architects
- "Use architects who
use libraries-not just 'design them.' Go see several libraries of the
size you are planning. Know and understand budgets-and the complete
elements of the total budget. Make sure the person you interview is the
person who stays with you. Attend planning sessions at the Public
Library Association and American Library Association. Check references
thoroughly."
Jeffery A. Scherer: Meyer, Scherer, & Rockcastle, Ltd.
- "Worry less about
technology and think more about creating diverse and flexible spaces
that users want to be in…[W]hile the technologies will change repeatedly in the life of the
building, the qualities of light, color, joy, and delight will remain
for a long time if done right."
Stephen Johnson: Pfeiffer Partners
- "Talk with an
architect who not only understands how libraries work but who will also
work with you, your staff, the board, and the community on new ideas
and offer creative approaches and solutions."
Catherine Grey: Meehan Architects
- "Include a 'blue sky'
wish list in addition to the nuts-and-bolts program needs. We often
surprise our clients by creatively and economically accommodating their
vision when it's identified early in the design process."
David Ross: BSA Architects
2. Wallace, Mary Colette. "Do I Need an Architect or Not? Some
Things You Should Know." Searcher v.19 no. 9 (October 2005): 48-54.
By law in many states, the design of most
non-residential buildings requires an architect. Architects integrate the
work of consultants into their designs - such as engineers, interior
designers, landscape architects, and security specialists. They may partner
with manufacturers to create custom building materials and furnishings for
clients.
Selecting
an architect for a non-residential project can be a complex process,
involving fee-based selection, design competitions, or RFQs
(requests for qualifications) and RFPs (requests
for proposals). Clients should look for common philosophies and values in an
architect, and should consider what is most important: reputation for
stunning building designs, experience with similar types of facilities, or
hiring someone local.
An
architect can provide services at every stage: Pre-Design: Needs assessment,
feasibility studies, master and long-range planning, site analysis, community
planning, programming, space planning. Design: Design development,
sustainable building design, construction documents, value engineering.
Post-Design: Building commissioning, post occupancy evaluations, construction
administration.
The
client's "problems" are translated into design parameters, which
architects visualize geometrically as planes (e.g. walls) and volumes (e.g.
rooms). They develop their ideas as sketches. Before purchasing property, it
may be wise to hire an architect to do a site analysis and feasibility study.
Reasons
to hire an architect:
- They'll "turn design
problems into advantages, limitations into design parameters."
- They think in three
dimensions and foresee the structural ramifications of design
decisions.
- They approach the design
or remodel of a building within the context of its site or environment.
- They have intimate
knowledge of building systems and materials and how to use them
together.
- They help clients
determine their true needs and priorities.
- They act on the client's
behalf, rejecting defective work and bringing in consultants as needed.
- They have professional
liability for their work.
(This article also features short
sidebar interviews with library architects Sam Miller and Geoffrey Freeman.)
3. Scherer, Jeffrey A. "Designing the Sustainable
Library: An Ethical Imperative." In: Libraries as Places: Buildings for
the 21st Century, pp. 161-181. Munich:
K.G. Saur, 2004. (IFLA Publications no. 109) Available at:
http://www.msrltd.com/lectures_writings/ifla03.pdf
Scherer
describes how the Fayetteville (AK) Public Library's Blair Library was
designed and built in accordance with "green" ethics.
- The community's desire for
a process that could be independently verified and audited was
satisfied through the Green Buildings Council's LEED (Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design) program, which entailed an additional
$26,000 in fees.
- Green planning required
long-term thinking about costs and benefits in a systemic sense.
- The architect gave
priority to the community's needs and values rather than promoting his
own aesthetic signature.
- Sustainability
encompassed: site planning; water efficiency; energy efficiency and renewable
energy; conservation of materials and resources; indoor environmental
quality.
- Green design saves money
on utilities, while a "healthy building" improves
productivity and reduces liability.
- Because building-related
costs are 6-10% of an average public library's expenditures over a
20-year period, it is short-sighted to strive only to keep "first
costs" low.
- The Fayetteville Public
Library incorporates "daylight harvesting" and "water
harvesting" that reduce ongoing costs.
- The most expensive element
in new construction is the basic structure and exterior, where there is
little leeway for green design. However, the Fayetteville project specified a
percentage of recycled material in the steel and concrete, and recycled
or reused waste from the construction itself.
4. Esmay, Michael.
"Library Administrators, Leadership, and the Building Expansion Process:
An Architect's Point of View." Library Administration & Management
vol. 20 no. 3 (Summer 2006): 121-127.
How
do library expansions come about?
- Most often a shortage of
space spurs consideration of expanding.
- Someone, usually the
library administrator, makes the case for expansion to the library
board, and the board decides whether to proceed.
- Where the library
administrator is not a strong leader, the push for expansion may come
from the public.
- Relying on focus groups is
seldom useful, because they involve so few people, and the participants
cannot view the library in its totality.
- If the board has a
long-range planning process in place, it will look for opportunities to
acquire land for future growth, implement financing strategies, and
maintain good community relations.
Why
do library expansions end up being so large and costly?
- The old rule of thumb was
to provide .75 to 1 square foot per person served by the library.
Today, more than 2 square feet per patron is typical.
- Children's rooms are no
longer just miniature versions of adult reading rooms; they must
include spaces for book display, story hours, computers, and other
activities.
- Tweens and young adults are
increasingly served in set-aside areas that must address noise and
security issues.
