Planning for a New Generation of Public Library Buildings
Gerard B. McCabe
GREENWOOD PRESS
PLANNING FOR A NEW GENERATION OF PUBLIC LIBRARY BUILDINGS
Recent Titles in The Greenwood Library Management Collection Introducing and Managing Academic Library Automation Projects John W. Head and Gerard B. McCabe, editors The National Electronic Library: A Guide to the Future for Library Managers Gary M. Pitkin, editor Strategic Management for Public Libraries: A Handbook Robert M. Hayes and Virginia A. Walter Managing Business Collections in Libraries Carolyn A. Sheehy, editor Introduction to Health Sciences Librarianship: A Management Handbook Frank R. Kellerman Library Facility Siting and Location Handbook Christine M. Koontz Promoting Preservation Awareness in Libraries: A Sourcebook for Academic, Public, School, and Special Collections Jeanne M. Drewes and Julie A. Page, editors Serials Management in Academic Libraries: A Guide to Issues and Practices Jean Walter Farrington Creating the Agile Library: A Management Guide for Librarians Lorraine J. Haricombe and T. J. Lusher, editors Young Adults and Public Libraries: A Handbook of Materials and Services Mary Anne Nichols and C. Allen Nichols, editors Moving Library Collections: A Management Handbook Elizabeth Chamberlain Habich Leadership and Academic Librarians Terrence F. Mech and Gerard B. McCabe, editors
Planning for a New Generation of Public Library Buildings Gerard B. McCabe
THE GREENWOOD LIBRARY MANAGEMENT COLLECTION
GREENWOOD PRESS Westport, Connecticut • London
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data McCabe, Gerard B. Planning for a new generation of public library buildings / Gerard B. McCabe. p. cm.—(Greenwood library management collection, ISSN 0894–2986) Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index. ISBN 0–313–30592–7 (alk. paper) 1. Library buildings—Design and construction. 2. Public libraries. 3. Library architecture. 4. Library buildings—United States—Design and construction. 5. Public libraries—United States. 6. Library architecture—United States. 7. Library buildings—Australia—Design and construction. 8. Public libraries— Australia. 9. Library architecture—Australia. I. Title. II. Series. Z679.5.M44 2000 022'.314—dc21 99–32004 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data is available. Copyright 2000 by Gerard B. McCabe All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, by any process or technique, without the express written consent of the publisher. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 99–32004 ISBN: 0–313–30592–7 ISSN: 0894–2986 First published in 2000 Greenwood Press, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881 An imprint of Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. www.greenwood.com Printed in the United States of America TM
The paper used in this book complies with the Permanent Paper Standard issued by the National Information Standards Organization (Z39.48–1984). 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Contents
Preface
vii
Acknowledgments
ix
Introduction
1
1.
Beginning the Plan
7
2.
Data for Planning
21
3.
Location: Finding a Site
27
4.
Interior Design
35
5.
Furnishing and Equipping the Library and Its Environs
41
6.
Other Views
57
Using Small College Library Planning Techniques in Public Library Facilities Planning by James R. Kennedy
57
A Place to Call Their Own by Rebecca M. Wenninger
63
7.
The Library Building Program
67
8.
Reference Services to Special Collections
77
9.
Children’s Services to Meeting Space
85
Architectural Details
95
10.
vi
Contents
Appendix A.
Joint-Use Libraries in Australia
113
Appendix B.
Management Checklist
116
Appendix C.
Furniture and Equipment Options for Public Libraries
119
Appendix D.
Drawings
126
Appendix E.
Safety Procedures Handbook
128
Appendix F.
Conversion or Renovation of Other Types of Buildings
130
Appendix G.
Library Building Program, Checklist of Contents
133
Appendix H.
Sample Survey Forms
136
Selected Bibliography
151
Index
159
About the Author and Contributors
167
Preface
There are many books available on library design and construction. This one pulls together ideas from many of these sources and merges them with the expertise of a librarian building consultant. Gerard B. McCabe has many years of experience working with architects, contractors, library board members, elected officials, and librarians involved in the renovation of older buildings and the development and planning of new ones. He has been called upon to evaluate sites, analyze communities, and make recommendations leading to the successful completion of a project. In this book McCabe has organized a variety of comments and references into chapters that could well be used to develop the project outline for the novice and a checklist for the experienced. He acknowledges the expertise of his colleagues and draws liberally on their works. Chapter 1 begins with the decision to do something and the parties who should be involved. In chapter 2 McCabe discusses types of data to be gathered and used in the development of the written program. Formulas, demographics, and potential service needs are all useful as the consultant begins writing. The third chapter discusses site location. McCabe includes some wise comments—pro and con—as guidance in this early phase. Chapters 4 and 5 deal with interior design, furniture, and equipment to fulfill both design elements and functional needs. One important but brief paragraph discusses assistive equipment. Chapter 6 presents the views of two other librarians in two papers: James R. Kennedy, in the first, discussing transferring small
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Preface
college library building planning techniques to public library building projects, and Rebecca M. Wenninger, advocating serious consideration of the needs of young adults, in the second. In chapter 7 McCabe describes the elements of the building program and begins to define specific spaces—entry way, circulation desk area, workroom, storage areas, and other common spaces. Chapter 8 covers the reference area, functions, and accommodations for special materials and equipment. Chapter 9 covers the children’s department in some detail. This is followed by adult services, meetings spaces, and collections accommodations. Chapter 10 goes into more particular architectural building components: load-bearing criteria, safety glass, lighting, climate control, and other building elements. There are eight appendices; among them are a building program checklist, a list of furniture and equipment, and a few drawings. This is a practical, inclusive volume. The individual reader will determine how much will be useful in a specific situation. A selected bibliography provides titles that can be a purchasing list for those who expect to continue to work on library construction projects. Bernadette Storck, Administrator Pinellas Public Library Cooperative, Inc. Largo, Florida
Acknowledgments
My thanks are offered to Dr. David R. Dowell of Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, California; James R. Kennedy of Buena Vista University, Storm Lake, Iowa; and Bernadette Storck of the Pinellas Public Library Cooperative, Inc., Largo, Florida, for reading the draft manuscript of this book and making many helpful suggestions. Again, much appreciation is extended to James R. Kennedy for also preparing a paper for this book, and to my daughter Rebecca M. Wenninger for her contribution of a paper.
PLANNING FOR A NEW GENERATION OF PUBLIC LIBRARY BUILDINGS
Introduction
Preparation for this book has been one of my annual objectives for the last several years. I have read as widely as possible about library buildings and made site visits to a considerable number. Some of these visits were in concurrence with attendance at annual and midwinter conferences of the American Library Association (ALA). Others were done during visits to friends and family members. Some were the purpose of a driving trip just to see a new or renovated library building that had come to my attention. In October 1998, I flew to Australia to attend the 5th Biennial Conference of the Australian Library and Information Association, Adelaide ’98, Pathways to Knowledge. As part of the conference I took a tour of the Adelaide area’s public library branch buildings and the State Library of South Australia/City of Adelaide Lending Library, a joint-use facility. After the conference I traveled to Sydney. New and renovated American libraries, mostly public and a few academic, were visited in Arizona, California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and overseas in Adelaide and Sydney, Australia. The more recent large libraries that I have visited include the new San Francisco Public Library, the renovated and expanded Los Angeles Public Library, the Harold Washington Library in Chicago, the renovated and breathtaking main reading room of the Library of Congress,1 and the remarkable new Phoenix Public Library. If you are visiting the Phoenix area, the several libraries on the Phoenix and Tempe campuses of
2
Introduction
Arizona State University, the Tempe Public Library, and Scottsdale libraries should be seen. My most recent visit was to the new Greensboro Central Library in North Carolina. This contemporary, state-of-the-art library is well worth a visit for any librarian traveling in the southeastern United States. This library opened on October 31, 1998; my visit took place on December 15, 1998. A thorough and illustrated description of this new building can be found in an article “Your New Public Library,” by Donald W. Patterson in the November 1, 1998, Greensboro News & Record, pages D1 and D2, which includes a descriptive text and a list of the building contents, space measurements, and costs. Among other interesting academic libraries visited was Mansfield University of Pennsylvania’s very progressive and handsome renovation of a late nineteenth-century campus building. Public librarians traveling in or near north central Pennsylvania or central New York, will find it most worthwhile to visit Mansfield to see the furniture and equipment, which are state-of-the-art and should be of interest. In Sydney, Australia, I visited the expanded and renovated State Library of New South Wales with its magnificent Mitchell Library, a model of restoration. Among smaller U.S. libraries were two very fine series of new buildings in Pinellas County, Florida, and in Las Vegas/Clark County, Nevada. In Nevada, my attention was called to Las Vegas by an article in Architectural Record (March 1997) describing the joint-use Sahara West Library and Fine Arts Museum, one of twenty-three branch libraries.2 Returning to the Phoenix area, the renovated and expanded Scottsdale, Arizona, Civic Center Library with its outstanding children’s library, and Scottsdale’s Mustang branch library are both remarkable. In Columbia, Maryland, the East Columbia branch of the Columbia Public Library is another very good prospect. Buildings to visit can be found in the annual April issues of American Libraries, the annual December issues of Library Journal, and in various issues of Today’s Librarian. If a recent building is nearby then a visit is simple enough. For those librarians who may travel in the United States, buildings featured in these magazines may prove worth visiting. For the more fortunate who can travel overseas, magazines published in other countries may be of assistance. The September 1997 issue of inCite, News magazine of the Australian Library and Information Association, describes some recent Australian libraries and one in Sarawak, Malaysia. The Australian libraries are the Liverpool City Library near Sydney, the Sunshine Coast University Library at Sippy Downs in the state of Queensland, the Joondalup Public Library in the city of Wanneroo near Perth in the state of Western Australia, the Midland Public Library in the shire of Swan, Western Australia, the Mount Barker Community Library (which has the distinction of being a joint-use library with a technical school) in the state of South Australia, and last, in Logan near Brisbane in Queensland, the Logan Hyperdome Library, the fifth of a series of new Logan city libraries that were started in 1992. My Australian travel plans regretfully did not take me to any
Introduction
3
of these locations. In Sarawak, Malaysia, the new state library is the Pustaka Negeri Sarawak, completed in December 1999. Assistance from the Australian State Library of New South Wales Building and Planning Advisory Service was critical to the development of this important new building (inCite, September 1997, 10). Among my general observations in the United States, based not only on actual visits but also on reports and photographs of library buildings in the professional journals, is the notice of too many “look-a-likes,” especially in the 10,000– to 15,000–square-foot size range. Just as is sometimes the case with other types of buildings that achieve some notoriety, very similar features appear in new construction in other areas. It is for this reason that no photographs appear in this book. No line-drawing renditions of existing buildings appear. There are no endorsements of any building or any style of building. The development of library building concepts should be evolutionary with new designs and features appearing as the needs of the people they serve change. As the technology and logical infrastructure of the library changes in response to new needs, to new ways of providing service, to new material formats, to new developments in the technology of online services and communications, and as the climatic and geographic circumstances of the locale may indicate, a particular building will evolve for specific purposes. Library buildings are always worth visiting, and my visits included some buildings that were no longer new, and were in fact several or more years old. In these buildings, I could observe how adjustments were made as new service demands arose, how furniture and equipment were holding up, how the public was using the building. Except for a few instances where the visit was made before the building was finished, or as part of an ALA conference activity and the building was closed to the general public during the evening of the scheduled activity, the observation of actual use was very instructive. In most cases use of the building was at a very good level. Usually as the librarian reported, service activity was greatly increased over that experienced in the previous facility. The general public in every community makes very good use of the public libraries. I believe this observation may be extended universally. My observations in the Australian libraries that I visited were identical. Activity statistics given by the Australian librarians I met were very high in proportion to the population of the areas served. This is another reason why it is important to plan for any building project with as much concentrated energy as possible. The building will be subjected to heavy use once the project is completed, and if there is a planning failure, it will show up almost immediately. One of my observations about furniture and equipment in the U.S. libraries was that all new and renovated buildings were well furnished and well equipped. A few had to make use of some of the older items removed from a replaced building or those that were in use prior to renovation. These items usually included some steel shelving units, some tables, and chairs. All were in good condition. In the buildings of several years’ existence, the furniture and equip-
4
Introduction
ment appeared to be holding up very well. The quality of library furniture and equipment produced today is quite high. My observations in the Australian libraries I visited were similar. In the series of new and renovated buildings that I saw, I did not observe any with a lighting problem in public areas. All were well lighted and all had excellent illumination of reading surfaces and stack aisles. Lighting has been the subject of more than one program or preconference of an American Library Association annual conference. As a member of the Library and Administration Association division, I think modest credit may be taken by its Building and Equipment Section, the originator of these presentations. The overall objectives of this book are: to help first-time planners with basic information; to serve as a refresher for those librarians who have had previous planning experience; to help library board and planning group members know and understand the many issues and matters they will face when planning even a most modest project; to equip students enrolled in Library and Information Science programs with a basic core of knowledge and understanding because eventually they will become involved in renovation or space-planning projects; and to assist architectural students and interns learning to use computer assisted design (CAD) software packages. The average public librarian needs information that helps in understanding what is involved in planning for a public library building project. This applies whether the subject is a free-standing independent building, a branch library, or a joint-use facility with a museum, a senior academic library, a community or junior college library, or a school library. Reading this book will not turn a reader into a qualified specialist on library buildings. It is to help librarians and others learn what should be known about a project so that they function effectively as part of the planning team. There are basic facets of information that librarians must know. If their projects are to be successful librarians must participate and to do so should possess this basic core of information. This is the intent—not to replace a skilled building consultant, nor a qualified architect, but to help the librarian in raising the level of information known and so to be recognized as a full partner in the planning. The concept of modern libraries is moving toward interactive connections with information sources far beyond the immediate community. For the contemporary public library, this means connection to a network, the federally defined National Information Infrastructure, and a critical role in addressing the information needs of its community. All of the public libraries in the United States and in Australia that I visited were involved in online information services. The newest one, Greensboro (NC) Central Library, went so far as to have several terminals constantly online, connected to the Internet. In the planning effort for a building project, sometimes basic fundamentals can be neglected. The librarian may be unaware of the importance of certain fundamentals, or the librarian may be ignored. A building concept may develop that will have operational problems when completed. The librarian will be ex-
Introduction
5
pected to operate library services satisfactorily regardless of the effective functionality of the building. “It is new, isn’t it?” In turn, however, the thinking that helps develop the planning must include realistic evaluation of what has been traditional practice. In some geographic areas, and in some other countries—Australia is one example—economic factors may require consideration of shared or joint-use facilities. The Sahara West Library and Fine Arts Museum in Las Vegas provides an educational and cultural opportunity in one large building. The special requirements of both types of services are met through the infrastructure of the building. In some instances, public libraries have combined or are considering combining with academic libraries.3 The combination of the modern academic library “electronic teaching center” and the public library “electronic information center” can be made to work within a common infrastructure defined in a single building. There are commonalities to the planning of both types of libraries. Site visits are encouraged. Librarians and their board members should visit other libraries, regardless of their age or condition. Colleagues are willing usually to talk about their buildings, tell about their working experience, and give advice and sometimes cautions about what to consider. The end result must be a working building, a pleasant environment for staff and public, and one that is adaptable to the sometimes sudden changes that our rapidly advancing society requires. NOTES 1. Andrea Oppenheimer Dean, “Library of Congress Washington, D.C.,” Architectural Record (February 1997): 106–11. This article with some striking photographs describes the renovation project and the long planning effort required. 2. Karen Stein, “Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle’s Sahara West Library and Fine Arts Museum is a World Apart from the Las Vegas Strip,” Architectural Record (March 1997): 55–61. Stein describes the latest and apparently last addition to the city-county library system in a project spread over eleven years and financed through a $120 million dollar bond issue. 3. “Three Plans for Shared-Use Libraries in the Works,” American Libraries (January 1999): 21–23. The three projects involve academic and public libraries, one set in California, the other two in Florida.
REFERENCES “Library Buildings and Design.” 1997. InCite News magazine of the Australian Library and Information Association (September): 8–15. The issue cover carries a photograph of part of the new Sunshine Coast University College Library with the offset caption “The design of libraries: A community focus.” A series of articles on library planning begins on page 8. The lead article discusses community involvement in library planning and the other articles discuss specific buildings.
1 Beginning the Plan
Planning begins when authorities recognize that some type of space modification is necessary: a new building, renovation, or conversion of a building. This must be developed into a series of goals and objectives and finally into a plan.
THE ELECTRONIC INFORMATION CENTER In which direction should the planning effort be going? Is there a new role for libraries? Everyone wants up-to-date library services with online services preeminent. A great national and international information network is forming bringing information resources to all peoples. This is now: This is the future: The choice is clear. The electronic information center (EIC) is the latest step in an evolutionary process from the traditional library to the networked library. In the electronic mode, most library service and support is computer based and human dependent. Skilled staff are critical for this objective. “High tech–high touch” technical skills are basic for both staff and public. Online services for the general public come through a regional or state library-based network and possibly are limited because of local constraints such as space and funding shortages. This condition may be what led to the decision to plan for change. Addressing constraints where they exist is one planning objective. Another objective is offering services online without requiring users to visit the library unnecessarily. Every online assistance
8
New Generation of Public Library Buildings
to users off-site saves space and reduces traffic. Libraries may experience high usage levels without incurring higher costs beyond system operational costs. Extending its influence and services at home and far afield, EIC users, unconstrained by their location or library service hours, may access and retrieve some resources immediately, identify some for later delivery, and send reference/information inquiries to the staff for later response. Essentially, electronic information resources are always available. Users will access their library’s resources and place requests for materials online, from home, the workplace, or in the library itself.
THE LIBRARY STAFF Success of the planning effort depends upon staff who should be involved in the development effort, included in the formation loop, and encouraged to contribute their ideas. Through training workshops offered by various agencies, staff will learn improved operational skills and how to update them. Equipment for accessing electronic resources, gathering and processing data, organizing, and codifying electronic information resources from various originators requires infrastructure and space. Skilled and dedicated staff will make the plan work.
COLLECTIONS During the evolutionary process for libraries, resources accumulated in print and nonprint formats of assured continuing usefulness and substantial value, monetarily in millions of dollars. Most of these haven’t been subsumed into online data banks. The attention these formats require include ease of access for users, provision for removal and use elsewhere, and adequate storage and preservation. Addressing these needs must be part of the plan.
DESIGN NEEDS A library building for public use should have certain features and capabilities supportive of its mission. Some necessary features are conducive to supporting and preserving electronic equipment and the physical collections.
Environment Electronic equipment and material collections function and serve effectively when the temperature, humidity, and quality of air are optimal. Preservation of all types of materials is critical to successful service (Albright 1997; ANSI/AIIM 1998; Drewes and Page 1997; Ogden 1998; Saffady 1997; Wilson 1995).
Beginning the Plan
9
Furniture and Equipment Electronic equipment such as microcomputers, printers, disk drives, modems, photocopiers, microform reader/printers, learning machines, and television devices often requires platforms that differ from the traditional table or carrel. Additionally, a wide range of other supporting furniture and equipment is necessary. A LIBRARY CONSULTANT When the supporting organization authorizes initiation of planning for a library building project, the librarian should recommend (indeed insist on firmly and politely) the employment of a qualified library consultant. This is essential for any type or size of building project. In some states such employment is strongly recommended or even required by the state library, the usual conduit for state funding assistance. The Library Administration and Management Association (LAMA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), publishes Library Building Consultants List, usually prepared within its Building and Equipment Section. This reliable publication is the best current source for identifying consultants who are experienced and who meet at least minimal standards. Many of these people have multiple qualifications and can assist when a joint-use facility is the objective. Some consultants who aren’t listed rely on word-of-mouth referrals and should meet the same minimum criteria. A variant is pursuing a complete design proposal through the issuance of a Request for Proposal (RFP) and requesting bids from architectural firms for a full-service design approach including a library consultant. In this instance, the RFP should state that the consultant should meet the criteria for the Library Building Consultants List cited above. Whether employed through an RFP response or oral or contractual agreement, the negotiated fee for a qualified library consultant is “money well spent.” This person is current on trends in library building design and the requirements of new technology. Even the smallest project has many aspects, and with professional assistance, errors that may prove costly later will be avoided. The Head Librarian’s Responsibility The planning process requires substantial information. Following are descriptions of some of the required information. All of this information should be obtained as early as possible in the plan development process. Demographics Critical to planning especially for small buildings, population data serves several uses. Among these are as a guide in determining an appropriate size for the building but not the final determinant. Knowing the projected future growth of
10
New Generation of Public Library Buildings
the service area, and the potential usage the community may generate, helps in planning certain service areas. The local government’s planning office will supply this data, often supported by basic data from the state’s planning office. This data should include population age ranges, distribution by sex, income ranges, number of families, percentage of children living in a home environment, percentage of elderly living in retirement centers, and a projected growth rate for twenty years. All of this data is very useful to the planning process. If a geographic information system is used, as discussed in Chapter 3, this information is critical to the process. In some cases, to more precisely identify the characteristics of the proposed service area, a private research firm may be employed to prepare a detailed analysis of the area. The consultant will use this information effectively in preparing the project. The Bureau of the Census will begin issuing “The American Community Survey—Your Community’s Key to the Future” starting in the year 2001. The plan is to collect the same information as collected by the decennial census every year. This information will be useful for many community purposes. One of the purposes will be to: “Locate facilities in the parts of town where they can do the most good” (U.S. Census Bureau 1999, n.p.). The survey will begin with larger population areas and each successive year will add another population grouping: first year, 250,000⫹ population; second year, 100,000–249,999 population; etc. This survey will assist in library planning. Taste and Cultural Interests Knowing the reading and cultural interests of the area’s residents is helpful, and if any doubts exist, a community survey may be useful. For a new branch library, a survey may be very helpful. Capturing service preferences very early will assist in defining the scope of services and space requirements. Knowing the ethnic makeup of the population will influence material selection and cultural and educational programming. Services and Annual Report The full scope of the library’s existing or proposed services to the community should be available in written form. Among the inclusions should be a description of the extent of services for all age levels or age classifications; any outreach services, such as children’s library services extended to day care centers and book deposits at retirement centers; frequency of story hour programs with typical attendance; educational and cultural programs offered or wanted; and a statement of community wishes for improvements or expansion in and of library services. A good manager should have an annual report containing activity and collections data. The consultant uses this information to plan collection space and project collection growth, and couples it with population data to determine proposed space allocations for the service areas.
Beginning the Plan
11
Roads and Highways Local highway, road development, and public transportation plans are very important. The city, county, and state highway and transport departments have future plans for road and highway construction that will have an impact on the present or future location of the library building. Maps A map of the area showing existing 100- and 500-year flood plains is critical to the process. No one would want to place a library on a flood plain. Again, the local government’s planning office should have this information. A transport map is another necessity, and especially important is the possible routing of new roads and highways. If a geographic information system is to be used as discussed in chapter 3, this information is pertinent to the process. The First Meeting After a consultant is selected—not an easy thing to do because of demand, so scheduling may be a problem—that individual will expect to meet with the library board or planners and librarian several times depending upon the project’s scope. Once work begins the consultant will advise on many aspects of the project. This initial meeting should be with the full board or the full building committee. Local officials who may have influence on the project may be involved early as well. If any board members or local officials have expressed any negative feelings or indicated any serious concerns, these persons should be included at the start of these meetings. The consultant will use this opportunity to address any issues that may be raised. This is important because at some point one or more of these people will raise an objection and early resolution will prove beneficial. Many details affecting the project’s outcome must be known and considered. As implied earlier, the librarian and the planning group should have their ideas, and any suggestions gathered from the community clearly in mind ready for presentation to the consultant. One important consideration, particularly for a small community is the matter of work-in-kind. It is not uncommon to plan a project so that local contractors will have the opportunity to bid on segments of the project or even to donate their services. This is a decision to be made at the very beginning of the project. The library board or planning group should make this concern known to the consultant and subsequently to the architect. These individuals will respond accordingly. The consultant serves as an information source and as a specialist who will see the project through to successful completion. If the basic information requested as stipulated earlier has been sent to the consultant, a detailed project analysis may be presented at the first meeting. This analysis will include an estimate of the building or project size, possible cost figures, a timetable, and
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New Generation of Public Library Buildings
other items. This serves to put the project into a common perspective for all the involved persons. The library building consultant is the first of several specialists involved in a building project and should be so. The obvious is not always apparent, but should become clear as this chapter progresses. The succeeding specialists are the architect(s), an assortment of engineers whose work is behind the scenes and mostly are involved through the architect(s), an interior designer either associated with the architect(s) or as an independent contractor, a fund-raiser when required, construction contractors, and a construction manager (once named “clerk-of-the-works”), typically employed by the architect(s), who oversees the contractors and their adherence to construction specifications. Sometimes in the case of major public works, this person is employed by the governmental body. For large library buildings, additional consultants may provide expertise in environmental control, lighting, signs, and security. The local highway or traffic control department may provide valuable assistance in planning for vehicle access. In the preface to his critical work, Ellsworth Mason comments: “There are more than half a million details in the plans for a library building of a hundred thousand square feet,” (Mason 1980, vii). Regardless of the building’s size there are many details, and the combination of specialists is essential to the project’s success. This opportunity to create something so worthwhile creates great enthusiasm; library projects are exciting and many useful suggestions will come forth from the community. Euphoria aside, common sense must prevail, and serious thinking and much work must happen. The first meeting is for open discussion, thorough, frank, and full. The discussion should reveal wishes for the project, what must be done, define its scope, and make basic decisions. One person, the librarian, or in tandem the librarian and the consultant, should be the communications link through whom all requests for changes, modifications, or simply questions from others pass to the architect(s). This arrangement should be established at the onset of the project. If the project is controlled by an official of local government, there should be a review procedure in place so that the planning group has a voice in communications. The danger is that an uninformed or poorly informed official may make a decision based on misinformation that may adversely affect the future service functionality of the project. If this is not observed and anyone can discuss the project at will with the architect(s), confusion and considerable personal unhappiness may result. To help librarians and their planning groups, a checklist of major items that should be described in a building program is used. This may be combined with a time line or a Gantt chart. This assures that nothing of importance is overlooked in the early planning. The content will vary if the building is a renovation. Some optional items may be of interest while others are not. This planning document gives the librarian and board a better understanding of the complexity of the project and the options that may be open to their consideration. There are many facets to a library building and different ways of conceptualizing them (Rizzo
Beginning the Plan
13
1992, 322). The final document must give the architect(s), no matter how experienced, an understanding of what is expected and how the building will be operated. With this input from the responsible group, the consultant will write a building program reflecting the group consensus. The document need not be excessively long. Many building programs for small libraries average a length of about twenty pages, often including bubble diagrams. These are a series of concentric circles or geometric figures that are used to show interrelationships of service areas (see Appendix D). For a large building the program will be considerably larger. This document describes in detail the service and spatial needs for the library project. The program is given to the architect(s) who translates its requirements into schematics or proximity diagrams showing the arrangement and location of the services and other spaces. Preparing this document requires experience, which is why the consultant should write it. In addition to spatial requirements, the consultant will add details that either must be included or considered as part of the construction project. For another statement on the building program see Curry and Henriquez (1998, 83–84). Sometimes the program may be sent to another consultant for a critique of its content. For larger projects, this is a good idea. A neutral consultant may observe an oversight that could prove difficult later, such as inadequate attention to local weather conditions. If an architect from outside the area is selected, lack of familiarity with local weather conditions could lead to a design scheme with weather-related deficiencies. When the program is ready, the planning group should review it very carefully to make certain their wishes were expressed. Copies should be circulated among library staff for their reactions. If anything is unclear or not stated, that should be made known so that the document will not confuse the architect’s understanding of what is wanted. The program may be cause for a second meeting for further discussion. In most cases this should be automatic, unless the building is relatively small and the program has indeed captured the intent of the planning group. This review is very important and will serve as a timesaver later when questions may arise due to its interpretation by the architect(s). After any revisions are made, the next step is to employ an architect. Selecting the Architect Means for selecting an architect range from competitions to interviews. Major urban projects mostly are competitive and the competing designs offer great eye appeal. The desire for handsome civic architecture and external appearances often outweighs concerns for internal functionality. All is not lost, however, so long as the winning architect is willing to listen to the people who will be responsible for making the building actually work. There are some very fine externally attractive and internally functional buildings that attest to this in keeping with the adage “Function determines form, or form follows function.”
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New Generation of Public Library Buildings
For smaller projects architects may be invited to meet with the planning group, or the local governmental authority may have a list with rotation of names as projects are awarded. The architects may be interviewed in order if the architect first on the list is not selected. In the interview process, care should be taken to allow the architect to express concepts and ideas, but also to observe that the architect is willing to listen to the client. Although it may be helpful, it isn’t necessary for the architect to have prior experience with library buildings. What is necessary is the aforestated willingness to work with the planning group, consultant included, to listen to their concerns and wishes, and not to superimpose the architect’s own ideas over those of the group. Bear in mind that architects are gifted, talented individuals not unlike artists. Expect to hear their ideas and encourage their expression; just remember that the building must function effectively. Sometimes in the interview process, architects will present illustrated brochures and photographs of other projects, usually very beautiful and striking buildings. As overwhelming as this may be, no one should succumb to a sales pitch and give an architect free rein simply because of a dazzling display of talent. The final outcome will be an externally attractive building and one that is internally functional, but do not surrender any prerogatives. If an architect betrays any tendency to defer the group’s thinking about the library’s functionality, move on to another architect. Some architects solve problems by simply making space for services but not working out appropriate relationships among the services. The end result is a design that lacks imagination. There can be disagreements. Both architect and librarian must listen to each other fairly and openly. Experience shows that successful architects always have listened to the people involved and worked with them to achieve the final result, an attractive library that will work and function effectively for decades to come. Fortunately, most architects are receptive to working together with people to bring about a successful project (Curry and Henriquez 1998, 80, 89). After reading the building program and discussion with the consultant, the architect prepares two dimensional line drawings, or even better, threedimensional computer assisted design (CAD) projections, or both, which translate the program content into illustrations of what the project will look like in terms of layout. An elevation will show how the library may look on the site. With CAD it’s possible to see how both the exterior and the interior will look and to show a proposed color scheme. These illustrations will show how the new building will look inside and outside, the relationship of service areas with other areas, and, for renovations, how changes or alterations may look. The availability of CAD software will be appreciated when applied commonly to library projects. CAD is helpful in planning large buildings and will be useful for small projects as architects become proficient using it. With CAD interiors may be elevated, and it will be far easier to visualize traffic flow, potential effects of color schemes, and the relationships among the service areas. The impression a CAD portrayal makes will be overwhelming, but the objective to
Beginning the Plan
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keep is a functional building. Within a short time, many architects will convert to CAD design for their projects (Novitski 1997, 129–32). Once ready for presentation, the consultant and architect should explain the arrangements to the planning group. Merits and shortcomings, if any, should be related back to the program. The planning group should have additional time to review and ponder the recommendations for the project and then either make their request for changes or accept the presentation. If anyone has any concerns or negative feelings, this is the time to raise them. It is legitimate to question such things as the traffic flow, functionality and relationships among the service areas, and any other items that may affect good service. Why is this important? The cost of changes at this stage is rather low when compared to costs for adjustments requested after blueprints are made. If the program truly reflected the wishes of the planning group and good input to the planning by the consultant, there should be very little reason for change. If the program was understood and the architect did not override the planning group, and site problems or unanticipated factors didn’t indicate some deviation, the presentation should be very close to what is wanted. It is the consultant’s responsibility to bring the planning group to a sense of understanding so that unfair and costly revisions aren’t requested due to inadequate mental preparation at the project’s beginning. This is why the first program draft should be examined thoroughly. By so doing the planning group will save valuable time later. Architect’s costs are high. There is no point in prolonging indecision by asking for many changes. This is not to say that misinterpretation of the program won’t occur, or that ideas not considered earlier won’t be introduced. It is to emphasize that building projects are costly. Funding should be dedicated to advancing the project, not to repetitive work redoing what should have been decided early in the process. The architect also wants the best possible result. Occasionally, an architect will deviate from the program. If this occurs, it is the consultant’s responsibility to point this out. The architect and consultant should be working together; if they are, broad deviations can be avoided. A good architect will “run by” design concepts with the consultant. A good consultant will encourage creativity by the architect. If the project depictions are too extreme a departure from the program, it is right to tell the architect they are unsatisfactory. One incentive for consultant and architect to work together effectively is the possibility of entering the finished building into the biennial Library Buildings Award Program that is sponsored jointly by the Library Administration and Management Association and the American Institute of Architects. There are three possibilities that may affect departure from the program. One is that the architect has chosen to ignore the document. A second is that creative inclination “ran away” with design features. The third is that the project work was done or is being done by an intern, a student architect working under the senior architect. The intern, a novice at this work, may not have understood the
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New Generation of Public Library Buildings
program. Although this should have been clarified at the interview stage, it is an error to assume that all the project work has been done by the architect interviewed. Partners in an architectural firm may make a group presentation, but again it may be other members of the firm who do the actual work. For a small building, an intern doing the work may be the case. For a very large project an entire architectural firm may be involved, including interns or apprentices. This is why the consultant will state as clearly as possible what is desired, not so specific that initiative or creativity is stifled, but understandable even to an apprentice. Once the program draft is reviewed and all agree on its content, the architect must be held to the program unless there is clearly a need for change. The building must be functional. Anything that does not appear to address functionality must be questioned. Understanding this, there is no reason not to question some design feature if it causes any concern. Even at the drawing stage, CAD or paper based, it is important not to succumb to artistic creativity and accept a design simply because the architect is a talented designer, or the exterior will be beautiful and promises a very striking appearance. The building must work well. If indications are that it will not, reject the design. If anyone on the planning group has any reservations about design features, these should be made known and resolved. Changes made later will be very costly. Budget and Cost Projections With an acceptable depiction of the building in hand, the project now proceeds in other directions. The next important step is determining the budget for construction. The architect and consultant should be able to indicate an approximate range for the project costs. The architect should provide an estimated construction cost, and the consultant can review the estimate and relate it to recent costs for similar projects. The estimated overall cost will include allowances for furniture, equipment, the percentage for art works and plants for the interior, exterior plantings, official fees, and the architect’s and consultant’s fees. The annual December issue of Library Journal is a good source for this kind of information. Costs for a site are treated separately. Sometimes land is donated (more on this later). Land costs will vary greatly from region to region. Additionally, preparation costs for roads, water and sewer lines, utilities, and clearing of land may vary. Community Involvement The scope of community involvement varies with preferences and time constraints. Some librarians prefer to survey the community through the mail and obtain written suggestions for the project. Some have used a citizens advisory committee to solicit and formulate suggestions from the greater community.
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Some have tried the “charette” approach. This involves a community meeting with the architect and consultant present. Each of these persons may give a general overview of planning requirements to the audience. The architect will rough out on a drawing board a possible “footprint,” roughly the size of the building on a site. If the site requires the main entry on a certain side, that is shown. After this the audience participates in the building layout. The architect and consultant will point out need for staff space and work areas, and the audience will suggest public area layouts. If the audience is understanding, the results can be very satisfactory. Dr. David J. Jones, State Library of New South Wales, Australia, makes a strong case for community involvement in library planning. Reviewing both Australian and American trends in library planning, he notes the important role a library may play as a community center as a focal point for community activity (Jones 1997, 8). Certainly making an effort to involve the people the library is to serve is going to reinforce the library as an important asset to the community, one that the people will see as a necessity to their advancement and welfare. Funding the Project In some communities public library construction is funded entirely from tax monies. Local government controls these funds and the library board makes its case for funding. Sometimes funding is obtained through a bond issue. Other sources are a combination of public funds, a fund drive, endowment income, and accumulated savings by the library board. In some instances, additional funding is made available through a competitive grant process by state libraries. At least one state—Pennsylvania—provides some funding through a competitive process using revenue from a real estate transfer tax. As part of this process, a financial plan with a cash flow projection should be prepared. This is very useful when funding comes from more than one source. If donations and endowment income are included, clearly the cash inflow from them must be projected and coordinated with cash outflow, so that the latter will not outpace the former. If the library board proposes to conduct a fund drive, then the services of a professional fund-raiser are recommended. Individuals and companies provide fee-based services including conducting a feasibility study to estimate the degree of support and the amount that may be raised, advising on the best time to begin a drive, training volunteers to help solicit funds, and preparing campaign literature. The fund-raiser will provide background regarding community information that is needed, how the initial study will be conducted, and how volunteer workers will be trained. Fund-raisers may be found in the telephone book yellow pages and through referrals from hospitals, churches, or other public enterprises. In some circumstances, the library board may be advised to employ a halftime secretary for the tasks of handling mailings, receiving donations, and related work. This person is not the treasurer but receives and records donations
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New Generation of Public Library Buildings
turning the receipts over to the treasurer. The latter is usually a board member or a community volunteer with money management experience. Often, the fund-raiser will advise that one-half or more of the target funds must come from major contributors. This means corporate or business donors, foundations, and well-to-do private citizens who must be willing to support a significant portion of the project cost. The importance of this cannot be overemphasized. Failure to understand this or a misguided zeal that leads a few persons unskilled in fund-raising techniques to think they can persuade the community to support the project often leads to the loss of valuable time and even suspension of the project. The fund-raiser will need information of potential major donors and may obtain this information from board members or other persons knowledgeable about the community such as bankers, investment counselors, realtors, etc, inclusive of persons who can be said to have “their thumb on the community’s economic pulse.” These persons will have a first-hand knowledge of potential community, business, and industrial growth; know how rapidly a community is really growing; and in which geographic directions that growth is occurring. Once potential major donors are identified, the fund raiser will arrange contacts. The balance of the funding should come from the community at large, often through a pledge period covering several years. “Prospect identification” is a term used for the process of identifying the potential major donors in a community. It is more than simply naming people. The information developed must provide for precise identification of the potential donor’s philanthrophic inclinations, some indication of how to approach the individual, and an informed estimate of the possible amount of a donation. Librarians also should be aware that very wealthy individuals and families often have a policy statement that describes exactly what sort of charities and community activities will be considered for support. Public libraries may not be included in the policy as occasionally happens. In community fund drives, confidentiality often is of utmost importance. Wealthy or well-to-do people may prefer to have their good fortune kept well in the background. It’s not unusual at all for such persons to give a nominal donation for the record and a larger sum anonymously so as not to attract attention. Also important is the way volunteer fund-raisers are trained. They will be ringing doorbells asking for contributions or pledges for the fund drive. They must be sensitive to people’s innate pride. Care should be exercised to make certain that people are not insulted by being asked to give too little or offended when they honestly are stretching their means to be of assistance. Large companies with a community presence will make a donation under the terms of their corporate giving policy. This may mean a large single donation at some point during the fund drive. Americans will contribute to libraries because they appreciate the benefits that a good library will bring to their communities.1 Also, the “newly rich” will give to wrap themselves in “culture.”