- Libraries now house a host
of new media.
- Merchandising library
materials - for example, by facing book covers out and creating topical
sections for nonfiction - requires much more space than traditional
shelving.
- Large, flexible computer
resource rooms are important components of the building.
- There is a tendency to
create more, larger, and more flexible community meeting rooms.
- Some libraries have incorporated
art galleries into their design. For staff, the trend is toward
"larger, better situated, more humane, and better equipped work
areas."
- Separate areas for local
history collections, quiet study, services to seniors, and so on are
often provided.
- Smaller libraries are
following the lead of larger libraries by installing separate
information desks, in addition to the reference and circulation desks.
- "Deep storage"
of less frequently used materials on compact shelving helps maintain
the breadth of a collection.
- Nonlibrary functions, such as cafes
and bookstores, are being added - although Esmay
feels that the costs typically outweigh the benefits.
Who
are the players and personalities?
- The library board,
ideally, does strategic planning, develops fund-raising programs, and
garners public support. The decision to expand the library belongs to
the board.
- A library consultant
may help the library administrator in evaluating the current building
and making recommendations.
- The public's actual
contribution to planning should be limited, though their needs must be
understood and should drive the changes.
- The architect's
most important work occurs before the actual design of the building.
Experience with library buildings is less important than good listening
skills. the ability to ask the right
questions, and a commitment to "serve the needs of the library,
not the needs of his or her ego."
- The library board
typically appoints a building committee to act as liaison
between the board, the library administrator and the architect. This
can be quite a time-consuming job.
- A hired construction
manager can develop cost studies, working drawings, specifications,
bidding packages, and scenarios to keep the library open during
construction.
- The leadership role
belongs to the library administrator. He or she defines the
needs that drive the expansion, works with the staff to gather and
analyze usage data and projections, communicates with the board and the
architect, and coordinates the project.
What
is involved in reaching consensus?
- The project begins with
information gathering and input from staff and other key people. The
administrator makes the case for expansion to the board.
- The administrator and
architect work together on preliminary designs.
- The initial budget
estimate is developed, with help from the construction manager.
- The board must approve the
program requirements and proposed budget. Budget decisions can be
influenced by politics; the library administrator will have to
prioritize and defend program elements if the approved funds are
insufficient.
- When egos intrude on the
process, the library administrator must serve as the referee.
5. Dewe, Michael. Planning Public Library
Buildings: Concepts and Issues for the Librarian. Aldershot, England: Ashgate,
2006. 354pp.
This
thought-provoking overview defies easy summary, as it ranges from the
multiple missions and roles that public library buildings fulfill, to the
future of the library as a community space. Although he focuses heavily on
libraries in the social and economic context of the United Kingdom, Dewe
also discusses exemplary buildings in the U.S. and elsewhere. A chapter
titled "Sources of renewal and innovation" covers the symbolic
value of the library building, its role in urban and rural regeneration, the
conversion of historic buildings, political agendas, design competitions,
funding sources, and the balance between aesthetics and function. Other
chapters explore: options for service points (not limited to the traditional
central library and branches); site selection; renovations and additions;
health and safety issues; the planning and design process; "identity,
communication and style" in interior and exterior design; and the
organization of collections, reader spaces, and work spaces. The author
stresses that he has not written a how-to-do-it manual, but rather a basic
introduction to the principles and practices of planning and designing public
library buildings, with attention to important current issues and
controversies. Librarians who have never studied library buildings, or who
need to refresh their knowledge, will benefit from the ideas gathered
6. Worpole, Ken. "Designing Paradise: Library Architecture in an Age of Lifelong
Learning." In Creating Public Paradise:
Building Public Libraries for the 21st Century, pp. 16-19. The Hague, Netherlands:
Biblion Uitgeverij, 2004.
In
this talk, delivered at a conference in March 2004, British scholar Worpole reflects on ten trends that are affecting the
library as place:
- "Each library will
develop its own bespoke programme and service
priorities." The standard model of a central library with
neighborhood branches is being reconsidered in light of changing
demographics and cultural patterns. Libraries will provide focused
services and "local distinctiveness."
- "Future libraries
will be developed in partnership with other services." In order to
share the costs of capital investment and tailor programs to needs, libraries
are sharing space with educational agencies, municipal offices,
nurseries, career services, police, and art galleries, for example.
- "Adaptability of
internal design, circulation, access and hours of services is a key
factor in building layout and design." Changing and expanding
services necessitate freestyle floor plans and adaptable space
configurations. Some areas, such as cafes, need to be accessible at
times when other areas must be closed and secure.
- "Reading development and literacy are
likely to become even more central to what libraries offer
communities." The desire to share the experience of reading and
interpretation means that libraries must provide for meeting space for
reading groups, bookshops, and "self-organised
informal settings."
- "Libraries will
become key communications centres for mobile
populations." Libraries serve as email access points for business
travelers, tourists, refugees, and those without home computers. Due to
advances in wireless technologies, including laptop computers and
mobile phones, libraries will increasingly provide connectivity but not
equipment.
- "Long stay use of
libraries for study purposes requires friendly and efficient support
services: toilets, catering, recreational quiet zones." Public
libraries are being used more and more for education, and students who
spend long hours there want amenities such as lounges and cafes.
Library design is adopting "a domestic or 'club' feel" and
aims to be "the living room in the city" and the heart of the
community.