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Grants If the library is located in a state where supplemental public funding can be obtained through a grant process, then this is the time to begin preparing supporting material for a grant application. Sometimes a library board may express reluctance to do so because of concern for state imposed requirements including wage levels and restrictions on sites for possible library locations. This type of funding, however, may be seen as a return of tax money. The community may view the library board’s seeking a public grant in a positive light. If there are good reasons for rejecting such an opportunity, the reasons should be sound and made known to the community. The fund-raiser and/or the consultant will assist in drafting grant applications to private foundations on behalf of the project. The approach may be to local, regional, and national foundations depending upon the type of project and other relevant factors. Be forewarned, however, that most foundations only give if they have a local interest or connection.
Managing the Incoming Funds The treasurer should have authorization to invest surplus income as it accrues so that it will yield interest until it is necessary to pay major bills. Usually, these funds are invested in certificates of deposit, rather than conventional savings accounts. Only a minimal sum is kept in a checking account to pay current expenses. This should be part of the financial plan. A last source of income that may help with a building project, though not always, is bequests. More often, bequests made in a person’s will are for specific purposes and are endowments for the purposes stated. Sometimes, if the need is known well in advance that a new building project, even though several years away, is coming, people may be inclined to will funds that may be used toward construction costs of specific services areas. This book does not cover endowment management but a citation is included in the notes to this chapter.2
NOTES 1. Charles R. McClure, and John Carlo Bertot, “Public Library Use in Pennsylvania: Identifying Uses, Benefits, and Impacts.” Final Report. June 1998. Available at: 具http: www.cas.psu.edu/docs/pde/lib1.html典. This study of public library use in Pennsylvania includes a series of benefits that may be useful in other settings. 2. Jo Ann Hankin, Alan G. Seidner, and John T. Zietlow. Financial Management for Non-profit Organizations (New York: Wiley, 1998). Not all public libraries are blessed with board members who are thoroughly astute in financial matters, particularly in managing endowment funds. This book may prove invaluable to many. The book is written for people who are not experienced with such matters. Its sixteen chapters cover a wide range of subjects such as: chapter 8, “Types and Sources of Funding for Your Program,”
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New Generation of Public Library Buildings
chapter 9, “Cash Management and Banking Relations,” and chapter 12, “Investing Principles, Procedures, and Operations for Short-Term and Long-Term Endowment.” At 610 pages, this book supplies a depth of coverage of useful information to those board members who manage library funds.
REFERENCES Albright, Gary. 1997. “Care of Photographs.” College & Research Libraries News 58 (September): 561–63. ANSI/AIIM TR13. 1998 Preservation of Microforms in an Active Environment—Guidelines. National Information Standards Organization. Oxon Hill, Md.: Niso Press. Curry, Ann, and Zena Henriquez. 1998. “Planning Public Libraries: The Views of Architects and Librarians.” Library Administration & Management 12 (spring): 80– 90. Drewes, Jeanne M., and Julie Page, eds. 1997. Promoting Preservation Awareness in Libraries: A Sourcebook for Academic, Public, School, and Special Collections. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. Jones, David J. 1997. “Meeting Point and Community Focus.” inCite, News magazine of the Australian Library and Information Association (September): 8. Mason, Ellsworth. 1980. Mason on Library Buildings. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press. Novitski, B. J. 1997. “Getting Your Feet Wet in CAD.” Architectural Record (July): 129–32. ———. 1998. “Exploiting Advances in Computer-Aided Architecture: Five Case Studies.” Architectural Record (September): 159–64. Ogden, Sherelyn. 1998. Preservation Planning: Guidelines for Writing a Long-Range Plan. National Information Standards Organization. Oxon Hill, Md.: Niso Press. Rizzo, Joe. 1992. “Ten Ways to Look at a Library.” American Libraries 23 (April): 322– 24. Saffady, William. 1997. “Stability, Care, and Handling of Microforms, Magnetic Media, and Optical Disks.” Library Technology Reports 33 (Nov./Dec.). U.S. Census Bureau. 1999. The American Community Survey—Your Community’s Key to the Future. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, Bureau of the Census, 6 pp. Wilson, William K. 1995. Environmental Guidelines for the Storage of Paper Records (Niso TR-01). National Information Standards Organization. Oxon Hill, Md.: Niso Press.
2 Data for Planning
In past years libraries were planned in very specific ways. A library could be described as a “fixed function” building. The entire concept depended upon paper based materials, books, and periodicals. Some libraries collected archival materials, correspondence, photographs, rare books, maps, etc. Each area was given a space allocation. Some of this was open space, but mostly for each separate collection it was a room. For libraries with large collections of volumes beyond the quantity thought sufficient for open floor shelving in a large room, tier stack shelving was part of the plan. An alternative may have been, in a multistoried building, shelving taking up much of the floor space with aisles only minimally wide enough for passage by mobile persons. For physically impaired persons, there was little if any consideration. Possibly paging service was offered, but on very limited terms. Determining space needs depended upon a strict methodology of mathematical calculations. The amenities and the extent thereof depended upon available funding. Some library buildings were very plain but functional for the needs of the day. Others with more ample funding would have space for exhibits of some size, works of art, and decorative trim both on the exterior and interior of the building. As the national population grew and new material formats appeared, these buildings appeared less capable of meeting demand and new means of planning for libraries were developed. Some of these methods themselves have been revised as the evolution of the planning process continues.
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New Generation of Public Library Buildings
FORMULAS For many years, per capita space formulas were standard guides for determining the size of a public library. A fraction of a square foot per capita expressed decimally was the norm. When space proved insufficient as demand and collections grew, it was enough to increase the decimal size. These formulas covered the estimated size of the building in square feet, with space allocations for the collections, reader accommodations, and staff space. In some places these formulas still are used as the standard. In a short publication, Planning the Small Public Library Building, Dahlgren (1985) provides a very good capsule review of these formulas. Today, the movement has been away from the lock step of using fixed formulas toward a more open planning style, something like that advanced in the Brawner and Beck (1996) Dahlgren (1998) books listed in the selected bibliography. Dahlgren, in his 1996 publication, explains the movement away from fixed formulas (5). Some of these formulas are still useful, however, such as for planning shelving capacity and space for the bound volume collection. Dahlgren (1985, 1998) and Brawner and Beck may both be consulted on this matter. Brawner and Beck advocate using an incremental approach to planning spaces for library needs, as does Dahlgren in his newer publication. This method has distinct advantages over formula approaches. When the space allocations are completed, compare the total to what would result from applying a formula. There should be more space. The reasons for the larger total are attributable to the need to increase the average space per seat to give room for workstations, to provide storage for new material formats, for staff, and for equipment that is now used in libraries as, for example, to make certain material formats accessible. The old formulas couldn’t do this. In some states, space planning guidelines are supplied by the state library or the state’s professional library association. Wisconsin and North Carolina are two examples, the former from the state library, the latter from the professional association. If these guidelines have been revised and are current, there should be no problem adapting to an incremental method. If not, the librarian and consultant will have to point out the potential deficiencies to the library board. Too strict an adherence to space formulas will result in a cramped building and hampered flexibility. If the head librarian is aware of state formulae shortcomings, then the library board should be told what the problems may be very early in the process. A simple example may be the space comparison between what was once considered sufficient space for a library seat, 25 square feet, and what the need is for a workstation, usually 45 square feet. This what Brawner and Beck list as an electronic workstation (1996, 124). The reason for the difference is the need to provide for a table top computer and peripheral equipment while allowing space for traditional library materials. The work surface must hold books or other printed material the workstation patron is using. When service for both high school and college students is involved as in a joint-use public/academic library,
Data for Planning
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there will be a great need for workstations. The seating allocation will be far larger than might have been thought necessary for either group alone when nonstudent adult needs are factored into the calculations. Dahlgren (1998) suggests using an average size per seat to arrive at a grand total. In many libraries the stack aisles were in 32" widths. With the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 36" aisle width was stated as minimal, with a 42" width preferred. Changing the aisle width decreases the shelving capacity. The height of shelving also affects capacity: 90" ranges will hold more volumes than those at 60" or 66" height. In limited funding circumstances, good judgment is essential in space planning. For the public librarian planning a new building or reequipping a renovated building, the ethnic characteristics of the community must be considered. In certain ethnic groups the average height of an adult tends to be short, especially that of women who cannot reach books on 90" shelving. The majority of users will be women. Realistically, if such factors are known, there is justification for asking for more floor space than might have been thought necessary on the basis of simply accommodating the obvious needs of the people in the community. For reasons such as this, the older population-driven formulae simply fail. In using the incremental approach, the probability of gaining more space than the old formulas would have allowed is a certainty. Is it enough space? Possibly, but judgment must be used. Once a figure for any service area is arrived at, it should be tested against available data, prior experience, and the projections for future activity. If it appears that these factors indicate a future tight situation, then the figure should be increased. DEMOGRAPHICS At the beginning of this book, the need to get accurate population data and forecasts is mentioned. Dahlgren (1998) places great emphasis on this; the size of the population either to be or being served must be known. The need for this information is to help estimate service requirements as the population grows, or shrinks, and changes in needs for library service arise. This in turn may be translated into spatial statements. This requires more than taking a decimal formula and multiplying it by the increase in population. Other factors come into play rather than simply taking a formula figure for more space. Community needs may have changed; the population and its characteristics may have changed. New formats, new technology, and new ways of providing service must all be considered. Some renovation or expansion projects provide more casual reading spaces for older adults as that segment of the local population increases. In others, the children’s service area may be too small as the number of children in the service area increases. The original plan may not have included a story hour room. It is no longer feasible to have story hour in the open area because of increased numbers. Young adults were not considered as a service population. Computer-
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New Generation of Public Library Buildings
based services require more space; this was not foreseen in the original planning. Sometimes the cause for the original space deficiency lies with a failure to find or obtain adequate data to allow for better planning for future needs. For some projects shortages of space result from inadequate funding for the initial project and so the library space is deficient when the building opens for service. Per capital income statistics will help the librarian and the consultant decide what parts of the collection should be emphasized. Circulation data helps, of course, but knowing the per capita income will assist in planning space for materials that the community will want to have available but costs of which are beyond the average income. More encyclopedic materials may be helpful in a low-income area, whereas in a moderate to high-income area, many families may own encyclopedias in CD-ROM format so the need for library coverage may be less. If the local population has a significant proportion of families of non-English speaking origin, there may be a need for adaptation by the library to the needs of these residents (Hayes and Walter 1996, 96). The need for tutorial space will be higher. The library will need and should have small rooms for instructional purposes. Sometimes a local high school or community college will fill the need for tutoring, but this isn’t always possible. Projects in such areas should include provision for educational spaces. The further usefulness of demographics information will be seen as this book continues. FACTORING FOR AN INCREASE IN SERVICE ACTIVITY It is difficult to forecast a precise increase in service demand as a result of a building renovation or construction of a new building. Experience suggests planning on a minimal increase of at least 20 percent in service activity for a renovation project, and for a new building, an increase as high as 33 percent. If the situation with the previous building was one of very acute severity due to small space, overcrowding, etc., the service demands could double. This can occur in situations where an old building is replaced with a new one. It doesn’t apply to branch libraries that are not replacements. Activity levels for new branch libraries are not always predictable.1 A determining factor in these situations is the location of the new building or in access improvements, new roads, street lighting, sidewalks, and parking lots. The operating budget should be increased to cover the new costs. In some situations where a community is growing, the increase will be very sudden followed by annual increments as the population grows. Often, the first year’s increase will be right at 20 percent. This may hold for a year or so and then rise again as community acceptance of the facility grows. After this, annual incremental increases of manageable size might occur. Again, however, this is dependent upon the community’s growth rate. If a fund drive helped pay for the building, a by-product of the drive may be public demand for longer service hours, a not uncommon experience. The li-
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brarian and board must be prepared for this. When people donate funds for better library service they expect immediate improvement, and one expectation is for longer service hours. The publicity surrounding a fund drive may cause more use even before the new building is occupied. Another factor affecting activity is the relative attractiveness of a new or renovated library building. In a geographic area where other libraries are considered deficient by their primary clientele, an increase in demand can occur as users migrate to the newer or improved facility. A new city main library will experience a similar reaction as better accommodations, improved lighting, and other amenities bring in users who eschewed the old building. NOTE 1. In several recent renovation projects the increase was 20 percent, in some cases even higher. One new building project experienced a 20 percent increase in the first year and 13 percent more in the second.
REFERENCES Brawner, Lee B., and Donald K. Beck Jr. 1996. Determining Your Public Library’s Future Size, A Needs Assessment and Planning Model. Chicago: American Library Association. Dahlgren, Anders. 1985. Planning the Small Public Library Building. Small Libraries Publication, no. 11. Chicago: Library Administration and Management Association. ———. 1996. Planning the Small Library Facility. 2nd ed. Small Libraries Publications, no. 23. Chicago: Library Administration and Management Association. ———. 1998. Public Library Space Needs: A Planning Outline/1998. Madison: State of Wisconsin, Department of Public Instruction. Public Library Development. [last modified, June 5, 1998] [23 pp.] 具http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/dlcl/pld/ plspace.html典. Hayes, Robert M., and Virginia A. Walter. 1996. Strategic Management for Public Libraries: A Handbook. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press.
3 Location: Finding a Site
A good location is essential to fulfillment of the library’s mission of service to its community. This applies to existing buildings under review for renovation, for conversions of buildings used for other purposes, and for projected new buildings. Occasionally in the first two instances, the consultant may recommend abandonment or not making a commitment to convert a building because the location no longer meets or fails to meet certain criteria. The building may be serviceable, but its location may appear to have few advantages in terms of accessibility or presence of a sizable population. See Appendix F for information on conversion of another type of building for library service. One very important consideration is the projected longevity of the building. This forecast of usefulness should be for at least fifty years or even longer. Many Carnegie libraries are approaching 100 years and are still in use (Jones 1997, 131–66). In rural areas Koontz remarks that a county library’s service life may reach 100 years (Koontz 1997, 1). More recent buildings of the 1930s and 1940s are in use in many urban locales. This longevity factor must be firmly in mind when selecting a site. An error in placement of a library building results in lower volumes of service activities than the cost of the facility would mandate (Koontz 1997, 6). At some point, probably around its twenty-fifth year, the building may require renovation. If the location is a good one, change will not be necessary. Upgrading facilities in good locations where use is reasonable is simply protecting a sound investment. When the decision is made to find a site it must meet basic necessities. Fol-
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New Generation of Public Library Buildings
lowing is information helpful to understanding how critical a good location is to successful library service.
LOCATION: IN RELATION TO WHERE MOST USERS COME FROM The two titles by Dr. Christine M. Koontz (1994, 1997) listed in the selected bibliography are the best sources for advice on locating a library facility. The larger work (1997) is based upon her dissertation and provides much practical advice based on research. The chapters progress from early methods of finding good locations for library buildings to the most progressive methods now available, geographic information systems (GIS). In chapter five, she reviews a library facility siting model especially intended for urban library site placement. This model depends upon a very detailed analysis of prospective neighborhoods. The research includes a full breakdown of the population by various characteristics that may be predictive of potential library use. Her conclusions are worth noting. One of particular interest is the observation that a neighborhood may change characteristics and this will affect the way the library is used. As a neighborhood changes in type of population, circulation may drop, but in-house use, for example, program activity and reference demand, may increase (Koontz 1997, 104). Proceeding to chapter 6, Koontz discusses the advantages of using GIS. These systems are computer-based and costs are decreasing to a reasonable level (Koontz 1997, 111). In summary, Koontz notes the restrictive costs of library construction and operating budgets, emphasizes making certain that libraries really meet their clientele’s requirements, and compares the needs of the retailing industry with those of libraries. She notes the clear advantages of using GIS (Koontz 1997, 111–12). An important consideration is to locate a library near or en route to places where people need to go regularly. Koontz notes that it costs money to go to a grocery store, that is, there are travel expenses, not just the cost of groceries (Koontz 1994, 173). It is costly also to visit the public library and so that cost must be reasonable. An isolated location away from normal travel routes will not attract users, and the library will fail in its mission. William Sannwald advises even locating near a fast food outlet for the simple reason that people go there (Sannwald 1998, 206). Such advice should not be taken too literally. It may apply to a temporary location where a long-term commitment is not foreseen, for example, a storefront. Many urban landscapes are dotted with boarded up fast food outlets that survived hardly a decade. Apparently, serious errors were made in plotting such locations. Fast food outlets also cater to a clientele that is very mobile and that may not be inclined toward library use as part of a stop in the locale.
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EVALUATING OPEN LAND This section addresses some matters relating to suitability of a particular site for placement of a new library building. First, as noted earlier, the site should not be on a flood plain and should be high and well drained. Readers may recall that several midwestern libraries were damaged by flood waters in 1997 (“The Flood of ’97 Wreaks Havoc” 1997, 15–16; “Red River Flood Takes Toll” 1997, 16–17). In the United States, not all land areas are suitable for construction. Similar conditions may exist in parts of other countries. The information provided here may apply in several geographic zones. There are many reasons why some locations are poor choices for construction. To understand this, the first factor to consider is the loaded weight of a library building. As Dahlgren points out, the load-bearing capability of a library building foundation and successive floors in a multistory building must be a minimal 150 pounds per square foot (Dahlgren 1985, 21; 1996, 26). This is very heavy. The land must hold this weight; not all land will. In a section on soil mechanics, Metcalf provides more detail and also provides the metric equivalent 7.324kN/m2 (Metcalf 1986, 327). Metcalf also discusses the need for testing land prior to final selection of a construction site noting soils tests (102) and unstable land (77). Specifically to the point of insistence, test borings are mandatory. The site must be capable of supporting the stated weight, and if not, another site should be chosen. If this requirement is ignored the risk is that the foundation will sink. Library buildings do sink because of placement on sites incapable of supporting their weight.1 In this regard Koontz also advocates the use of geographic information systems. She notes that early uses of such systems were for evaluating characteristics of various sites (Koontz 1997, 114–15). She specifically comments on the load-bearing capability of land and advises caution and reinforces the preceding remarks (Koontz 1997, 115). Land may have been filled in. For example, a strip mine may have been active on the site some years in the past. If the land was filled and a sufficient length of time, more than thirty years, has elapsed the land may be acceptable but only a test boring will tell. Land may have Fuller’s earth beneath it and so be very unsuitable, because this soil is not weight supporting. Other factors include such things as mild tremors and underground streams. There may be other causes of instability and only a qualified soil engineer will be able to advise on the usefulness of any particular location. Drilling companies routinely provide this service to architects and engineers. Determining the proper foundation required is essential for all buildings. For a library building with extreme weight support requirements, it is critical. Other obvious areas for concern are slide areas in hilly or mountainous terrain, fire zones in wooded areas, and places where earthquakes are possible. Construction in earthquake prone areas requires costly seismic construction.