- "Electronic links
between homes and libraries will increase." There is a growing
convergence between home and library in matters of décor, style, and
technological connectivity. Citizens can access online catalogs,
reserve and renew materials, and use licensed content from home, while
library websites can serve as online community portals and local
network providers.
- "Children's services
will grow in importance as the library becomes a secure, electronic
safe haven in the city." Libraries not only welcome children but
treat them as people and citizens in their own right. Specially
designed children's spaces (physical and virtual) should be promoted as
safe places for young people.
- "Virtual library
services will be provided 24 hours a day." Sunday hours are proving
popular. Self-issue terminals and other advances in library automation
will free up some staff for more direct engagement with users; the use
of call centers to filter public enquiries may do likewise. Some online
services will be provided even when buildings are closed.
- "Librarians will
change their role from custodians of culture to knowledge
navigators." Computer-literate staff must know how to transfer
these skills to library users. Managers will engage in more partnership
projects with other agencies. Staff will focus less on processing and
more on assisting and advising readers. Librarians' professional ethos
will become much more proactive and entrepreneurial.
7. Knisely, Jennifer S. "Children's
Library Spaces Support Emergent Literacy." Bookmobile and Outreach
Services, vol. 9 no. 1 (2006): 27-39.
"Emergent
literacy skills" is an umbrella term for phonological awareness, print
awareness, and oral language development -skills that children aged birth to
five must acquire as prerequisites for effective formal reading instruction.
To nurture emergent literacy through storybook reading and other programs,
the library should design developmentally appropriate early childhood spaces:
- Select washable surfaces
for floors, counters, tables, etc.
- Locate diaper changing
tables and supplies conveniently but so as not to disrupt the room's
activities.
- Plan storage areas for
toys, books, etc. that are accessible to young patrons, to foster a
sense of welcome and independence.
- Create a cozy side area to
accommodate "cuddly reading" and one-on-one interactions.
- Be sure that traffic
patterns do not disrupt the quiet area nor interfere with the active
play area.
- Feature children's artwork
in display areas. Such displays are popular with parents and local
media, as well as the children themselves.
- Label shelves with
pictures as well as print signs, to encourage individual exploration.
- Play soft background
music.
- Allow room for strollers,
car seats, and other baby carriers.
- Install child-sized
seating and shelving, but also adult-sized chairs and shelves for
materials of interest to parents and caregivers.
- Besides books, stock the
library with videos, computer software, sound recordings, toys, art
supplies, science equipment, dramatic play materials, etc. - and the
necessary technologies for using them.
- If possible, build in
windows to expand the horizon of exploration for young library users.
- Locate heating units,
electrical outlets, and trash containers with health and safety in
mind.
- Choose furnishings made of
non-toxic materials.
8. Dempsey, Beth. "Power Users: Designing Buildings
and Services from the End User's Viewpoint Transforms Access for
Everyone." Library Journal vol. 130 no. 20 (December 2005): 72-75.
Available at: http://libraryjournal.com/article/CA6289901.html
Successful
remodeling projects at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh and the Brookdale Branch of Hennepin County Library were premised
on making the library more intuitive for users. Focus groups at the Carnegie
Library identified a group of "power users" who understood the
library's systems and made good use of all its resources; but most users
found the library complicated and therefore confined their use to a small set
of resources. The library employed consultants who specialize in making
complex products, services and environments easier to understand. The
consultants shadowed users and staff, pinpointing the spots where users lost their
way and where staff intervention would be most useful. At Brookdale,
discussions with citizens and community groups gleaned similar information.
Brookdale's users (among them many new immigrants) need information
and assistance in a few high-interest areas, such as homework, technology,
small business, and careers. The library reduced its collection by 50 percent
and created subject-based "information neighborhoods." The
neighborhoods are delineated by large, commercial-style signs and distinctive
carpet patterns; each neighborhood contains all the materials on the subject,
including circulating and reference books, periodicals, and databases. The
computers in the area default to that subject's homepage. The Dewey Decimal
System is still used, but patrons don't have to understand it in order to
find materials.
Carnegie
Library banned library jargon in its signage; the reference desk is labeled
"Ask a Librarian" and the circulation desk, "Customer
Service." The location names are enhanced with action words. At the
Customer Service area, the sign reads: "Get a library card. Check out
and return materials. Pay fees." Placement of signs, information kiosks
and maps was determined by observational studies of how users move through
the library.
"Visual
cacophony" is a problem in libraries. Appointing a Signage Czar and
creating a consistent sign system can help. Signage should be conceived in a
hierarchy based on its purpose (to navigate, advertise, educate, or label)
and each type should have a consistent design template and content. Carnegie
Library tested the language of its new signs with users before installing
them. Although the library will change over time, once patrons understand the
basic patterns, they will be self-reliant and self-confident, and the library
will be "future-proofed."
9. Lackney, Jeffrey A., and Paul Zajfen. "Post-Occupancy Evaluation of Public
Libraries: Lessons Learned from Three Case Studies." Library
Administration & Management, vol.19 no. 1 (Winter 2005): 16-25.
Post-occupancy evaluation (POE), conducted after a facility has been in use
for a period of time, systematically evaluates whether it meets the
organizational goals and users' needs. While POE brings many benefits, it is
not standard industry practice, may raise fears of liability if the report is
negative, and may not be included in the construction or operational budget.