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Archeological Sites Sites containing prehistoric fossils, early settlements and historical artifacts, and ancient and not so ancient burial places seemingly may be found anywhere in the world.2 Such discoveries may be found even on or in land previously used for construction in urban areas. The deeper excavation required for a large library foundation may uncover fossils or other significant material. It is advisable to have any such contingencies covered in the construction contract. With this precaution in writing and so forewarned when such cases arise, the contractor will stop the excavation with no fanfare, notify the proper authorities, and arrange for quick removal of the material. Work resumes with a minimum of lost time. In the same urban environment, however, land on which an industrial building once stood may have some contamination requiring special handling. An abandoned gasoline station site is another possibility for contamination caused by leaking gasoline tanks. Such sites are referred to as “brownfields.” In rural areas, native flora and fauna may cause concern, especially if a species is thought to be endangered. A knowledgeable architect will know how to handle any of these situations and what type of studies may be necessary before work begins on a site.3 THE PUBLIC LIBRARY IN A SHOPPING CENTER OR MALL It isn’t unusual to find a branch library occupying store space in a strip shopping center, known as storefronts in the United States and shopfronts in Australia, or in adjunct buildings to a central closed mall. The relationship between the library and the shopping center can last for many years, but a contract is advisable. There have been instances where the library was told the lease would be canceled. Shopping demand had increased so the space was needed for a commercial entity, that is, an income-generating activity. The library must protect itself against the shopping center becoming run-down, or the neighborhood changing, or undesirable tenants moving into vacant stores. A quit clause is essential in any lease. When the area population is in a growth mode, locating branch libraries in shopping centers can be ideal. People can access them easily, a trip to the library provides the economy of allowing some shopping on the same trip and the reverse is true as well. When a populated area stabilizes, a permanent branch library can be constructed. Koontz (1997) can be consulted for other advantages. THE LIBRARY IN A PUBLIC PARK Occasionally an opportunity arises for locating a new public library in a large public park. (Commonly, the subject is large suburban city parks and rural county parks.) The source of this issue may be the fact that local government
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owns a park of some size (Curry and Henriquez 1998, 82), or coincidental with the recognition of the need for a new library, by happenstance the heirs to a well-managed estate of considerable acreage elect to donate some of the land to a local government entity for the tax advantages relating thereto. In any case what is sometimes called the “free land syndrome” comes into play. This syndrome may prove quite harmful to what otherwise is a well-conceived proposal and, equated with a human health condition, would be described as “terminal,” in a long, slow, and agonizing way. In brief, such a possibility is not recommended for all too obvious reasons. This is not to say that it hasn’t been done, because it has. Logic, therefore, would indicate that the negative recommendation must be based on practical experience. In short, public library buildings located in public parks have not been considered successful. Why not? First, to deal with the syndrome. The cost of land is always a factor when attempting to locate a new library building. In populous areas the cost of land is high, usually because of demand by developers of housing projects, shopping centers, malls, and other enterprises. In less populated areas, and so with less tax revenue abundance, land may cost less, but still be an inhibiting factor in the development of a new library. So library boards or local governing bodies can find offers of free land for the site of a new library, or any public building, quite tempting.4 Earlier in this chapter, the criteria that land must meet for use as a library site is described. This section assumes that the land meets all essential criteria except for the fact that it is in a public park. There is no acquisition cost, and the authorities, sensing a considerable savings, wish to move ahead with the project. Persuading them to seek another alternative will require very significant and well founded reasons for turning away from a park location. In different publications, five leading authorities recommend against such a location. Another authority lists questions that should be answered for any project. Dr. Christine Koontz (1994, 1997) proposes criteria for the location of new public libraries. Both of these works should be read or perused by the librarian. In “Retail Location Theory” (1994) she points out that customers absorb a travel cost in traveling to stores, libraries, and other necessary places. She also discusses the use of retail location theory for locating sites for public libraries and reports studies that bear out the usefulness of this technique (Koontz 1994, 173). In her book she covers more complex methods for locating library buildings, including geographic information system software. The combination of sound investigation of a site and the reasoning that people must have cause for traveling to that site should lead to a satisfactory result. Brawner and Beck (1996) advise avoiding parks for reasons of low people traffic and the obvious cautions about nighttime behavior of individuals intent on doing harm (143). Dahlgren notes the potential for poor service to the community because of an inappropriate location (1996, 8). Holt and Dahlgren, in two short summary paragraphs, advise against park locations for much the same reasons as stated here (Holt 1990, 101). Brawner, Dahlgren, and Holt are known
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nationally as leading consultants, and their advice is based soundly on practical experience. In his very helpful checklist, Sannwald (1997), under Safety and Security, lists several questions for consideration for any library location. In this instance, these can be applied to possible park locations (150). The possibility of fencing off the library can be an option, security lighting of sufficient brightness and area coverage is another concern, and an alarm system is also an issue. Reviewing the comments of these five authorities leads to the conclusion that a park is not the best site for locating a new library. From Koontz’s comments readers can deduce that people plan their trips with the cost in mind probably both in money and time, and can further deduce that library buildings are expensive and location should be based on sound principles. If a library building serving a populated area is located along a route to a shopping center or some other place where frequent necessary services are situated, it is more likely to have good use because of the economy of travel involved. The goals of using a park and those of using a library are not compatible. People go to parks for recreation, including such things as picnics, casual sports, trail walking, etc. (Holt 1990, 101). They go to libraries for somewhat more serious purposes: to get information, answer queries, study, view educational films, or to obtain recreational reading. On the way to or from the library, they may stop for shopping, or some other service, and thereby achieve more than one goal for the trip. Often rural public parks are located away from their communities on back roads, sometimes several miles “out-of-town” and away from commercially zoned areas. Possibly, the land is not suited for commercial development or a body of water is present and is useful for recreational activities. The cost of getting to the park is not offset by any other opportunities—for example, shopping—for the trip. Often public parks close at dusk; that would require changing if a library were present. Sometimes the so-called quiet country road leading to the park is used for drag racing by local enthusiasts and that may need changing. In very rural areas, local hunting may be a seasonal factor. Whether the preceding concerns are present or not, there are issues affecting safety and security that must be considered. In metropolitan areas public libraries usually have security guards on duty. These guards observe the main entry and check stack aisles and seating areas routinely. In a rural setting, or in seasonal recreation areas, the need for full-time, year-round security guards may not be as obvious, but today public libraries are “targets of opportunity,” meaning they are subject to random acts of vandalism. The introduction of computers and other small but desirable equipment has increased the attractiveness of libraries to those who would commit some harmful act. The need for internal guards must be considered and, if justified, included in the library budget and in the space planning. In a park setting the need for security may be aggravated by exterior factors such as the parking lot and possible vandalism, its use as a “hang-out” location, or a natural platform for skate boarding. Illegal overnight
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camping in the park by persons who expect to use library facilities prior to its closing, the potential for the library to become a comfort station, and after dark drag racing on the access road are other concerns that would serve to make the library location a place responsible adults will not use at night nor allow their older children to do so. The park location may cause more concerns for the public authorities. It is not sufficient to say that the local police or sheriff’s deputies will patrol the park at random times. Harmful actions can occur in a very short time. It will be necessary to have exterior security guards for this purpose, adding to the expense of operation. For protective reasons, will fencing off the library be necessary and will that include its large parking area? The question will occur as to where to assign that cost, to the library budget or to another office of local government. What may seem as advantageous, free land may suddenly display operating costs that are unacceptable. If park related problems begin to attain a level of frequency that alarms the local people, use of the library will decline and it will never reach its potential. For these reasons, the use of park locations should be avoided. A last resort possibility is the combining of the library with a police/sheriff substation. In some cities police substations are being placed in vacant buildings in problem neighborhoods or in small store spaces grouped with shops, and a library building is a strong possibility for a substation because such a location fills two needs: one, the security of the library and, the other, an in-neighborhood police presence.
NOTES 1. In American Libraries Reader Forum (September 1998), p. 34, a writer reports on a library sinking into the ground at a site in New Mexico. 2. On November 3, 1998, an Australian television news program reported that excavation for expansion of the subway system in London, England, had intruded upon a medieval monastic burial site. 3. Wendy Talarico, “Evaluating Hidden Site Conditions—Understanding the Site— both above Ground and Below—Keeps Design Work Moving forward and Forestalls Legal Problems.” Architectural Record (May 1998): 247–50. 4. In one documented case concerning a new fire station, the Richmond TimesDispatch reported this situation: “In the late 1980s, the city of Fredericksburg, Va. was given a half acre site near a new shopping center. A ground breaking ceremony was held and even as that October 1986 ceremony was ending, the project contractor noticed that soil along a hillside was sliding. By June of 1987 the project was more than $200,000 over budget because of this soil-shearing problem.” (“Rueful Fredericksburg Counts Cost),” Richmond Times-Dispatch, June 28, 1987, section E, pp. 1, 8. Unstable land is just one of the many soil conditions that can affect a building location. In this Virginia case, a new location for the fire station should have been found immediately. But the land was free, and the judgment of the responsible officials was clouded by that fact. The $200,000 would have been more than enough to acquire a superior site. The new European Parliament building, a $470 million project, is also built on unstable
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ground; apparently the need is more critical than the cost (Claire Downey, “European Parliament Building Under Way Despite Slippery Ground,” Architectural Record [September] 1997: 33). In one series of three projects in one Pennsylvania county much of the land was undermined by limestone. Finding a safe site for each of the three buildings was difficult and took considerable time. In one Pennsylvania library project part of the donated land was classified as “wetland.” Seeking another site was suggested. The board found the free land offer too tempting and sought to drain the wetland portion of the site for parking. After some legal expense, approval was denied by state and federal authorities. The site was used, but the wetland stayed as it was. When the parking lot later needed expanding, land much closer to the building was used.
REFERENCES Brawner, Lee B., and Donald K. Beck Jr. 1996. Determining Your Public Library’s Future Size, A Needs Assessment and Planning Model. Chicago: American Library Association. Curry, Ann, and Zena Henriquez. 1998. “Planning Public Libraries: The Views of Architects and Librarians.” Library Administration & Management 12 (spring): 80– 90. Dahlgren, Anders. 1985. Planning the Small Public Library Building. Small Libraries Publication, no. 11. Chicago: Library Administration and Management Association. ———. 1996. Planning the Small Library Facility. 2nd ed. Small Libraries Publications, no. 23. Chicago: Library Administration and Management Association. “The Flood of ’97 Wreaks Havoc on Ohio River Valley Libraries.” 1997. American Libraries (April): 15–16. Holt, Raymond M. 1990. Wisconsin Library Building Project Handbook. Madison: Department of Public Instruction. 2nd rev. ed. by Anders C. Dahlgren. Madison: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Jones, Theodore. 1997. Carnegie Libraries Across America, A Public Legacy. New York: Preservation Press, John Wiley & Sons. Koontz, Christine M. 1994. “Retail Location Theory: Can It Help Solve the Public Library Location Dilemma?” In Research Issues in Public Librarianship, Trends for the Future, edited by Joy M. Greiner. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. ———. 1997. Library Facility Siting and Location Handbook. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. Metcalf, Keyes D. 1986. Planning Academic and Research Library Buildings. 2d ed. by Philip D. Leighton and David C. Weber. Chicago: American Library Association. “Red River Flood Takes Toll on N. Dakota, Minnesota Libraries.” 1997. American Libraries (June/July): 16–17. Sannwald, William W., ed. 1997. Checklist of Library Building Design Considerations. 3rd ed. Chicago: American Library Association. ———. 1998. “Espresso and Ambiance: What Public Libraries Can Learn from Bookstores.” Library Administration & Management 12 (Fall): 206.
4 Interior Design
The selection of appropriate colors and materials and the preparation of an overall color design scheme is best left to an experienced interior designer. There are a number of factors to consider, however, in planning the interior color scheme. A library is a public building whether privately owned or the property of a state or local government. Color schemes for public buildings should be appropriate to the use for which the building is intended, for the people who will visit the building, and for the people employed therein. A public library serves people of all ages from all walks of life. It is not a private home and so personal idiosyncrasies cannot be entertained in its design scheme. There are many possible color combinations that may be selected, but care is necessary.
SELECTING AN INTERIOR DESIGNER An interior designer or an interior design firm may be employed directly by the project architect, or the library authorities may elect to negotiate a separate contract. The person or firm selected should have some experience with public buildings and be knowledgeable about the variations that may be necessary depending upon the clientele the building is to serve. For the average public library, the color scheme issues include the appropriateness of schemes for children, young adults, adults, and the staff.
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COLOR SELECTION A simple way to describe the need for a color scheme is to state that the scheme for each area must be attractive, conducive to good behavior on the part of the patrons served, not necessarily “trendy,” and not extreme to the point that future modifications will be difficult. Where color is a factor for certain patrons, such as visually impaired persons, requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and any subsequent federal regulations, should be observed. All colors must be coordinated so that users and staff will have a sense of well-being conveyed to them. While the library must be comfortable and pleasing to the eye, it is a place for serious work; the color scheme must be supportive, not detrimental, to patrons’ use of the services. All staff members should be involved to some extent in the planning for the scheme for their work area. The primary objective here is to have each staff member expressly indicate any concern for a particular color. On occasion a person may have an aversion to a certain color. This should be respected. Some people will have a color preference, but the color must be acceptable to others, meet the stated simple criteria, and be capable of coordination with colors for associated items. Even in a private office, personal idiosyncrasies may give way to the overall good of the organization. FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT In developing a plan for a color scheme, the interior designer may recommend colors for metal equipment, cabinets and shelving especially, and then also participate in the selection of all other furniture. Occasionally an alternative may be followed: The interior designer may only propose colors and coordinating fabric selections while the client actually selects the furniture to be used. In the former instance, the interior designer will propose styles, for example, which chairs should be upholstered, which have arms, sled bases, or legs, etc. This will include table and carrel styles discussed in the next section. Longevity is critical; a twenty-five year useful life span is expected for all furniture and much of the nonoperating equipment. Some equipment will last even longer—steel shelving is one example. The emphasis here is on interior design, but libraries have exteriors, and some libraries have or will need exterior furniture and equipment. For the sake of good coordination, the interior designer should advise on color selections and finishes for all exterior appurtenances. SIGNS The interior designer may advise on signs and even design them, or the architect may do so. Employing a sign specialist is also a possibility. The larger the building the more likely a sign consultant should be employed. The subject
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is more complex than might be supposed. The sign program must include visual signs and nonvisual tactile signs for the very visually impaired in conformity with ADA requirements for visual contrast. In some instances the architect may order braille messages on suitable backings from a manufacturer. The Raynes Rail is one example. The program covers exterior and interior signs. Both the interior designer and the sign consultant should work together on color coordination. READING SURFACES, COLOR, AND CONTRAST For many years the common understanding when selecting reading surfaces has been to avoid colors or backgrounds that are either too light or too dark. In recent years black and other very dark reading surfaces on tables and carrels have appeared. Why this change? This question is worth investigating, because some serious issues are involved. William Pierce, a well-known consultant, cautions against the extremes of light and dark surfaces as well as glare: “The specifier should be cautioned about using top finishes that are too light or too dark. The too-light top is uncomfortable to the eye of the user and difficult to keep clean; the very dark top provides too great a contrast to paper; thus is uncomfortable to the eyes” (Pierce 1980, 30). After this, Pierce goes on to caution about glare as well. Metcalf (1986) gives a similar caution (399–400). It is contrast with surroundings that causes the problem of eye strain, but increasing the intensity of lighting reduces the problem. This quotation from Metcalf clarifies the issue: “In spite of what has been said, some architects and librarians feel that, even if dark surfaces in the reading room are less comfortable for the eyes and more light must be provided, they make the whole room so much more attractive that they should be used” (400). The issue becomes one of attractiveness of the interior design supported by an increased intensity of lighting. Hopkinson (1963) supports the contention that very dark surfaces make poor backgrounds for reading black print on white paper. His book reports on studies in depth on various aspects of lighting. In discussing visual discomfort, Hopkinson remarks that “the working place should never be darker than its surroundings” (254). On the following page in his book a black and white photograph illustrates this point by showing a softcover book lying open on a reading table, a somewhat darker surface, with shelves of bound volumes in the background. The contrast is not too great for comfort. On this same page he cites the work of R. J. Lythgoe and describes the results. “If the environment is darker than the work, e.g. when the work only is illuminated, visual acuity is less. Visual acuity is also less when the environment is brighter than the work” (255). Glare is also a problem and, like Pierce and Metcalf, Hopkinson notes the effects also of glossy surfaces (258). In some cases where tables with tastefully designed tops are in use, plate glass is used for protection from scratching. This may cause some glare; damage
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prevention outweighs the concern for glare. Very light tinting of the glass may be helpful for this concern. In a later work with J. D. Kay, much the same information is repeated in a more popular style. For example in discussing glare, Hopkinson and Kay (1972) state: “This reflected glare will be most troublesome on shiny surfaces that are dark and such materials should not be used for desks and other working surfaces, and should be avoided on floors” (28). Further on these authors cover brightness, noting: “Light falling on a surface is reflected back according to the ability of the surface to reflect light, called the reflectance. A white surface has a reflectance of nearly 100 percent, while a black surface has a reflectance of only about 2%” (39). They clinch the discussion with a black and white photograph (59), which shows an open book on a slightly darker surface. The caption reads: “Contrast grading. It is easier to concentrate on one’s work if it is rather brighter than its background. . . . For reading and writing the desk or table top should have a reflectance factor of 20%–40% (Munsell value 5–7) and a matt surface” (59). In a book concerned with workplace lighting, Hubert C. Weston (1962), using a supporting table, points out the contrast of black print on good white paper as 97 percent (83). Further he comments on the influence of illumination; brighter light makes it easier to see is the gist of his remark (Weston 85). In another section, he comments: “The usual form of contrast in some visual tasks, of which reading is the one most widely practiced, consists of dark objects on a light ground” (133). Later in the book, Weston mentions the influence of age on the need for lighting; older people may appreciate somewhat brighter lighting (Weston 206). Also in a book concerned with various workplaces, Hopkinson (1969) discusses gradations of brightness, noting, “This gradation can usually be obtained by a suitable selection of table top and floor surface colours to give reasonable visual comfort” (43). Further on he comments, “Things are seen by virtue of their brightness. . . . Consequently a white surface which reflects almost all light back will appear much brighter than a dark surface which reflects very little” (51). Again, the concern is for contrast and eye comfort. Jane Grosslight (1984), in the same vein, discusses contrast, commenting on the effect on the eyes caused by dark surroundings: “Perhaps the interior surfaces of a room have been changed to a dark color, absorbing more light.” The text continues: “Cause 1: Dark Colors—are interior surfaces—floors, wall, furniture—deep, dark colors?” In concluding she proceeds to give remedies that in effect mean increasing the lighting (66). The interest of Grosslight’s book is on homes and business, but points in the same direction as the previous two authors cited. In a more recent work, John E. Flynn pointedly remarks that “Dark work surfaces seen against bright spatial backgrounds should generally be avoided where precise perception of detail is required for effective visual performance or participation” (Flynn, Segil, and Steffy 1998, 38).
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Today’s new energy efficient fluorescent tubes use less power as measured in kilowatt hours while providing brighter light. Still, this question of surface tops and contrast is serious. Although dark surfaces may be used now that economical and brighter lighting is available, it is difficult to find any lighting expert who supports their use. In considering this question of reader eye comfort, it comes down to this: Should the color scheme be subordinate to the patron’s comfort, or should the patron’s comfort be subordinate to the color scheme? Obviously, any librarian would want the library interior to be as attractive as possible. If very dark reading surfaces (even black) are used and the new efficient lighting is brighter, is there an issue? In determining a response, librarians need to consider the capability of the operating budget to support utility expense over a long term and periodic relamping. This means a scheduled replacement of all the lamps in the building at a preset time (lamps meaning all the fluorescent tubes and any other light bulbs if used; replacements should be of equal characteristics and quality). Care must be taken to replace like with like or both the economic benefit and the lighting balance are lost. If the practice is to replace failing lamps (bulbs), one after another without a schedule for full replacement at periodic intervals, think about how fading light sources will affect the patrons. As individuals experience eye strain they will ask for brighter lighting, and task lighting and auxiliary reading lamps may be supplied. But as this is done, utility expense increases even momentarily. It may not seem like much, but if there is a bare bones operating budget, the librarian may want to consider the choice of surface color and the question of contrast very seriously. Color schemes with the features described used in well supported public and private facilities may not be supportable over the years in small public libraries. Other attractive and affordable schemes may be preferable.
RECYCLING, TRASH, WASTE, AND THE INTERIOR DESIGN The most perfect color scheme can be disrupted by failure to provide for the simple but essential matters of handling recyclable materials and providing for collection of trash and waste. Surprisingly, in their books, both Brown (1995) and Pierce (1980) failed to include wastebaskets. Metcalf (1986) includes them (571). Disposal of scrap materials is not something that can be left to chance from wastebaskets to trash bins. With the need to recycle reusable materials and to avoid the use of undoubtedly ugly standard government issue receptacles, the issue should be addressed by the interior designer. The need for attractive wastebaskets and trash containers hasn’t escaped the attention of industry. An array of attractive products that can be used within public buildings are available.1 Equally so, attractive receptacles may be provided at building entries for disposal of nonpermissible items, for example, food and drink containers.
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NOTE 1. Liz Seymour, “Perfect Pitch,” US Airways Attache (October 1997): 60–63. This article has twenty-four models illustrated on office wastebaskets. Two trash container models may be seen in Architectural Record (May 1998): 339.
REFERENCES Americans with Disabilities Act Handbook. 1991. Published by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. Brown, Carol R. 1995. Planning Library Interiors, The Selection of Furnishings for the 21st Century. Phoenix, Ariz.: Oryx Press. Flynn, John E., Arthur W. Segil, and Gary R. Steffy. 1988. Architectural Interior Systems: Lighting, Acoustics, Air Conditioning. 2nd ed. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold. Grosslight, Jane. 1984. Light, Effective Use of Daylight and Electric Lighting in Residential and Commercial Spaces. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall. Hopkinson, R. G. 1963. Architectural Physics: Lighting. London: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office. Hopkinson, R. G. 1969. Lighting and Seeing. London: William Heineman Medical Books Limited. Hopkinson, R. G., and J. D. Kay. 1972. The Lighting of Buildings. London: Faber and Faber. Metcalf, Keyes D. 1986. Planning Academic and Research Library Buildings. 2nd ed. by Philip D. Leighton and David C. Weber. Chicago: American Library Association. Pierce, William S. 1980. Furnishing the Library Interior. New York: M. Dekker. Weston, Hubert C. 1962. Sight Light and Work. 2nd ed. London: H. K. Lewis & Co. Ltd.
5 Furnishing and Equipping the Library and Its Environs
In selecting furniture and equipment, lead time is important. With much to consider and a budget to plan, the initial focus surely will be on the basic essentials for user and staff comfort and convenience. Some advance provision for planning time helps also with the selection of incidentals and items for special needs that will best suit the purpose for which they are being acquired. Selecting a theme reflective of traditional, modern, or regional interests, and considering how the furnishings will complement community life or the architectural statement of the building takes much thought. The budget for furniture and equipment should be determined very early in the planning process. Consultants recommend a unit cost per gross square foot with the intent of assuring sufficient funding for items that have a very broad price range. For example, manufactured components for a circulation counter may cost more than a study carrel. Occasionally, an allocation is made by a governing body distinct from the construction budget. This may be adequate or it may reflect a lack of understanding of a library’s unusual needs. The consultant will be helpful by informing on current guidelines, but be prepared to request additional funding if the initial budget is found to be deficient. The early start then becomes very important. This chapter follows the furniture and equipment options in the appendices. This is a broad range of options for all libraries, so consider all these items and their variations when applicable. A supporting compilation of furniture and equipment should be done for each area of the building. Cross checking the two compilations will avoid either a short order or an oversupply of any one
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furniture or equipment item. Further, this identifies which items go into each area. Line drawings of the building can be revised to show the location for each applicable piece of furniture or equipment, with the exception of the smaller items that are held for use when needed. Computer Assisted Design (CAD) may be used to determine the visual effect and how a piece of furniture might look in the proposed space. The final master list should include reasonable prices for all items, not necessarily vendor prices. The tally of these costs will produce the budget statement for this portion of the project. All major furniture and equipment should be subject to the bid process. The unit cost per gross square foot mentioned earlier is based on bid results, not on vendor catalog price lists.1 The final result often may be slightly more than half the catalog listing. Appendix C, Furniture and Equipment Options for Public Libraries, is a guide and not intended to be complete nor to endorse the products of any manufacturer or vendor. Most of the equipment may be found in library supply catalogs; some may appear in industrial catalogs. Not all equipment may be necessary (or even recommended), but is listed as a reminder for consideration. Quantities are not given; each library staff and board must decide on its needs in consultation with the consultant and architect. Prior to any selection of furniture and equipment, the head librarian, board, and staff should review manufacturers’ catalogs and, for furniture to be purchased in quantity—notably tables, chairs, and carrels—determine a product line as a standard for the project. The interior designer may assist. For some special areas of the library, a genealogy or archives room, the library board room, or similar spaces, a walk through quality furniture stores, or bank board rooms and hotel lobbies, may produce visions of stylish, sturdy furnishings. Where color choices are possible, all fabric colors and all equipment colors should be selected in keeping with the color scheme for each service area as recommended by a qualified interior designer. The consultant and/or the interior designer may assist in selecting a furniture line and in writing specifications. Having cabinetry built locally may produce more desirable results with custom features recommended by library staff. Do understand that fabric upholstery will require replacement in about five years under heavy use, and project the budget planning accordingly. Interior design is discussed in more detail in another chapter. Another important consideration to keep in mind is that furnishing a home or a private office usually is for a five- to ten-year cycle. Personal taste or needs change, and furnishings are replaced. For a library a twenty-five- to thirty-year cycle will be coincident with the need to replace much of the furniture and is realistic because of the unlikelihood of obtaining funding for replacement any sooner than this time span. The emphasis must be on quality so that lack of durability will not cause serious problems in just a few years. For technical considerations, consult the books by Brown (1995) and Pierce (1980). If the library is a large one or part of a system, then anticipate a purchasing office doing the work associated with purchasing, but be certain that the purchasing personnel understand the special requirements for library furniture and equip-
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ment and are aware of the advice available in these sources. If the librarian and board select a furniture line as mentioned above as a standard, the purchasing office should know this. Specifying specific lines, or their equivalent, will help to ensure that an inferior product isn’t accepted inadvertently for award within the bid process. Occasionally, a purchasing agent will split furniture items in the bid process: reading tables and chairs are one example. One manufacturer may supply the tables, but lose the chair bid to another manufacturer. Color matching becomes important in this process. If the chairs are coordinated to the tables and are of equal quality, there should be no problem. The purchasing agent must be aware of this possibility and make certain the specifications allow for no variation in the essential measurements, color as applicable, nor in the quality of materials used. Please consult the vendor catalogs for measurements, and don’t overlook some units designed for use with wheelchairs. There are articles in the professional literature on writing specifications for furniture and equipment. None are cited here because of changes in timeliness, or the consultant or design team may provide the necessary guidance. Some vendors will furnish specification details to consider. For actual viewing of library furniture in use, visits to new libraries or library buildings, public, academic, and special, are recommended. If possible, the librarian and board should also visit one of the new super bookstores that have opened or are opening in many communities. Some retail display units may or will have practical application in libraries, and sometimes may prove superior to a unit designed for library use. Another opportunity that may exist in a large city is a design center where designers may see new products. The librarian who knows what the library’s customers will respond to and appreciate should be prepared for the occasional variation in service equipment. The headings that follow are the same as those that appear in the appendix. PUBLIC FURNITURE Adult Work Surfaces For public workstations, double width study tables, with either high or low back and side edges, are recommended. These surfaces provide space for a microcomputer, printer, and library materials. Tables with low side and back edges are used in some academic libraries. A picture in American Libraries (“Facilities” 1996, 57) shows a public library situation using a high side and back model. For most tables, carrels, and counter height computer workstations, power supply and network connection from the floor through a leg channel should be considered. Counter or standing height workstations discourage monopolizing computers when high demand exists. If the library does not have floor installed power ducts, the alternative is to have power supply from walls and, less preferably, from the ceiling. Power from the ceiling can be brought to floor level
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through power poles, not always an attractive solution, and the power line installed in the leg of a carrel or table can be connected. Some manufacturers address this problem in their design so that their furniture has provision for bringing power from the ceiling and the appearance is unobtrusive. For wall outlets, the power line can be extended from the channel leg. Some companies manufacture power/communications conduits designed to appear like molding placed along the base of walls. For special collection areas or spaces where unique material may be stored, edgeless and apronless carrels and tables are recommended for patron use. These minimize the opportunity to conceal materials. To determine the space required for each table, carrel, or workstation, consult the table in Brawner and Beck (1996, 124). A vendor’s catalog will give the usual height, width, and depth measurements. Also, again, be sure to have some tables, workstations, and carrels designed for users in wheelchairs. Once at this stage, work with the consultant so that the square footage needed is worked out accurately. There are some table designs to avoid because of inherent problems. Among these are round pedestal based coffee tables—attractive but not stable if people sit on them, use them as footstools, or place heavy books on their edges; tables with low trestle legs that resist a vacuum cleaner; and inverted Tbased study tables that will wobble and may collapse when someone sits on them. The question of surfaces is discussed in the chapter on interior design. SHELVING All steel library shelving must meet established standards. The manufacturer’s catalog should be consulted for this information (Z39.73–1994, and “Test Reports” 1998). Shelving not meeting the standards cannot be considered. Steel shelving is a durable product subjected to very heavy loads that must withstand extreme pressures. Library shelving is stressed when materials are shifted, when shelves are loaded to capacity, and when changes occur in placement. Adhering to the standards protects the substantial investment in shelving. Standard Shelving The consultant and the librarian will calculate the need in linear feet for bound volumes with an allowance for growth. This figure will be converted into shelving units, single or double faced, and in heights ranging from 42", or about 60" to 66", to full 84" and 90" heights. The shelving preferably should be steel. Some librarians may prefer the lower height shelving choices with very few units, if any, above the 66" height. The preferred unit has the base on the floor with shelves above. T-based shelving isn’t recommended for two reasons: losing the lower shelf and the difficulty in cleaning under them. If the ethnic make-up of the area population tends to be people of shorter stature, then the lower
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shelving may prove more satisfactory. Capacity in volumes will be lower because of fewer shelves. Wooden shelving can be used for special purposes, such as in a rare book room or genealogy collection. If floor outlets are not possible in a renovation project, wall outlets designed into wall molding may be used as mentioned earlier. This may affect the use of wall mounted single faced shelving, which may interfere with seating accommodations along a wall. The lowest shelf may be slanted downward in back so the upward-tilted call numbers are more visible. Installation The line drawings or CAD display will show arrangement of the shelving. Prior to installing the shelving, some basic decisions relating to its security must be made. A common practice is to have the ranges connected by tie or sway bars every so many feet across the top of the units. This prevents ranges from leaning or tilting. When collections are shifted it is all too easy to offload one side of a range and cause an imbalance that could lead to its falling over. In geographic areas where earthquakes are a possibility, the placement of bolts into the decking as concrete is poured is a serious consideration. There is a loss of flexibility because the shelving can’t be moved later, but safety is more important. Display Shelving Periodicals may be placed on slanted shelving so that covers are immediately apparent to the patron. Some manufacturers offer fixed slanted shelving that doesn’t move, while some offer a slanted moving shelf that can be lifted so that a flat shelf underneath may be used for storing back issues. In a slightly different size, the same style shelving may be used for such things as illustrated video cassette containers. The alternative to display shelving is sometimes flat slotted shelving for periodicals. In this case each title has a shelf label with its name printed on it. Usually, this type of shelving is used when a large collection of periodicals is involved. Specialty Shelving Modified standard length shelving is available for nonbook formats. A choice exists between shelving or cabinets for some formats. Once a decision is made, the appropriate storage method can be chosen. In some instances using shelving for all formats may provide a clean and neat appearance. With speciality shelving for some formats, shelves may be alternated on uprights. For example, for paperbacks, eye-level shelving may be display style while lower shelves may provide for typical book shelving. The same may be done for video cartridges.
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Compact Shelving The library with limited space or with large quantities of essential material to store is a candidate for compact shelving. The available options provide for various sorts of materials from bound volumes to files of documents. If bound volumes are involved, the liveload bearing factor is the first consideration. • The normal recommendation is for 300 pounds per square foot.
In many instances, compact shelving is placed on a ground level floor. Small libraries on a single level may use compact shelving as a means of containing certain materials, such as periodical backfiles, in a limited and controlled space. Security and safety are factors in using this type of equipment. Manufacturers have addressed safety issues for both manually operated and electrically operated equipment.2 The consultant should advise on the selection when necessary. Jointuse libraries may find some advantages to compact shelving under certain conditions for economy of space in storing less used materials. Utility Shelving Utility shelving for a supply storeroom or miscellaneous storage often is more useful and less expensive than trying to adapt conventional library shelving for these purposes. End Panels End panels are offered not just in finishes but in a variety of options that may vary from plain metal or wood surfaces to such things as bulletin boards, pamphlet racks, or slotted surfaces for the insertion of metal holders for various display uses. End panels may be purchased from a manufacturer or locally made by a cabinet maker. SEATING Chairs There are many styles and sizes of chairs. Among the types to be considered are chairs for tables and carrels, side chairs for placement by workstations, lounge chairs, stack and folding chairs, and ergonomic chairs for both staff and public workstations. Manufacturers’ catalogs offer a wide variety of seating options. In considering chairs pay particular attention to the base of the chair— whether it has legs, a sled style base, or casters. These parts are in contact with the carpet and should not cause excessive wear. Some fundamentals of chair selection are basic and important to remember. Chairs should force the torso
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forward for writing and allow a slight backward tilt for leisure reading, but not have a tendency for easy tipping over, should a patron lean backward too sharply or steeply. In selecting chairs, the librarian must be cognizant of the population served. The ethnic make-up of the population may indicate a preference for certain chair sizes and styles. The best choice is a variety of chair sizes, variable heights and widths, with and without arms in each category so that a disparate user population has some assurance of finding a comfortable seat. The older custom of buying a large number of the same chair model for tables and carrels isn’t a wise decision anymore. Be aware that a distinction between chairs selected for the public and those for staff clearly is justified in favor of staff, even if at a higher unit cost. Library staff will sit in their task chairs for hours daily. • An investment in quality ergonomic features will reduce liability for workers compensation claims.