This article reports on three POEs of new public
library buildings in Palm Desert (CA), Queens Borough (NY) Flushing Branch,
and Salt Lake City (UT). Each project had unique architectural goals. The POE
involved
- Deciding on the evaluation
process (in these cases, gathering a mix of quantitative and
qualitative data from staff and visitors on a variety of functional and
operational factors) and comparing them to the goals that had been set
for the new facility.
- Conducting interviews with
administrators.
- Administering Web-based
surveys to staff and visitors that addressed building layout,
functionality, legibility, aesthetics, environmental quality, accessibility,
safety/security, operations, and planning for expansion and
organizational flexibility.
- Photographing problematic
environments.
- Sharing and discussing
multiple interpretations with library administrative staff before
releasing the report.
For
each of the libraries, the authors present the project's context, the POE
findings, and the lessons learned, which range from
the need to design for queuing at the circulation desk to the importance of
placing bathrooms near public meeting rooms. Some problems, such as
insufficient elevators, are not easily solved, but others can be remedied by
relocating services, improving signage, fine-tuning the heating and cooling
systems, and so on.
These
case studies illustrate that successful library buildings must:
- Embody both traditional
and progressive ideas about what a library is.
- Meet the changing needs of
users without sacrificing the functional requirements of the staff.
- Take advantage of natural
light without creating glare, generating excessive heat, or damaging
collections.
- Create spacial
openness yet support easy navigation and supervisability.
- Meet community demands for
"a more socially informal library" while still permitting
quiet study.
- Accurately predict levels
of usage.
POE can rely in-house surveys and take a few weeks or
can be conducted by a hired consultant and take up to several months. POE
provides a baseline for continuous improvement.
10. "Libraries as Places"
http://urbanafreelibrary.org/news/newsletters/2006/tm0406.pdf
This
annotated list of reasons why public libraries matter as civic spaces can be
found on the Urbana (IL) Free Library's news page. UFL recently completed a
successful addition and renovation project.
11. Blakenship, Donna Gordon. "Readin', Writin' and Shoppin'." Retail Traffic, vol. 33 no. 10 (October
2004): 42-46.
This article, written for business people, extols the
mutual benefits to stores and libraries of locating public libraries in
shopping malls. Examples include the Crossroad Bellevue mall, which houses a
branch of the King County (WA) Library System, and the Glendale
branch of the Indianapolis-Marion
County library. A
library contributes to a mall's character as a suburban "downtown",
offers customers a quiet oasis, and can serve as an anchor to "replace
the department stores that are dying off in older malls." Libraries draw
foot traffic to the mall with public programs, and are often designed to
resemble bookstores more than traditional libraries. Start-up costs and rents
may be higher than other branches, but the high circulation figures make
shopping mall locations very cost-effective.
12. Morris, Anne, and Anna Brown. "Siting
of Public Libraries in Retail Centres: Benefits and
Effects." Library Management, vol. 25 no. 3 (2004): 127-137.
Libraries
have been located in shopping centers in the US
since the early 1970s, and are catching on in other countries, including the UK, Australia,
and Singapore.
Librarians have long understood the benefits of being connected with retail
developments, but little has been written about the benefits to the shops.
Morris and Brown selected five libraries in shopping centers in England and
interviewed library, mall, and shop managers at each, to learn how the
libraries' presence was perceived.
- The initiative to locate
the libraries in malls came from their communities, not the mall
owners.
- Advantages to the
libraries include a rise in adult library usage, more
"opportunistic" use (e.g. when other family members are
shopping), the ability to draw on a wider area of population, free
parking, services such as security and toilets, and opportunities
(largely unexplored) to partner with stores on programs.
- Disadvantages for
libraries include high rents, undesirable locations within the malls
(e.g. on upper floors), expensive alterations to spaces designed for
retail purposes.
- Some effects of being
located in a shopping center are mixed:
- A regional mall may draw
on a wider geography of potential library users, but they won't want
to travel back and forth to borrow and return books.
- Borrowing may drop, while
the use of reference materials, newspapers, and computers rises.
- Libraries risk excluding
poor people, who can't afford to shop at the mall, although some
writers suggest that libraries bring their regular users with them.
- Advantages for the
shopping centers include increased traffic and a wider variety of
potential customers. However, some retailers believe that library users
look but often don't buy.
- Neither librarians nor
retail managers perceive competition between libraries and shops,
except when the library charges for a service - such as video rentals,
used book sales, and photocopying. Special agreements between the
library and the shops can ward off any bad feelings.
- Most interviewees in the
study stated that the library had a positive impact on the mall's image
as "up-market" and "accessible."
- While the library can be a
resource for business information, it is underutilized in this regard.
Retailers could also make greater use of library meeting spaces.
- Recommendations:
- Libraries should promote
their services to mall occupants.
- Libraries and bookstores
should work together more.
- Opening hours of the
library should be coordinated with those of the shops.
- Businesses and libraries
should cooperate more on projects and events, to attract more
customers and provide good public relations.
- Libraries should adopt a
retail-style appearance.
Case Study: Cerritos (CA)
Public Library
13. Cerritos
Library: The Experience Library Project Site.
http://cml.ci.cerritos.ca.us/
This
graphically rich web site relates how Cerritos (CA) conceived, designed, and
built a strikingly innovative new public library focused on the user and
grounded in the philosophy that "every experience is a learning
experience." In addition to practical advice on each stage of the
process, from idea generation through the grand opening, there is a useful
set of essays on "lessons learned." Here's a sampling:
- Scalability. Good ideas
can be made to fit any budget. For libraries that wish to copy some of
the Cerritos Library's innovative furnishing, cheaper alternatives are
suggested.
- Services: New service
points, a quadrupling of public computers, and the anticipated increase
in usage required new policies and training programs.
- Staff: To keep staff
involved and informed, robust communication systems were established.
Changes in spaces and services prompted staff reorganization.
- The Building: New
components, such as the Library Friends store and a high-tech Conference Center, entailed new job
definitions and procedures. Security staffing had to be increased.
- Moving the Books: It took
a very experienced professional mover AND all members of the library
staff to pull off a successful transfer of books to the new building.
- The Story Line:
"[E]very two and three-dimensional element that you include within
your library must convey a visual message orchestrating the Story
Line... whether through architecture, interior design, learning
experiences, or themed components, every element must play a visually
coherent role….Cerritos Library's Story Line is 'Honoring the
Past, Imagining the Future', " and therefore each area in the
library has its own theme based on a specific time period.
The web site includes many photographs and documents,
including the building program.
14. Hart, Thomas L. The School Library Media Facilitites
Planner. New York:
Neal-Schuman Publishers, 2006. 253p. plus DVD.
Intended
as a practical handbook for school library media specialists, architects,
district level media coordinators, and administrators, this book provides
step-by-step advice on planning and building a new school library.
- Before You Begin:
Essential Background and Vision
- The first step is to
create a planning team. In addition to the school library media
specialist, the team members might include administrators, district
media and/or IT specialists, teachers, parents, and sometimes a
consultant.
- The next step is a needs
assessment. This requires evaluating the existing programs and
collection, and defining priorities for the new facility's programmatic
space and infrastructure.
- Next, a detailed planning
document, also called a "program statement," must be
developed to guide the administrators, school board, facilities
personnel, and architects. Hart recommends studying floor plans and
planning documents for other library media centers, both successful
and unsuccessful. (The companion DVD provides many visual examples.)
- Planning the Facility
- The planning document may
include statements on the school's demographics, the library media
center's philosophy and goals, the need for flexible spaces, the
location of the center within the school, the collection size and
formats, types of activities, and functions and equipment.
- Each type of space (e.g.
reading areas, computer areas, workrooms)
should be outlined, along with its functions and any special
furnishings and equipment needed.
- Numerous special
considerations must be listed, such as climate control, acoustical
control, lighting, and safety and disability issues.
- The dimensions of
furniture, shelving, and storage units must be specified. (This
chapter includes guidelines and formulas.)
- Building and Moving In
- After the planning
document is finalized, the next step is to select an architect.
Because few architectural firms specialize in schools, a rigorous
selection process, starting with an RFP, is essential.
- Once a contract is
signed, the design phase gets underway with the architect and the
planning team. Over the course of several meetings, floor plans and
drawings will be drafted and modified to meet the program's needs and
to stay within budget.
- The school library media
specialist is rarely involved in the selection of the contractor, but
must understand the roles of contractors, sub-contractors, and project
managers. The school library media specialist plans the move, which
may involve volunteers and should be carefully scheduled and
coordinated. (This chapter provides detailed checklists.)
The book concludes with a glossary of architectural
styles and terms, a 60-page sample planning document, and a sample contract
and request for bids.
15. Klafehn, Chris. "Sight, Sound and
Supervision: Space Planning for K-12 Library Media Centers." Colorado Libraries,
vol. 32 no. 1 (Winter 2006): 25-27.
Klafehn provides detailed advice on materials and dimensions
for many components of the ideal school library media center:
- Circulation area:
positioned at the main entrance; open on both ends; a book return unit
easily accessible; sit-down and/or stand-up positons
for computers, staff and volunteers; transaction ledges above the work
surfaces for students to place books on; shelving behind the desk for
books being processed as well as professional and parenting
collections; sightlines from the desk to the entire library.
- Shelving: single-faced
shelves lining all the walls; lower or tiered aisle shelving in the
interior space, oriented diagonally for better sightlines; 25% of
shelves empty to allow for collection growth.
- A secondary desk for
reference in larger libraries and in middle and high schools, with
direct sightlines to the circulation desk.
- Technology/reference/research/internet/LAN
area: multifunctional, freestanding workstations without easily damaged
keyboard pullout trays.
- Classroom or instructional
area: seating 24-32 students; in a direct sightline from the
circulation; rectangular tables each seating 4-6 students; a
whiteboard/projection screen.
- Storytime area in elementary
schools: colorful rug or soft, stackable seating rather than inflexible
built-in tiers; browsing bins for picture books.
- Lounge area: near
periodicals and fiction collection; a sofa or loveseat for young
children; individual chairs for older students.
- Librarian's office and
workroom: behind the circulation desk; a window for viewing the
library; furnished with desk, cabinets, sink, work table.
- Audiovisual storage room,
aligned with the workroom.
- Teacher resource room,
where multiple copies of reading texts can be stored.
- Conference room(s) for
staff and community meetings.
- Small group room(s) for student
projects and meetings.
- Media production space.
The following should NOT be in a school library media
center:
- Built-in story pits or
risers that encourage jumping and limit sight lines.
- Multiple levels and
balconies, which are difficult to supervise and waste space on
stairways.
- Extensive windows, which
decrease wall space for shelving.
- Built-in planters which
take up space and require maintenance.
- Architectural details that
interfere with sightlines.
- Circular, centered and/or
oversized circulation desks that create blind spots for supervision.
- Single-door entrances that
impede traffic flow.