The librarian needn’t plan to expend the same cost on ergonomic features for public chairs that will be used by several patrons during a day, but not as prolonged by any one patron as staff use will be. Sofas and Couches If considering couches or sofas, be careful in their placement. They are not recommended for open public areas in downtown urban libraries or situations where pedestrian traffic is high. They are too tempting for persons who are looking for a place to sleep. In some seating areas be certain to have some seating that allows a heavyset person a comfortable seat. Accessories The options continue for high and low stools and other specialty seating, including bean bags, cushions, custom made recliners, and window boxes. YOUNG ADULT FURNITURE For a young adult service area, some of the same options considered for children may be supplied in larger sizes. Bean bags and back rests are two examples. In a carpeted library reading area or in a shared library with an academic institution, there is no reason why a young adult may not sit on the floor with outstretched legs using a back rest. Most of the furnishings will duplicate adult items, but a variance in the color scheme is appropriate. Mary Anne Nichols comments on using comfortable furniture for young adults (Nichols and Nichols 1998, 148). If the library also provides for homework assistance, as Cindy Mediavilla discusses, then care must be given to the selection of appro-
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priate furniture (Mediavilla 1998, 181–89). In a joint-use library shared with an academic institution, librarians will find common ground in providing for college students as well as non-college student young adults, although some distinctions may be necessary for the college-age young adults who will tend to spend longer hours in the library. They will make greater use of more advanced databases, so workstations for college level students may be marked as such. CHILDREN’S FURNITURE Manufacturers offer a large selection of children’s furniture often in dedicated catalogs. In addition to child-size tables, carrels, and chairs, there are children’s versions of some other adult furniture plus items made exclusively for children. Some of these are in the appendix, and include items mentioned in the preceding section under Accessories. OTHER FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT Circulation Counter There are a variety of options in the choice and selection of circulation counter components. Manufacturers offer circulation counters with many very attractive and functional features. It may be more economical, however, to have the architect design the counter and have it made by a local cabinet maker. In either case, preference should be given to free standing units, not built-in and therefore unmovable. There may be cause later for shifting the circulation counter or enlarging it. In a future renovation the building may be expanded and the circulation counter moved to accommodate a change in the traffic pattern. If the units are free standing, the center units may be moved apart and one or more units placed between them as opposed to adding a unit at either end. Two important considerations are compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and having the security system equipment separated sufficiently from the circulation terminals to avoid electrical interference for both systems. For ADA compliance at least part of the counter should be of low height (30" high writing surface) and have an overhang toward the customer side so that persons using wheelchairs may reach the counter surface. In some libraries a dual height counter will be used; in others all the units are low. Consult Brown’s (1995) book for suggestions. The technology for assisting handicapped persons is changing, and if some assistance is provided from the circulation counter, flexibility to allow for the change will be advantageous. Some unassigned space is needed so that future unforeseen changes may be accommodated. Hearing assistance devices for the hearing impaired may be provided from this counter, and space for them is necessary. If the library plans to loan laptop computers for in-house use, space will be needed. In placing the circulation computer terminals and the security equipment, manufacturers’ recommendations for dis-
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tance of separation should be followed. If locally made is the choice, usually it will be necessary for the carpenter to return to the library for final cut-outs for wire management for the computer terminals. This may prove the best approach because if there is some electrical interference it can be overcome before a final arrangement of equipment is made. The counter may or will have units for book return (if located near the workroom, a conveyor belt may be a good solution to minimize handling heavy books), check-out, directional questions, supply cabinet, etc. The librarian should advise on need and also plan in advance for the sectional location of spaces for supplies, cash drawers, and supporting or peripheral equipment. Accessories may include a receipt printer for an online system, sensitizer/desensitizer if a system requiring this device is used (as opposed to a pass around arrangement, which requires a manual action) and electric staplers, erasers, etc. A different arrangement is needed if the library uses selfservice check-out by patrons. Typically, a straight line counter, sometimes L-shaped, offers the best arrangement for allowing staff to view the public service area. In some situations, however, a curved counter may better fit the available space and still allow for good visual control. Occasionally, a library is found with a rather exotically shaped counter, which is fine if it works. In the initial planning stages, however, the librarian should have any design that appears to deviate from recommendations tested for usefulness. Testimony from another library staff where a similar unit is installed can and should be requested. When planning a new building, consider having the circulation counter and the workroom arranged so that the room is close by so the book return can be designed with a type of conveyor belt system or a device that deposits returns directly into the workroom as stated earlier. This reduces handling and saves staff from bending over the book return bins and possible backache from doing so.3 This may not be possible with exterior book returns, which must have fireproof receptacles to prevent potential vandalism. In a large library with several departments and the collection placed so that visual control from the counter is not possible, other measures are important. The circulation service will be near the main entry and traffic control should be so arranged that patrons entering and leaving pass nearby, thereby facilitating control. In these situations, serious discussions with the architect(s) are advised so that this is clearly understood very early in the planning process. The consultant and librarian should meet specifically to discuss traffic matters with the architect(s). The flow of patrons into, around the interior, and out of a large building must be logical. The functions of vestibule and lobby will differ from those of a small library. Reference Desk or Counter Similar concerns to those expressed in the preceding section apply here as well. The librarian may prefer to have the architect design a counter and have
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it built locally or select a manufacturer’s model for reference service. In planning the reference service area, its location, type of shelving, file cabinets, and type of seating accommodations are all items to be considered. Outdoor Furniture Outdoor furniture must be both durable and comfortable. Many public libraries provide outdoor reading areas and sometimes play areas for children. These furniture and equipment items may be fixed-in-place or movable. For the latter, winter storage space in the building should be provided. If fixed-in-place furniture is chosen, it may be included in the construction budget, or all outdoor furniture may be optional for the furniture and equipment budget. The placement within the budget structure should be clarified at the beginning of the process so that any conflict over priorities can be avoided. Neither Brown nor Pierce touch on the subject. Many libraries today have outdoor areas, so this is a cost factor. If a children’s play area is considered, insurance costs may be a factor in the operating budget, so legal advice may be necessary since children may fall and get hurt. There are products on the market that offer superior conditions for such areas. Even if the outdoor activity is story hour only, there may be interest in ground covers that are softer than concrete and will somewhat cushion a fall (Architectural Record 1998, 177). Built-ins Sometimes it is more practical and economical to have some items designed into the building structure wherever is the most advantageous. A built-in display case on a hallway wall will prove more effective then trying to place a free standing case that may cause passage problems. Some of the items under this heading will have spaces designed into walls for their accommodation; staff lockers and lateral files are examples. Some disadvantages may be noted. If an item is built-in, the location cannot be changed, although conversion to another use may be possible. A built-in map case can’t be moved, but the use could be changed to storing posters for example. A space designed into a wall could be converted to another use—for example, a coat rack could replace a locker arrangement. SECURITY There are many products on the market ranging from systems for securing materials from unauthorized removal, through burglary, smoke and fire detection, and personal safety. For determining the exact extent of what is required or necessary, the library building consultant will advise. If needs are extensive,
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employment of a specialist in security systems is recommended. Solutions will be influenced by the size of the library and its service location. OTHER Some redundancy of necessity occurs in this section. In some buildings a combination of built-in and free-standing items is necessary. Machines Laptop or notebook computers for loan to customers are available in some libraries. This is a policy matter and should be discussed thoroughly. Use caution in making a determination, as casual damage can be high. Each time a computer is loaned it will be necessary to check it upon return for any missing preloaded software. Space for this work and for storing the computers and a service location must be planned. If it is done at circulation, then space should be planned there. If some other location is used, it must have sufficient space. Some of the other machines on this list may have special requirements for power supply, lighting, security, and their placement in the library. Another policy decision that should be made early in the planning process is for the printing service. This policy may vary from that in a small library to that in a large facility. The factors that require attention are the increasing demand for print output of material obtained over the Internet; e-mail as a service, including the patron’s printing received mail; the space available for printers; and the demands on staff time for servicing printers. The availability of a full-text periodical database guarantees heavy printer use, especially for student patrons. If networking computers to a central printing facility, the number of connection ports required must be determined on the basis of anticipated volume. If printers are arranged around the library with the computer workstations, print ribbons and paper will require frequent changing or refilling. The computers can be daisy chained, usually up to four computers connected to a single printer. This may prove a manageable arrangement. Another alternative is to network all computers to a single printer service location, with more than one printer connected, but all in the same place. The location may be a separate printer service room, or space behind the circulation counter. This reduces the maintenance problem because toner, ribbons, and paper can be quickly replaced. The placement of photocopiers requires similar consideration. In a large library, placement in service areas may prove more convenient, or a separate room with the machines concentrated in it for noise control is also a viable solution. For a multistoried building, a cluster arrangement on each floor may be practical. Location of copiers near materials mostly likely to be used frequently may reduce mutilation. For a small library, location near a service point such as
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circulation may prove convenient so that charges may be collected and paper supplies replaced quickly. Special Public Use Equipment Magnifiers shouldn’t be kept in a closet, but be apparent to the public. Compliance for disability is interpreted as meaning ready availability, so these should be out where people can get them without asking. The other items may appear simple enough, but all should be visible or their locations made known through signs. Hearing assistance devices are made available in many libraries at both the circulation counter and the reference service or at any patron contact point with staff. If an auditorium or multipurpose room seats fifty people or more, then a hearing assistance system is required. Manual contact devices such as a Raynes Rail, which carries information in Braille fastened to railings or bannisters, should be included. Large libraries with staircases and variable service levels accessible by stairwells need to pay particular attention to information bearing devices for physically impaired persons. Software The software field is very competitive with producers offering a wide variety. If not packaged as part of the online public access catalog (OPAC) system, there is software to enlarge print on screens for the visually impaired and also to produce vocal output for the extremely impaired. If high school students are a significant proportion of the user base, coordination of software and cooperative purchasing may be explored. When schools upgrade software for computer service, the library may do the same. This applies also to the public/academic joint-use library. Students may bring their own software, assuming it will run on the computers the library has available. Many public libraries refuse to allow this. The policy should be clearly stated to avoid any problems. Some adults and students will bring their own computers, usually laptops or notebooks, which they may wish to connect to the library system. (Concern for this issue relates to licensing of software for “docking stations,” i.e., connection ports and network connection boards for patron owned equipment. Before making a final policy decision, consultation with legal advisers is necessary.) Miscellaneous Some items are overlooked in the early planning and become “add-ons” to the budget process possibly causing some unwanted shifts in priorities. Some items may be in the construction budget, notably hardware items. It is better to be overly comprehensible, however, than to fall short at a critical moment.
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Maintenance Equipment This list covers items used mostly by the custodial staff. All too often these items are left to chance and are purchased later from the regular budget when they could have been charged against the initial equipment budget. Some planning pays. Supply items including plastic trash bags, cleansers, paper supplies, office paper, and related materials must all be refigured as budget items. The supply budget should be increased proportionately to the anticipated or projected increase in activity or service hours. If another civic department handles such matters, as may be the case with a large urban library, that department should be aware of the potential increases in usage of cleaning and restroom supplies that will occur. An increase in library open hours will have the same effect. A joint-use, public-academic library will experience greater use of comfort facilities because commuter students spend longer hours in the library. FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT LAY-OUTS Libraries may have their furniture and equipment lay-outs done by the architectural firm, a vendor, or by the consultant. With CAD the advantages of color and elevation will be possible. The librarian and staff will get a very good impression of what the surroundings will look like. The September 1997 issue of College & Research Libraries News has an illustration of a new college library reading room (“Hollis College Breaks Around” 1997, 531). With line drawings or blueprints more imagination is essential. The drawings in any format should be to scale so that the traffic flow can be visualized easily. When seating is near shelving or cabinets, it is important that space be sufficient for people browsing the shelves to have room for removing a book or other item or attempting to remove material from cabinet drawers. Measurements required for ADA compliance also must be verified. With CAD color rendition can be viewed, and if there is any concern changes may be made. Occasionally, in any format, a sense of overcrowding may develop. At this point the opportunity to resolve this issue is available. Some furniture lay-outs may attempt to maximize seating or collection storage space. Even with good sized aisles, it is possible to foresee patrons rejecting a seat because accessing it involves passing among too many people during times of peak use. Another example is the use of very long stack ranges to maximize shelving. In such situations patrons may develop an adverse reaction to such long aisles and circulation may suffer because accessing some materials is seen as too bothersome. The librarian should not hesitate to question any furniture and equipment layout, and ask for time to think about it or mull it over before accepting it. It should be shown to staff members and allowed to rest for a few days before final acceptance. Questions will come up about locating group tables near service points, such as the reference desk where conversational assistance will be taking
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place. Either that will disturb the patrons at the table, or the patrons conversing at the table may disturb the conversation between the librarian and another user. Some questions will occur because of material locations and distances from service points. How inconvenient will it be to place the atlas case farther from the reference desk than the microform file? How far must a staff person walk to assist most patrons? At no great cost in time, a good arrangement will be attained with less reliance on trial and error and the need to shift items later when it could have been avoided. PURCHASING AND DELIVERY TIMING Once all the decisions affecting furniture and equipment are made, and specifications written, the purchasing process may begin. For most situations there will be a bidding procedure. To aid in coordinating the entire process, a timetable should be established. Determine the actual date when the building project will be finished, inspected, and ownership is assumed of a new building or reassumed over renovated space. It may be simpler to count back from this anticipated date, allowing some slack time for delays in work performance. Preferably, the first installation should be floor covering. It is better to install carpet and other coverings prior to delivery of shelving and metal furniture, which follows next. Wooden furniture should be put in place last. This is to avoid having metal shelving and wooden furniture mixed together or delivered at the same time. Metalworkers need room to lay-out shelving ranges, and to move such pieces as stack uprights without risk of scratching wooden carrels or tables. The timing of delivery after order placement should be carpet and floor covering first. For shelving, allow up to fifteen weeks for delivery. For furniture allow eight to thirteen weeks for delivery. Installation time required by the installers will depend upon the quantity ordered. Each vendor should be able to state the approximate time needed for installation. For example, the shelving vendor may state that the shelving installation for the quantity involved will require two weeks from date of delivery. Based on this assessment, the delivery of furniture should occur about two weeks after the shelving delivery. Each delivery and installation will have its own residue of trash and cartons, so removal after installation will clear space for the next delivery; spacing deliveries is important. For large multistoried buildings, consignment deliveries may be arranged so that, as each level has its floor covering installed, its furniture and equipment may be delivered in sequence. For the bid process, once the purchasing staff understands the requirements, the requests for quotation will be issued with a response date stipulated that may vary according to preferences of the staff involved, anywhere from thirty to forty-five days typically. Before final agreement on a timetable, it should be reviewed with the people involved in the entire process.
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NOTES 1. Most vendors will furnish list prices with their catalogs. The difference in price, however, on a quantity purchase can be substantial. 2. Architectural Record, May 1998, p. 333, has an article that summarizes some current thinking on use of compact shelving for file storage and some safety issues. 3. The new Greensboro Public Library mentioned in the introduction has a conveyor belt system for book returns that is 190 feet long. This issue of physical strain also came to attention through the Australian Library and Information Association’s listserv, 具
[email protected]典. Several librarians commented on the backache problem via e-mail on this listserv.
REFERENCES Americans with Disabilities Act Handbook. 1991. Published by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. Architectural Record. 1998. “New Products: With Play Structures, Fun Follows Safety and a Child’s Development.” (November): 177–78. Brawner, Lee B., and Donald K. Beck Jr. 1996. Determining Your Public Library’s Future Size, A Needs Assessment and Planning Model. Chicago: American Library Association. Brown, Carol R. 1995. Planning Library Interiors, The Selection of Furnishings for the 21st Century. Phoenix, Ariz.: Oryx Press. “Facilities: Both New Constructions and Renovations.” 1996. American Libraries 27, no. 4 (April): 57. “Hollins College Breaks Ground for New Library.” 1997. College & Research Libraries News (September): 531. Mediavilla, Cindy. 1998. “Homework Assistance Programs in Public Libraries: Helping Johnny Read.” In Young Adults and Public Libraries, A Handbook of Materials and Services, edited by Mary Anne Nichols and C. Allen Nichols, 181–89. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. Nichols, Mary Anne. 1998. “Targeting Teens: Marketing and Merchandising Young Adult Services.” In Young Adults and Public Libraries, A Handbook of Materials and Services, edited by Mary Anne Nichols and C. Allen Nichols, 145–54. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. Pierce, William S. 1980. Furnishing the Library Interior. New York: M. Dekker. “Test Reports on 15 Models of Bracket-type Steel Library Bookstacks.” 1998. Library Technology Reports 34, no. 6 (November/December). Z39.73–1994. Single-Tier Steel Bracket Library Shelving. National Information Standards Organization. Oxon Hill, Md.: Niso Press.
6 Other Views
In this chapter, James R. Kennedy presents an overview of the library planning process with many helpful suggestions. Rebecca M. Wenninger writes specifically about giving serious consideration to the needs of young adults.
USING SMALL COLLEGE LIBRARY PLANNING TECHNIQUES IN PUBLIC LIBRARY FACILITIES PLANNING James R. Kennedy INTRODUCTION Each year, Library Journal (LJ) devotes its December issue to reporting on the completion of new and renovated libraries. LJ reported in December 1998 that the amount spent in public library construction totaled $543 million for 197 projects. New and renovated libraries are built every year. They are a certain part of American education and culture, the peoples’ university, and the bedrock for higher education support. All of these libraries have much in common: quality library space for materials, users, and staff. Are there commonalties or are there more differences among types of facilities? How does the planning process differ, especially as libraries are redefined to address growing technological and, until now, nontraditional needs? The objective of this brief narrative is to address commonalties and distinc-
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tions within the planning process. Library programmers, as architects refer to the consultants, directors, and staff, work with staff and campus communities to define specific academic and cultural needs that the library will be called to support. Why look to academic libraries for public library solutions? Academic libraries are planned more finitely, to serve as a model in support of curricular needs. College libraries are a collection of subject strengths intended to support study in the liberal arts, business, computer science, and other areas. The academic ambience reflects the institution’s commitment to its academic program and to providing a library study atmosphere for those in personal and career development. Much of what is used in college planning is transferable to the peoples’ university. While public libraries in recent years have moved from the stereotypical “hush sign” atmosphere to one of busy quiet, the academic library has moved with the growth of electronic technologies to provide a variety of study experiences— from group study rooms to cocooned carrels to a laptop culture. It is the intent of this commentary to highlight areas of specialization that might transfer well to a public library venue. There is much in common between small college libraries and their public library counterparts. Both have a mission to serve their respective patrons— those seeking academic support for a predefined curriculum and those within the people’s university, learners seeking information from among an endless array of topics. The library facility must meet the needs of each group and today must be prepared to support service in transition. Today’s library must be poised to address both traditional needs and to provide technological services and support for generations of lifelong learners. In both cases, thoughtful planning must be given to the institution’s plan of service and to the facility needed to make that plan effective. Public libraries serve a broader constituency—in a word, everyone. College patrons’ needs are defined based largely on curricular offerings. It’s hard to be everything to everyone, especially with limited resources. An analytical approach is needed, a thorough review by librarians and trustees emphasizing projected future community growth within the dual context of tradition and an ever-changing information profession. Hit the moving target; plan for changing needs in the next twelve to fifteen years. A sound strategy will keep the library and its services fresh, the road well taken for future generations of readers and learners. The library should not be generic, but should reflect the uniqueness of the community, just as the college’s library reflects the institution’s support. Draw from community sources in planning, but know when it’s better to go outside for an objective opinion. In a college setting, the Office of Institutional Advancement will use this uniqueness to attract financial support. The same may be true within the public library plan as alternative sources to a bond issue are
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sought. Information desks, groups studies, children’s areas—each is a viable gift naming opportunity. STEPS USED IN COLLEGE LIBRARY PLANNING CAN WORK WELL IN A PUBLIC LIBRARY SETTING 1. Involve the entire community. A library is one facility with appeal to everyone. Anyone can buy into a project, and suggestions will yield some positive surprises. The more the community is involved within the plan, the better its chance of approval and acceptance. Like college library planning, public library planning should reflect the plan of service to its respective interactive audience. Utilize focus groups with civic, social, and educational groups. Include followup meetings to review the planning progress. a. Charrette, or modified charrette, sessions in the present library with the project architect. In some sessions, the architect draws. In others, he reviews schematic designs. b. Use a 3-dimensional model to promote the project in all but the smallest of projects. It will be useful in development efforts. c. Be certain to involve librarians and others who will work in the library. Their stake in a truly functional, comfortable library is much higher.