- Carpet designs to define
areas. Use shelving and furniture instead.
- Clerestories, which can
create echo chambers.
- Potentially unsafe items
such as mobile shelving, lamp cords, and rocking chairs.
- Loveseats and sofas in
middle and high schools, which "can create very interesting human
interaction."
- Exciting primary colors.
The color scheme should be peaceful.
- Solid-colored laminates
that are hard to clean; dark fabrics that show lint.
16. Blackburn, Janette .S. and Carole.C. Wedge. "Design as a Catalyst: Fostering
Collaboration and Community in Special Libraries." Information Outlook
vol.9, no.11 (Nov 2005):14-19.
The
authors discuss what factors and issues should be considered when renovating
or expanding a library's space to accommodate the needs of users today.
Tailoring
Spaces
- What type of teaching,
training, or research will the new space support?
- For Gottesman
Library at Teachers College, Columbia
University, the
renovation produced seminar and group workrooms, classrooms, a display
area, and a café.
- At Marquand
Library for Art and Archeology, Princeton University,
the renovation and expansion saw more assigned carrels for Art and
Archeology seniors and graduate students to support the focus on
research. Also, power, data and wireless connections were added to
study tables.
Technology-Rich Environments
- Carrels that accommodate
desktop computers
- Wired and wireless
connections for student laptops
- Equipment for
presentations and videoconferencing
- Laptops for rent
Evolving Service Models
- Rethinking of service
point locations
- "One-stop
shopping" model-single service desk at the main entrance supports
all floors of the library
- No matter the model,
service points should support patron-staff interaction in a comfortable
environment
.
Flexible Design
- The Africana
Center, Cornell University
has movable furniture, and uses its main-floor classroom as a study
room at peak times.
- Mobile, lockable cart
assignments permit individual researchers to study wherever they like
as an alternative to assigned carrels.
- Another alternative to
assigned carrels may be locking files or cabinets assigned to
researchers that are located near study areas.
The Library as a Place
- Design elements should
reflect the unique population served.
- Features that help to
define a unique space include art, large expanses of glass, exhibition
halls, teaching spaces, and cafes and lounge areas.
17. Ludwig, Logan, and Susan Starr. "Library as
Place: Results of a Delphi Study."
Journal of the Medical Library Association, vol. 93 no. 3 (July 2005):
315-326.
An expert panel of 30 health sciences librarians, building consultants,
architects, and information technologists were asked to reflect on 78 opinion
statements about future trends that might impact the use of library space.
Consensus emerged on 52 statements concerning changes in technology,
scholarly communication, learning environments, and the health care economy.
Among the specific implications for building design and space usage were:
- Libraries will devote less
space to print collections and to the facilities, like copiers and
index tables, which support users of print.
- By 2015, many academic
health sciences libraries will be integrated into multifunctional
buildings with instructional space, including distance learning
classrooms.
- Health sciences libraries
will evolve into "centers for knowledge management,"
supporting "the full spectrum of activities from knowledge
creation to knowledge utilization" and necessitating changes in
staff workspaces and service points to house new equipment and
facilitate sustained consultations.
- Secure, high bandwidth
wireless connectivity will be ubiquitous and the building's
infrastructure must support it. Only a few desktop computers will be
supplied for walk-in users.
- Since most users will
bring their own portable devices, seating and classrooms must be
designed to meet their needs.
- By 2010, the primary
reason for visiting a health sciences library won't be to access
information, but to take advantage of "time-saving or value-added
information services and for places to collaborate and study."
Therefore, libraries should offer access to food services in the
building or nearby, both enclosed group study areas and open quiet
areas, and one multifunctional desk for circulation and reference
services.
- Staff offices will evolve
into collaborative work spaces for cross-functional teams.
- Library staff will
increasingly work with users in the users' offices and labs.
Although the Delphi
study methodology aims at identifying consensus, it is helpful to analyze
predictions on which consensus did not emerge. Panel members disagreed not so
much about desirability of changes (e.g. 24/7 hours of operation), but about
factors such as cost-effectiveness, match to institutional mission, and views
of human nature.
18. Connor, Elizabeth, ed. Planning,
Renovating, Expanding, and Constructing Library Facilities in Hospitals, Academic Medical Centers,
and Health Organizations. Binghamton, NY: Haworth
Information Press, 2005. 218pp.
This
volume collects thirteen case studies of medical library facilities,
organized by type - special libraries (an association's library and a
historical collection), hospital libraries, and academic medical center
libraries. Each case presents unique issues and solutions, and the chapters
are illustrated with floor plans and photographs. Some contain special
features. For example, chapter 2, a report on the renovation of the Osler Library of the History of Medicine at McGill University, includes guidelines for
calculating packing and unpacking time. Chapter 4 describes the difficult
merger of two hospital libraries, without glossing over the problems and
delays. Chapter 8 details the composition and tasks of various teams that
planned and managed the renovation of the library at the University of
Massachusetts Medical School. Editor Elizabeth Connor notes that a number of
best practices emerge from the case studies:
- Involving library staff in
the planning process.
- Engaging the services of a
library consultant.
- Visiting other libraries
to get ideas.
- Keeping patrons informed
about the project's progress.
- Understanding the language
and tools used by architects, engineers, and designers.
- Reviewing the project
regularly, including frequent walk-throughs
of the construction site.
- Acknowledging and
celebrating people for the expertise, time and energy that they
contribute.