2. Plan for flexibility. Make minimal use of supporting interior walls. Post and beam construction provides more flexibility. We know for certain what libraries will be like for the next five years and can take a good snapshot of year ten. In the second decade the image gets fuzzy. We have only to look at library technological growth in the last decade to see examples of accelerated change. As library needs change, there may be a need for collection rearrangements and collection shifts, or for adding additional services. 3. Lighting and cabling. These items are two of the most difficult features to change within a library, so it is important to get as much of both as you can afford the first time around. Dry power and computer cabling should be brought to all interior walls and columns. Opt for residential codes that call for placement of more receptacles (at four, rather than eight, foot intervals) for convenient access. Utilize power grids in areas such as the circulation desk and distance learning rooms where no change is expected. All light fixtures should be easily accessible for maintenance without use of telescoping or extended ladders. Make use of nonglare, low energy fluorescent lighting fixtures in open areas to maintain a uniform view. Indirect lighting, sometimes called “up lighting” is an attractive alternative to produce a quality lighted environment of fifty-five footcandles without glare. Some libraries are incorporating metal halide lighting into the design scheme. Metal halide lighting is efficient, long-lasting, and comes in a variety of types of fixtures. Chandeliers employing metal halide work well and lend elegance to a room or foyer. Floor
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lamps with metal halide up lighting are to be avoided as a potential fire hazard. If your color scheme relies heavily on blues and greens metal halide could work for you. This type of lighting tends to make reds and yellows within the color spectrum look washed out. 4. Furnishings. Your new library and all that comes with it will be “new” for the next twenty-five years. It is therefore important that durability be a major consideration, and that the furniture design selected will be one that will not become dated over time. Reflect the traditions of the campus in facility design; styles reflecting themes within the campus community will be of lasting value. Do not restrict selection of library furnishings to library furniture manufacturers/suppliers alone. A walk through a top quality furniture store will produce a number of good ideas. 5. Bubble diagrams. Use bubble diagrams to define functional areas within the entire library and within the library’s individual components. Clustering should reflect the needs of the campus community. What are common library needs versus special or unique needs? • Bubble #1: Group ongoing noisy functions. Close to the main entrance. Such functions include the circulation desk, photocopier, fax services, interlibrary loan office (if grouped as a lending function adjacent to circulation), new books browsing, and periodicals and journals browsing. Such planning makes brief stops to make a copy, return a book, or read the daily paper convenient for borrowers while minimizing traffic flow through quiet study areas. Space behind the desk: Extra space isn’t extra! The smaller the library, the greater the temptation to cluster as many service functions behind the main desk as possible. Circulation support services, administrative offices, and technical services operations are often clustered in a central work core for libraries with populations of less than 5,000. • Bubble #2: Information services cluster. A small academic library will have one central reference department, while a larger library may have several reference departments serving major academic programs. Locate the modern reference desk, often called an island or kiosk by designers, central within the reference department. Within the department make use of low shelving with countertops for books. The countertops double as index tables and improve visual security of the area. Locate oak stools on the visitor side of the reference kiosk. These stools will make patrons comfortable during brief information queries. Cluster the reference librarian(s)’ office(s) proximate but not adjacent to the reference desk. Include reference computer access points within the reference department for brief instruction, quick searches, and to support those stand-alone CD-ROM disks that are infrequently used but for which there are both a need and instructional support. Finally, include a twenty-to-twenty-four-seat flexibly appointed seminar room for group library instruction. Keep the layout of this room flexible (there’s that word again) with moveable tables on casters and stackable seating. This room should include data video and other multimedia to come, and could become an interactive learning place through the use of laptops, hard wired or wireless. • Bubble #3: Group study opportunities. Well planned college libraries now make use of multiple group studies for use by small groups of patrons involved in the collabo-
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rative learning experience. Colleges should provide a mix of group studies with seating capacities in the six to eight person and the ten to twelve person capacity. Computer access will be needed within each room, and this can be supplied either through use of a portable computer cart and projection screen or through laptop or desktop access in each room. Each room should be equipped with an internal picture window, to afford a view of the library’s interior and to provide for good security. • Bubble #4: Reading and collections areas. Thoughtful planning will produce an attractive, functional layout for housing book and nonprint collections on 84" or 90" high stacks. Large reading tables (36' ⫻ 48" or 48" ⫻ 84" ⫻ 29" high) give good study space and offer some degree of privacy for the serious reader. • Bubble #5: Study carrels. The arrival of the personal computer did much to expand the cause of quality study space for the individual reader. The old 24" ⫻ 36" small reading desk gave way to the 36" ⫻ 48" acoustically padded and wired workstation. The new carrel is large enough to support a computer, a legal pad, some books, and a handbag, and can serve as a space for two in a pinch. Recognized space allocations for students have risen from 30 to 40 or even 45 square feet per person. Every public library should provide some carrel space. In the smallest of libraries, these units may be located back-to-back across an exterior wall, or in a four-seat networked carousel.
6. Technology. Technological influences have brought change within the plan of service, not so much in content as in process. Today’s library depends on an automated library system for both operational and public service needs. There is little need to plan space for a card catalog because the library’s main resource is available online. Personal computers linked to a fiberoptic network now offer multiple access from points throughout the library and beyond. Information seekers may search library collections, CD-ROM databases, World Wide Web databases, and interlibrary loan requests electronically. The same access points can be used for word processing and spreadsheet activities. While the physical doors of the college library close at midnight and those of the public library are locked at 9:00 P.M., the library can now offer electronic access twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Plans for the new or renovated public library must include multipurpose PCbased terminals and a central technology area to house servers, networking equipment, CD-ROM towers, and the like. Unlike campus libraries, where library servers may be grouped with other institutional equipment, public libraries will need an in-house operations center. This center should logically be grouped with Technical Services, as automation is usually grouped with organizational functions in a nonpublic area. Good planning will make the library seamlessly technological, with the ability to change out equipment as upgrades are needed. The ideal library should promote a combination of good esthetics and technology, with neither being the dominant theme. Networked wiring to support placement of computers throughout the library, in alcoves beyond reference and circulation, is paramount in offering comprehensive access today and maximum flexibility tomorrow.
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The area described above calls for extra preparation. Air conditioning in excess of that for the entire library will be needed. If the library will be located in an area in which there is even the slightest hint of a water problem, a raised floor should be used. A fireproofed closet is a must for back-up tapes. Power supplies must be uninterrupted. Security within the context of protection for servers, networks, and tapes must be included, and should be addressed as part of the overall library security plan. 7. Meeting and instructional spaces. The shifting role of community librarian to front line purveyor of information literacy calls for additional instructional space. There is a distinction between information technology literacy and information literacy—the former dealing with the how and the latter dealing with the what—and the librarian will be dealing with both. The more remote the community, the greater the need for a librarian with advanced computer training. Every library needs a modest meeting room of at least 650 square feet to support library programming. It is equally important that the library also offer a conference room or group study for library instruction. This room should provide seating for ten to twelve, and be equipped with both a conference table and a computer cart. With a window, the room may be used for group study and discussion when instructional sessions are not in progress. It is here that students will learn to access Internet-based commercial data resources and will learn to differentiate between documentable and ephemeral resources. 8. Shared spaces. It is important to define specific uses for broad areas, even though these uses will change over time. New space within an academic library is inviting. To other departments on campus with cramped quarters, spacious library footage looks inviting. Planning was for twenty years’ controlled growth, so why not use some of that outer end space for alternative or transitional services? In a college library, this space might be in the form of a study skills center, an educational media center, or faculty offices. Such sharing happens often on campuses where buildings are being renovated at the same time the campus is growing. The opportunities for collaboration can be positive growth opportunities for all service providers and for patrons. In a public library setting, the sharing of new spaces within a multipurpose facility can be inviting. Some duplication of common use facilities, such as conference and program rooms, staff lounges, and lavatories, is cost effective. Remember to stress library control and prioritization over use of shared meeting rooms. Facility sharing could mean the difference between the project gaining voter approval and falling short of the goal. In a small community, sharing can mean locating within a common facility. Usual combinations are library/city hall offices; library/town offices, and the police station; or library and senior citizen center/community building. Such combinations may be workable as agencies combine to bring a type of one-stop-shopping opportunity to patrons. Less successful are public-school library combinations, where each serves a different (general versus curricular specific) purpose. Again, plan for flexibility in growth, but be sure to limit the length of a shared purpose facility when future growth
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space is being used. For the library whose shelves will look comparatively bare on opening day, it might be worthwhile to offer additional seating initially and to substitute shelving as needed. CONCLUSION The intent of this brief narrative has been to suggest opportunities for creative planning using college library planning techniques to support facilities initiatives in the public sector. Some of the best ideas in new or reworked libraries are combinations of themes gleaned from visits to other projects. Be sure to visit some recently completed academic library buildings during your preliminary project planning phase to look for ideas that might translate to your plan. Make your library project a blending of flexibility, creativity, practicality, tradition, futurism, and beauty. Good planning pays dividends in effective library service and in happy patrons and staff.
A PLACE TO CALL THEIR OWN Rebecca M. Wenninger Traditionally, the library has been a quiet place, a haven for study, reflection, finding information, and recreational reading. Teens often disrupt the quiet sanctuary of the library, and afterschool crowds tend to be a rowdy bunch. It is not hard to understand why they are this way. These young people have been in school for several hours and have been told to be quiet, sit still, and listen. When the final bell rings, they are released from their prison and have a lot of energy that needs to be expelled. This is also a confusing time for teens. They are children, but not yet adults. We tend to forget that teens have a lot of stress in their lives. They are faced with new expectations and responsibilities, and often don’t have the maturity level to deal with them. The library has become more than just a place to do homework for this group. It is a place to meet their friends and socialize, just as adults also use the library for this purpose (Caywood 1996, 138; “One Small Room . . .” 1998). It is also a place for them to have some independence and freedom. It should be the library’s goal to accomodate them when possible. Granted, the library is not a place for disruptive behavior, but as librarians we need to understand teens and try to find a happy medium. Because teens can be viewed as disruptive and not serious library users, there are some librarians who do not even try to work with them. Teens are legitimate users, and deserve the same respect that is given to adults. The same rules should apply to all customers, regardless of age. Typically, teens make up the largest and most consistent users of the public library. Ironically, the smallest percentage of the budget is spent on materials for these users, and the number of young adult librarians/specialists has dropped
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dramatically in recent years (Minudri and Goldsmith 1999, 30–31). Spaces for these users are usually limited and at times seem like an afterthought. In some branch libraries, the teen area is limited to a few paperback racks. Because teens are so vital to the public library, they should have a space that is specifically designed to meet their needs (“One Small Room . . .” 1998). When designing a space for teens, first determine what the needs of your users are. It is important to find out what kinds of services they want the library to provide, and work from there. The only way to get accurate information is to talk directly to the teens in your area (Auerbach 1996, 60). This is also a salient point throughout the Australian online publication “One Small Room,” (1998). Teens are looking for a place where they feel they fit in, and they want to feel a part of something (Minudri and Goldsmith 1999, 30–31). Even those of us who work with teens everyday can be out of touch with what they really want, unless we are continually asking what they view as important. Of course, not all suggestions can be met, but their input should be viewed as vital and used when possible. The next step in planning should be to decide on what the teen area will be used for. This may be decided for you if there is limited space available. Regardless of constraints, the area should be a space of its own, and not limited to a few shelves of books. By that I mean a specific area of the library that is defined in some way (Valliancourt 1998, 41). If an entire room is not possible, then perhaps an area can be partitioned off, or shelving/furniture placement could be arranged to give the feel of a separate area. This space should never be a part of the children’s room (Vailliancourt 1998, 41). That alone will turn off teens from using it, as they do not view themselves as children. Once the actual area has been designated and exact space is known you can decide what will go into the area. If the area is small, it can be restricted to a small seating area, fiction collection, and small displays. Other information and collections (i.e., Cliff Notes, test preparation guides, college information, etc.) that would be of interest to teens should be placed as close as possible. If the library is able to provide a separate room or a large area of the library, it will still need to be determined in advance what the focus of the area will be. I believe that it would get the most use if it were seen as more of a gathering place (Minudri and Goldsmith 1999, 30–31), where quiet conversation is permitted and teens can socialize with their friends (Caywood 1996, 138). If teens who came to the library to “hang with friends” had a place to go, then disruption in other parts of the library would decrease. Teens need a place to go, and while the main focus of libraries is not a recreation center, once they are in the library for socializing, they could be directed to library related materials and services they may have not otherwise known were there. Levels of staffing must also be considered in the planning stages, as there is need for supervision in a setting of this type. If there is not enough staff to supervise and maintain this type of area, an alternative should be considered. A larger space would be able to accommodate comfortable seating, and in
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addition to the items mentioned in the preceding, a small ready reference collection, bulletin board for community events and library programs, magazines for teens, computer workstations with software geared to teen interests, and a listening station for compact disks (CDs) and audio cassettes could be included in this area. I believe that quiet study and in depth reference should be provided in another area of the library. Whatever the size and purpose of the area are, teens should know that the area has been designed with them in mind. Clear signage of some type, stating that this area is designated especially for teens should be provided, and the area should be used only by teens as much as possible. Neon or other eye-catching signs would be appropriate. Wording of signage should reflect how the teens in your community like to be addressed. Ask teens for their input on this, and they may even decide to give the area a name. This area should be attractive and inviting, with bright colors and comfortable seating that is arranged in conversational groupings (Cochran and Gisolfi 1997, 26–27). Posters and other decor should be in keeping with current trends. This is another great place for teen input, as it will need to change periodically. It is important for this area to be well maintained, the collection as well as the space itself. Displays and bulletin boards need to be kept current and of topics that interest teens. After the space has been set up, it will be up to the library staff to get the teens to actually use it. It is important that there is a librarian who genuinely likes working with this age group to encourage and support these users. The librarian must continue to talk to teens on a regular basis and find out what kind of materials, programs, services, etc., they are seeking. The most important thing to remember when designing or renovating an area in the library for teen use, if you really want teens to use it, is to listen to their ideas and implement them as much as possible. Even with restricted space and budgets, simple changes can be made that would make all the difference in how teens use the library and how many come in. Secondly, staff must be accepting and willing to work with teens. Part of our job as librarians is to foster a love of reading and create lifelong readers. We cannot do this if we are ready to send teens out of the library as soon as they walk in. Everyone deserves a place to call their own.
REFERENCES Auerbach, Barbara. 1996. “Hangin’ at the Library.” School Library Journal (June): 60. Caywood, Carolyn. 1996. “To Linger in Good Company.” School Library Journal (March): 138. Cochran, Sally, and Peter Gisolfi. 1997. “Renovate It & They Will Come.” School Library Journal (February): 26–27. Minudri, Regina, and Francisca Goldsmith. 1999. “The Top Ten Things You Need to Know About Teens.” School Library Journal (January): 30–31.
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“One Small Room: What Would Young People Do to Make Library Spaces and Services More Appealing to other Young People?” 1998. The One Small Room Report. State Library of Queensland. Public Libraries Division. http://www.slq.qld.gov. au/pub/onesmall/contents.htm ———. Recommendations. 1998. Website: http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/pub/onesmall/ recom.htm Valliancourt, Renee J. 1998. “Couch Central.” School Library Journal (July): 41.
7 The Library Building Program
The following sections explain the building program, describe its content, and show how options may be considered for various aspects of the project. Related design matters are treated in a successive chapter. THE BUILDING PROGRAM As Ellsworth Mason (1980, vii) pointed out, there are many details to a building project. Some are covered or described in the program, others are the architect’s responsibility. Among the latter are engineering and technical matters, some of which may be explained during the course of project development. An example is the air conditioning system and its configuration. It isn’t necessary for the librarian to know the technical details of the installation. It is important to know that the system chosen will serve adequately and is capable of keeping temperature and humidity at comfortable levels in all areas during any season. The program should not be confused with a specifications book. Depending upon the size of the project, the architect may prepare a specifications book of considerably greater size that contains the specifications for all the items used in construction. This book guides the contractors so that all required specifications are known to them for the items that will make up the building. For a smaller building, the architect may furnish detailed specifications on the blueprint sheets. The headings that follow are the possible headings that might be used in the
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actual building program. The sequence of headings other than the introduction, however, need not be followed in the order given here. Depending upon the project and its requirements, there may be variations. This will be explained as this chapter proceeds. Introduction The opening statements describe the proposed building project; what the building should do, whether new, renovated, or a conversion; what the program describes or requires; and the desired relationship among the service spaces. Philosophy of Service For a new building a statement of the philosophy of service and how the library will serve its public should be presented very early. A public branch library building may be a full public service facility, dependent upon a main library building for technical and other support. Space may not be planned for those purposes or minimal space may suffice. In another case, the building may serve a community and only be loosely affiliated with larger libraries that are remote from its locale, so some space for these functions may be necessary. A joint-use library’s statement will describe the differing functions the building will fulfill. A joint public-school library statement should describe use of the library for class activities at certain times, while at other times service space is open to all. For a joint public-academic library, the possible need to separate popular materials from more academic program–related materials may be explained with the need to provide suitable seating and other accommodations for each grouping. In some cases the need for shared work space or for separate work space should be explained. The Community The nature of the community and the composition of the people served is also important. If the library serves an industrial community as opposed to a community of mostly professional and technical occupations, this should be known. This may affect the way reading spaces are arranged, and the way that collection spaces are allocated. A population projection for twenty years is helpful, so that the architect will understand the potential for growth and plan accordingly. If a demographic table is available, it would be placed here. For joint-use libraries the demographics of the different populations should be clarified. The Area A brief description of the area and its history is always beneficial. This will help the architect understand the locale and may affect interior design factors.