19. Cartwright, Helen. "Change in Store? An Investigation into
the Impact of the Book Superstore Environment on Use, Perceptions and
Expectations of the Public Library as a Space, Place and Experience."
Library and Information Research News, vol. 28, no. 88 (Spring 2004): 13-26.
Cartwright
used focus group interviews and questionnaires to probe the attitudes and
behaviors of library and bookstore users and staff in the United Kingdom.
- Book superstores in the UK, as in the US, have been viewed both
as threats to public libraries and as models for libraries to emulate.
- Bookstore users viewed
libraries in positive terms, and library users were likewise positive
toward bookstores.
- Both groups felt that bookstores
are warmer, more modern, more stylish, and more comfortable than
libraries.
- Young respondents held
more negative opinions of libraries than older respondents.
- Lower-income respondents
saw libraries in a more favorable light than higher-income respondents,
but income was not correlated with attitudes toward bookstores.
- Females rated libraries as
more welcoming and comfortable than did males.
- Asked whether "the
library is a place for the community," 94% of library users said
yes, as did 74% of bookstore users.
- Asked if "the
bookstore is a place for the community," only 36% of library users
said yes, compared to 49% of the bookstore users.
- Looking at actual usage,
middle-income earners were found to be decreasing their use of
libraries while increasing their use of bookstores.
- Bookstores are places
where users, especially young ones, prefer to linger and socialize.
- Libraries are preferred
for studying, working, and finding information.
- Both bookstores and
libraries are valued by their respective users as places of
"escape."
- The bookstore's display of
stock is more appealing than the library's.
- More up-to-date stock,
comfortable seating, café facilities, and improved displays would make
the library more inviting.
- Respondents perceive
different purposes for libraries (educational) and bookstores
(recreational) and want them to look and feel different from each
other.
- Bookstores are becoming
"the leisure destination of choice for many readers."
20. Woodward, Jeannette. Creating the Customer-Driven Library:
Building on the Bookstore Model. Chicago:
American Library Association, 2005. 234pp.
Libraries
shouldn't mimic book superstores, but all types of libraries can learn from
bookstores' successes. (While Woodward covers many topics, including customer
service and marketing, this summary only covers issues related to the use of
physical space.)
- Comparing libraries and
bookstore. (Chapter 2)
- Location matters. Like
stores, libraries should be sited in convenient, safe areas.
- Libraries generally have
more impressive exteriors than bookstores, but parking and signage are
sometimes inadequate.
- Stores and libraries
alike have electronic security systems at their entrances, but in
stores they are made less off-putting by placing colorful displays
nearby.
- Long, narrow, and badly
lit library shelves compare poorly to the eye-catching displays in
bookstores.
- In many libraries, only
the children's room offers a cheerful ambiance that fosters delight in
reading.
- Libraries nobly allocate
money to collections, while staff workspaces deteriorate into grungy
cluttered areas that do not inspire confidence among library users
.
- What's all this about
ambiance? (Chapter 8)
- Although bookstore
buildings are often little more than warehouses, their décor conveys a
sense of comfort and spaciousness.
- Customers need to be
informed, and should therefore be greeted by uncluttered entrances
that feature signage, service desks, printed guides, and obvious paths
into the heart of the building.
- Customers need to be
entertained. The building design should balance functionality and
excitement. The interior design should "stimulate the mind and
awaken the imagination," for example with a "fun" color
scheme.
- Customers need to get a
good buy. It should be easy to find the most popular items in the
collection.
- Customers need fast
service. Not only should the placement and design of checkout counters
minimize waiting time, but there should be displays or other
distractions to entertain patrons when long lines occur.
- Customers need to feel
safe, in an environment that is solid, permanent, and well maintained.
Parking lots should be well lit.
- Customers need to feel
special. Some libraries have an "institutional feel" due to
drab paint and carpeting. A service desk near the entrance can double
as a greeter station. By lowering ceilings in group study rooms and
reading niches, a cozy atmosphere can be achieved.
- Color triggers
psychological and physiological reactions. Warm colors evoke comfort
and energy; cool colors promote restfulness and concentration.
Choosing colors is tricky, because they look different in different
lighting.
- Get rid of clutter!
- Cleanliness (or lack of
it) has a huge impact on public perception. Make custodial services a
priority.
- The Art of Display.
(Chapter 9)
- Librarians can learn from
the field of visual merchandising.
- Attractive displays can
compensate for the boring arrangement of books on shelves by
classification.
- Simply repackaging books
in new shiny vinyl covers, or CDs in unscratched cases, will stimulate
interest and boost circulation of older titles.
- Color is the best tool
for attracting attention to displays.
- Common materials to
create displays include paint, construction materials like foam board,
fabric, carpet pieces, paper, and artifacts related to the topic of
the display.
- Constantly updating
exhibits in prominent display cases can prove a burden, but the cases
may also be used to spotlight the work of local hobbyists and
collectors. Local museums may be willing to lend less valuable items.
- Adequate lighting and
signage are essential to good displays.
- Finding Their Way: The
Importance of Signage (Chapter 10)
- Signs are among the most
important means of communication between the library and its users.
Contrary to what some librarians believe, many people do seek
and follow signs.
- There must be enough
signs that users can find their way around the library, but not so
many that they add clutter and visual noise.
- Signs should harmonize
with the décor yet stand out sufficiently to be noticed.
- Asignage system (as opposed to just a
bunch of signs) requires careful planning based on an analysis of user
needs.
- Signs with a specific
function (e.g. designating call number ranges) should be similar in
color and design.
- Terminology should be consistent
(e.g., not "magazines" on one sign and
"periodicals" on another).
- Signs should be easy to
remove and replace, durable, and professional looking, even if
homemade.
- Directional signs should
be provided at decision points, such as exiting from an elevator.
- Post library rules where
people are likely to break them.
- Rather than spending a
lot on professional signage that will become outdated, consider
investing in materials and software to make signs as needed in-house.
Begin designing a signage system by touring your library as a
customer.
- Food and Drink in the
Library (Chapter 15)
- Cafes within bookstores
inspire customers to stay longer and buy more.
- Damage to books from food
spills and insects may not be a big factor where collections are
weeded regularly. In research libraries, the feasibility of permitting
food and drink will depend on how collections are organized, and
whether valuable and irreplaceable materials are housed separately.
- Cafes should be large
enough to accommodate both customer tables and preparation and storage
areas.
- A separate entrance is
desirable, so that cafes hours need not match the library's hours.
- A café must comply local sanitation regulations and will
probably require additional insurance.
- Outsourcing the café
operation is usually a good idea, and an RFP (request for proposals)
process may be used to select a vendor.
For
further inspiration and information
Books
21. Buschman, John
E. and Gloria J. Leckie. The Library as Place:
History, Community and Culture. Westport,
CT: Libraries Unlimited,
forthcoming in December 2006. To
learn more about the book visit:
http://lu.com/showbook.cfm?isbn=9781591583820
22.
Libraries as Places: Buildings for the 21st Century; Proceedings of the
Thirteenth Seminar of IFLA's Library Buildings and
Equipment Section together with IFLA's Public
Libraries Section. Ed. by Marie-Francoise Bisbrouck
et al. Munich:
K.G. Saur, 2004, 210pp. (IFLA Publications no. 109)
Twelve
papers -- three in French, nine in English -- cover recent library
architecture in Europe and North America.
Includes many black-and-white photographs.
23.
Marshall, John Douglas. Place of Learning, Place of Dreams: A History of
the Seattle
Public Library. Seattle: University of Washington
Press, 2004. 192pp.
Published
shortly before the opening of Seattle's new
central library, designed by internationally renowned architect Rem Koolhaas, this
warts-and-all history focuses much of its attention on the buildings that
have housed Seattle's
collections over the past century.
24.
Futagawa, Yukio. Library. Tokyo: Edie Edita Tokyo, 2006. 319pp.
Inspiring
color photos of the interiors and exteriors of fifty libraries in Japan, the
US and Europe, designed by notable modern architects, including Frank Lloyd
Wright, I.M. Pei, and Frank Gehry.
Thumbnail floor plans and brief commentaries in English and Japanese are
included.
Magazines
25.
American Libraries.
Each
year, the April issue of American Libraries focuses on library architecture.
In addition to a handful of feature articles on the theme, many color
photographs of newly designed library interiors provide inspiration and
ideas.
26.
Library Journal.
Library
Journal has been compiling data on new and renovated library buildings since
1969. The December issue highlights "The Year in Architecture" with
lists of new and renovated buildings and their costs, trend analyses, a
directory of architects, and color photographs of library interiors and
exteriors.
Web sites
27.
Library Design Resources.
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/ENVI/librarydesign.html
This
extensive pathfinder provided by the Environmental Design Library at
UC-Berkeley identifies relevant reference books, websites, keywords, subject
headings, indexes, journals, organizations, and more.
28.
Whole Building Design Guide.
http://www.wbdg.org/
Sponsored
by the National Institute of Building Sciences, the WBDG brings together
information about requirements, standards, technologies and trends for many
sorts of buildings. Click on "Building Types" on the left-hand
menu; then find "Libraries" on the alphabetical list. On separate
pages for academic, public, school, and presidential libraries, the
building's key attributes are described, and standards and guidelines are
cited. A section headed "Emerging Issues" suggests trends and
future developments that building planners should keep in mind.
29.
Schlipf, Fred, and John Moorman.
"The Curse of Carnegie: Can Modern Public Libraries Find True Happiness
in Historic Buildings?
http://urbanafreelibrary.org/departments/presentations/fredcarnegie.html
A
humorous list of twenty-one "useful aphorisms" presented at the
Public Library Association conference in March 2006. Example: "Despite
our attachment to an historic library, if no one can park anywhere near it,
it's a bad idea to spend millions fixing it up."
30.
The Library as Place: Symposium on Building and Revitalizing Health
Sciences Libraries in the Digital Age. National Library of Medicine and
Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries. November 5-6, 2003.
http://www.aahsl.org/building/agenda.html Also available on DVD.
This
excellent conference program offers valuable insight about how information is
organized, accessed, and stored in contemporary libraries. While the focus is
on health sciences libraries, much of the information is relevant to all
libraries. The website includes videos of all sessions and PowerPoint slides
for most of them.
31.
Rossi, Karen. "Information Architecture and Customer Service." http://www.carnegielibrary.org/presentations/rossi/NJLibAssnApr2006/index_files/frame.html
This
conference presentation from spring 2006, including the speaker's notes as
well as the slides, describes how the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh applied
the concept of "information architecture" grounded in the users'
experience when it remodeled its main building. Rossi gives many examples of
changes not just to the organization and demarcation of space, but also the
placement and wording of signage and the design of the library's website and
online catalog.
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