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For a building located in a wooded area, a woodland motif is thematic for the interior design. A library in a historic area may have features reminiscent of the area’s heritage. A campus-based, joint-use library may have a decor more related to education than to a general public orientation. The Climate Weather factors sometimes appear obvious, but should be noted and not left to chance. In northerly areas, provision for snow loads is very important. “Actual collapses from excess snow are relatively rare, but snow can considerably damage roofs. And falling snow masses can do injury. In heavy snow regions, live loads from snow can exceed 200psf, while in most northern areas of the U.S. snow loads are calculated at 35 to 50psf” (“Of Drag Loads” 1997, 162). Water is very heavy, 62.4 pounds per cubic foot, and in heavy rainfall areas, quick removal of accumulating water is very important. Any flat or near flat roof should have good drainage. For older buildings roof supports should be inspected for fatigue. Snow drifts, or water massing against a retaining ledge, on a flat roof and wind pressure bearing on a drift or causing wave action and momentarily deepening moving water could cause a serious mishap. Bazillion and Braun (1995) recommend pitched roofs for academic library buildings remarking that membranes used for waterproofing are susceptible to puncturing (76). The same can be said for public library buildings. Parker and Dell’Isola (1991) present a table of live loads giving figures for different building codes. For example, for flat roofs, the Building Officials and Code Administration suggests 12 to 20 pounds, the Uniform Building Code 20 pounds. Oddly, the city of Chicago requires 25 pounds, and New York City 40 pounds (52). Knowing this, the librarian can request that drainage (and snow removal if in a snowy climate) be exceptionally good. No one wants a leaky roof (Bazillion and Braun, 76), nor the extreme damage to collections and the terrible nuisance that recovering damaged materials entails. Table of Spaces The program will have a table of spaces. This may be placed early in the document or sometimes toward the end. It summarizes the suggested sizes of the various spaces that will make up the building. Usually, programs will describe the size of the building in gross square feet and then indicate the efficiency ratio that the architect should strive to obtain. The table of spaces will suggest the space sizes in assignable square feet. Bubble Diagrams The program will also contain bubble diagrams or some other way of illustrating the relationships desired among the spaces. Rectangular drawings to show how one service area should relate to another are not recommended. One major
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purpose of the program is to challenge the architect to develop an original design. The program shouldn’t suggest a design and defeat that purpose. FROM ENTRY TO PUBLIC CATALOG This and following sections and chapters describe the more detailed matters covered in a library building program. The order of arrangement will vary from program to program. It is important to understand that each building program should be tailored specifically to the project. The caveat is that each library is a unique and custom entity, requiring personal analysis and the experience of a seasoned consultant. A “cookie cutter” approach will not always work, even in a limited geographic area. Such an approach would provide a building, but it would not necessarily address the community’s history, its particular culture, or the wishes of the people it is to serve. It also might be difficult to fit a standard “cookie cutter” building on some of the sites that eventually are chosen for public libraries.1 As will be seen in some sections of a building program, more detail or explanation than might seem warranted may appear. This is to help the architect understand why something is recommended as essential. Some of the things listed may appear to be obvious, so why include them? The answer is that these very obvious items may also be overlooked. The heavy snow or water load on a roof mentioned earlier is only one example. The Main Entry Typically, most small- to medium-sized libraries provide only one entryway into a library building because of the ease of controlled access and the elimination of additional staff that may be required for security purposes. There are situations, however, where a second entrance may be useful. A daytime only second entrance may provide more direct access to the children’s area. It won’t pose an evening security problem because older children who may use the library at night can enter through the main entry. Another separate entry may permit access to meeting space with restroom access at times when the library is closed, but otherwise is not used. The building’s design may require this type of arrangement. A large urban building will have different requirements, and so may have several entrances. The orientation of the main entry is important. If the building is placed on a large open suburban or rural site, it makes sense to have the main entry face the parking lot. If most of the library’s users will drive to the building, this orientation will be best. If there is sidewalk access involved but limited pedestrian use, then the sidewalks should be brought around the building to the main entry. In more congested arrangements, the main entry may face a town or city street, and parking may be placed behind or along side the building or even farther away. In these cases, sidewalks should lead to the front entry. For joint-
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use libraries with schools or colleges, if in a separate building, the library will face either the school building or classroom buildings. The architect should provide for exterior lighting, and the program need only state the expectation for this. The sidewalks should be finished with a slip-proof surface insofar as that is possible. In colder climates sometimes low lamps are placed along the sidewalks closest to the entry to help melt snow and ice. For compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the entry should be level or provided with a properly graded and covered access ramp. The design of the ramp should be such that skateboarding and/or snow boarding are not possible. The ramp can become an “attractive nuisance” if care isn’t taken to avoid its misuse. To enter the library either power activated or power assisted doors should be provided in a double set with a vestibule in between. A vestibule is important because it is functional. Heated or cooled air is not wasted through doors opening directly to the exterior; foot borne soil and water may be removed before entering the building proper. Power activated doors, either swing-out or sliding, with an overhead sensor will open whenever someone approaches. Power assisted doors, usually swing-out, are opened by someone applying slight pressure to a power plate or push bar usually mounted on or near the doors. If not on the door, these power plates are both within and outside the building. They may be placed on a pedestal, a column, or on a wall. Before making a decision on type of door, the librarian and architect should consider the composition of the traffic at the entry and egress. Some new grocery stores use sliding glass doors. In emergencies these will swing loose. In high activity service areas with strong residential use, sliding doors will accommodate people with baby strollers, small children, and persons with mobility impairments much more comfortably than swing-out doors. Even though a swing-out door may open wide enough to permit passage of conveyances like baby strollers, at times they tend to begin a closing movement that requires someone to hold the door back. Librarians with joint-use libraries with schools or colleges should consider seriously the traffic problem caused when hurrying incoming students encounter people with baby strollers all trying to enter at the same time. The Entryway Content and Surroundings The content of the entryway also must be given serious consideration depending upon the relationship of the entry to the surrounding area. What goes into, around, or outside the main entry will vary among library buildings. Some of these items are mentioned later when the categories they are in are discussed. Influencing the decision as to how to treat each item are such factors as the relationship of the entry to its locale, past experience, and preferences of the librarian and staff. When a library is in a congested area, downtown for example, vestibules or lobbies are plain more often than not. They are simply empty spaces between the two sets of entry/egress doors. Loitering is discouraged by the lack of any amenities. People may seek shelter during a downpour, but nothing else is avail-
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able—neither telephones, restrooms, or even displays. The absence of restroom access prevents the vestibule/lobby from becoming a comfort station. For larger libraries, the vestibule may be very plain as noted here, but once inside the second set of entry doors, some amenities may be available. For example a large lobby may be the next point, and it will have water fountains, restrooms, telephones, etc. In these cases the lobby serves as a dispersal point for patrons who will be accessing various sections of the library. In a less crowded site, it is not uncommon for the vestibule/lobby to have display cases, a bulletin board, a pamphlet rack for free literature, a pay telephone (though not always), and access to restrooms. This arrangement is more acceptable for the situation described earlier in which the main entry faces the parking lot. In some designs the multipurpose room is accessed from this vestibule/lobby. This is done when the multipurpose room may be used for activities not requiring library services and so the library portion of the building is closed. People attending meetings or other activities after library service hours will have access to the restrooms and telephones (if any). • Regardless of geographic location, every vestibule/lobby should have a recessed floor drain covered by a pedimat for removal of dirt, rain water, or snow before people can enter the library proper.
Harmful substances carried in on foot gear range from acid rain, to fine sand that will grind into carpeting, to ice melting chemicals that will fade carpeting. This opportunity to remove water from any source is especially important if the vestibule is followed by an expanse of terrazzo flooring. This flooring can be very slippery when wet thereby causing the placement of not very attractive rubber backed carpet strips, sometimes in considerable quantity. Terrazzo is not a good surface for use in areas with seasonal heavy rains or snows. Preference should always be given to nonskid surfaces for interior lobby walkways. As for plain dirt, Mason, in his evaluation of the Lincoln Center branch of the New York Public Library, tersely comments: “The carpeting was destroyed by constant voluminous street dirt” (Mason, 254). Library carpeting often remains in place for twenty or more years, so learning from experience, precautions are wise. Circulation After entering through a second set of doors or entering from a large lobby space (possibly passing a security guard post), the first encounter a patron has with library services is the circulation service: This broad heading includes provision for access and egress, security, online catalog terminals, a counter for returning and checking out materials, and other necessities. Specific arrangements and relationship to other services will vary among buildings. In most situations, the entering or departing patron has a first or last encounter with this
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service. It is immediately after or before the entry/egress doors and security control. In some arrangements the circulation counter beyond the security device may be placed to one side, along a wall for example, while the reference service appears in immediate confrontation to the entering patron. The common factor usually is that staff at the circulation counter have an excellent view of the entryway. In many situations, the staff has a commanding view of the public use areas. This is typical of smaller libraries in which most services are on a single floor level. The first concern for the architect is to plan for traffic space, so that people entering or leaving have room in which to conduct a transaction or simply bypass the control point, circulation counter, or desk. Typically, this is nonassignable space, and includes space for staff to maneuver book trucks for incoming borrowed materials, etc. The next focus of attention is the circulation counter. Options to consider include counter height, length or configuration, and design features. All of these are mentioned in the chapter on furniture and equipment under circulation counter, and details are not repeated here. This counter must function effectively and time spent thinking about these matters will not be wasted. If the use of self-service check-out is planned, open floor space is needed for the terminal that patrons will operate. Traffic space behind the counter or desk is critical to efficient operation. Estimates of circulation volume will be important in helping determine an appropriate amount of space. An average of the last two or three years with a 20 percent increase factor added on should be helpful, unless indications are that a higher factor may be better. If video surveillance of the service areas is used, the monitors may be placed below the circulation counter so that staff may observe activity occasionally. Circulation Workroom, Workspace The number of people working in this area and the type of work will determine the space required. In very small libraries desks and tables may be placed behind the counter in lieu of a room. A room is preferable for better control of material. Review the work and determine whether or not any part of that work will change or be stopped. If there are particular needs for more space for certain work, make that known to the consultant. In a joint-use library, closed reserve material for a school or college may require space. Any service equipment such as laptop computers and hearing assistance devices can be held here. Also, provide some additional space here for unforeseen service needs. Estimate the number of people that may be working in the room at peak times, and include both regular staff and volunteer workers. This is important. If space is planned only for regular staff there will be crowding when volunteers are present. This is an area that may be too small, hence the preceding caution. Space for book trucks or for sorting bins may be in this room or outside, whichever is preferred. Cabinets, sometimes lockers, and often a sink are necessary. The room should have three or four telephone jacks depending upon its size
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and the number of people assigned to work in it. The workstation power and computer network supply should come from the floor through floor access workstation modules unless not possible, in which case wall-mounted conduits, similar to wall molding, along the floor will serve. The sink can be placed above a low cabinet. The room should have a window with a view of the circulation counter. Quite often the library’s power supply control board, safety and security board (fire, smoke, theft), is placed in this room or on a wall adjacent to the circulation counter. A dimmer switch for controlling lighting is useful also. Head Librarian’s Office In a small library the head librarian will have an office immediately adjacent to the circulation service. In a larger library the head librarian may have a small suite with space for one or two other staff members. This office should have space for a workstation, a conventional writing surface, a small conference table and side chairs. Lighting should be controlled by a dimmer switch, and the power/communication or computer network supply should be floor installed again through one or more floor access workstation modules unless this is not feasible. In a small library, the office should have either a window door or a wall window so the librarian may observe the circulation area if necessary. The provisions for other staff should have similar arrangements. In a very large building, a headquarters library for example, or in a large joint-use library, the head librarian will have a suite of rooms. These will provide secretarial space, conference space, and possibly one or more assistant head librarians. These rooms should be equipped similarly on the basis of work performed as described. The conference room is treated separately later. Storage Room Sometimes for a small library the location preference is near circulation. In other cases, depending upon frequency of need to access materials, a more remote location is preferable. Usually, the storage room holds back files of magazines and other materials being held off the open shelves pending some decision as to continuance or disposal. For small libraries, if it is necessary to have a storage room, it should be designed for future conversion to public use space. As alternatives to storage of materials come into play, this space may be adapted quite easily to alleviate a service issue. Unless the need for a special use room is foreseeable, this space should be designed with temporary walls. There are competitive products on the market for this purpose. In this way some future and unforeseen service need can be addressed without expensive new construction. This also means extending power/communication or computer network lines into the room, under the floor if it is new construction. If this is a branch library, or if a working arrangement can be made with a neighboring larger library, then a storage room
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for these purposes may not be necessary at all. The more space gained initially for public service, the better off and more useful the library building will be in the long run. Eventually converting the building to a full-service facility is a worthwhile possibility just as branch libraries in urban or metropolitan systems are fully public service facilities with necessities supplied by the headquarters library or an “out source.” In a large building the storage room will be in another location, but it should be planned so that it may be convertible to another use if needs change. For joint-use libraries space is necessary for temporary storage of curricular-related materials that are in use for only part of a school year. Sales and Commercial Space The need varies among libraries from counter space at the circulation desk to a room in the lobby area for the sale of library related items ranging from postcards and t-shirts, to used books or unneeded donated books. In medium to large libraries a room off the lobby may meet this need. The sales may be conducted by staff in the smaller situations, and by “Friends of the Library” volunteers in the larger. The amount of space needed is small, but the library should have a policy covering this so space can be planned accordingly. Some librarians and their boards lean toward the projected ambience of bookstores with coffee bars. Most often the libraries that have such accommodations place them either in the lobby or just off the lobby, but clearly outside the entry to the library proper.2 The security system screening devices may define the entry to the library in some instances so the commercial space is before the security system upon entering. Having a coffee bar lounge in lobby space in a joint-use public-academic library may head off issues with students bringing food and beverages in the library. The Public Online Catalog Currently, preference continues to have some terminals dedicated to the online catalog near the main entry and others placed around the public areas. Workstation terminals with other menu-accessible software applications installed may also access the online catalog should the user desire. The number of such stations is determined by the size of the population served. Access is very fast and the typical user will not remain at a dedicated station for very long. If the catalog is dial-in accessible, the number of stations may be quite small depending upon the “computer status” of the community. An increasing number of users over the years will search the catalog from home or office, place “holds” as mentioned earlier, and simply stop by the library to pick up the wanted material or come to the library already knowing what they want to see or use. The requirements are floor installed work station access modules, or in wall
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molding as noted earlier. If the workstations are dedicated, then the overhead lighting need not be as intense as that over reading areas, and a dimmer switch may prove useful. NOTES 1. In one project a library board member raised this question: Why couldn’t an architect simply lay out the proposed building using templates? After an explanation was made about local history and design reflective of the locale, the possibility of problems with the chosen site, and special requirements for service, the proposal was accepted. 2. The new Greensboro, North Carolina, Public Library has the two services in adjacent spaces so that people may pass from one to the other. They are placed to one side of the vestibule. The gift section is operated by the library’s Friends group. The four branches of the Las Vegas-Clark County library system that were visited all had small rooms off the lobby for used book sales. The Phoenix Public Library has a bookstore operated by its Friends in its lobby immediately after the main entry.
REFERENCES Bazillion, Richard J., and Connie Braun. 1995. Academic Libraries as High-Tech Gateways a Guide to Design and Space Decisions. Chicago: American Library Association. Mason, Ellsworth. 1980. Mason on Library Buildings. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press. “Of Drag Loads, Ice Dams, and other Snow-Load Maladies.” 1997. Architectural Record (January): 162. Parker, Donald E., and Alphonse J. Dell’Isola. 1991. Project Budgeting for Buildings. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.
8 Reference Services to Special Collections
REFERENCE SERVICES After entering the library, the traffic plan should take the user directly to this service. With circulation services to either side of the entry, the path is open so that access is quick, the user is served, and then may proceed to the online catalog stations, other workstations, to the collections, or other specialized services. This is the opportunity to introduce entirely new concepts of reference service for the library’s public. The new technologies make offering a much broader range of services possible including the electronic reference service for the public and participation in the national online network. • Online reference service is the new heart of the electronic information center.
There are many possibilities; so early in the planning process, a plan for future services should be under development. The building plan will reflect what is needed to achieve the objectives. Plan flexibility is paramount, so that as the technology changes, the library may move with change and adapt readily to the next stage of development, e.g. eventually CD-ROM may disappear as vendorsupplied online services improve. The plan may follow a time line based on the need to furnish a service for a period of years then phase it out as it becomes unnecessary, and have the concept for its replacement ready as the needs change
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and new technologies become available. The scope of the plan will be influenced by the library’s size, its relationship to other libraries in cooperative arrangements, networks, or as a branch in a larger library system. The details that follow are broad and are directed at libraries of all sizes. REFERENCE COLLECTION Traditional needs will not have disappeared, and print collections will remain essential for some time. For shelving bound volumes, some space needs continue because not all reference works will be available in nonprint formats, though this is changing. This need will decrease as paper-based reference sources are converted to CD-ROM and/or online availability. The projected collection size will guide the initial space requirement. As policy and budget permits, the plan should provide for changes in format as these become available. Some titles may best be used in CD-ROM format (until an alternative appears) or online, if costs are reasonable and paper copies are no longer needed. In a small building with significant public demand, using nonprint formats and moving toward as much online accommodation of patron needs as possible is a worthwhile objective. Librarians in very small libraries should consider providing reference service using only CD-ROM and online products, and relying on larger libraries for back-up support. Reference service may develop as an electronic information center. The print collection might include only a good dictionary, atlas, and one or two single volume encyclopedic works. These are simply convenience items for use when there is no need for a workstation. All other needs would be served by nonprint products. For those small libraries with a need for more paper-based reference tools, Audrey Lewis (1998) has suggestions. For small to mediumsized libraries, Wynar and Strickland (1999) offer their recommendations. In branch library situations, the same may apply, and any needs requiring major print and nonprint sources would be addressed to the main library. Wholesale duplication of print sources among branch libraries may disappear as the technology advances. Shelving options for paper-based reference materials should be flexible so that changes may be made readily. Low shelving with counter tops should be considered for two reasons. While the material is paper based, the counter tops make use easy for patrons. After these materials are replaced by CD-ROM or become available online, the low shelving may be transferred to another area such as the children’s collection. The same applies to other library shelving. Planning for collection growth in areas where it is obvious that paper-based materials will continue to predominate should include provision for those areas where foreseeable format changes will require changing the storage method. In this example, reference shelving is released for transfer to other areas where paper-based materials prevail. The floor in the reference area should have flooraccessible modules installed throughout the area so that when shelving is moved the connections for computer equipment are immediately available. Eventually,
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this may be supplanted by a wireless computer system, but a power supply will remain necessary for table top computers.1 For CD-ROM and online services, the number of workstations required for reference service should be based on staff ability to provide assistance. Other workstations can be placed in the open seating areas for use by persons who don’t need staff help. Some libraries have space for teaching the use of online services. The need for this can be determined by user surveys, consultation with the local school system, and social services if the library’s service area has a new immigrant population. The long-range plan should include some future use for this space as need for library based training declines. For staff workspace, active online reference service space is essential. As people add online services at home, they will be sending reference queries online to the library. In a metropolitan area librarians can be certain of demand and very quick growth. Online service may replace telephone reference service to a large extent. In rural areas this will gain in importance as home ownership of computers increases. Design factors include power/communication lines in the entire floor with access through workstation access modules or, if not possible, as mentioned earlier, along the walls with raceway height at three feet. For office space, the building program for a large library should include an office for each reference librarian and space for support staff. Including space for part-time staff should not be overlooked. In a small building a panel system in a suitably sized workroom may accommodate the librarian(s) and support staff. Lighting should be controlled by a dimmer switch. Furnishings include some some shelving, filing arrangement, a workstation and side chair for patrons who may be requesting specialized assistance. ARCHIVES, GENEALOGY, LOCAL HISTORY, RARE AND UNIQUE MATERIAL COLLECTIONS All of the above pose special problems in planning a building. They are grouped here although treatment will vary depending upon the size of the library being planned. Usually, these services are somewhat remote from the main entry, although often some of the responsibility for service will fall upon the reference department. If these collections are substantial and of considerable value, then special requirements for their care and preservation are essential. Special housing with environmental and security controls is necessary. The construction and operating costs for the space involved will be higher than for the rest of the building. Occasionally, libraries in comparatively small communities will have fairly good sized valuable collections, so this issue applies to these libraries as well. Sometimes a small library’s board members may be unprepared for these factors and therefore unaware of the costs involved. The material, accumulated over many years, is used frequently and sometimes cannot be replaced without some expense. Suddenly with a building renovation or a new building project
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the cost factor becomes apparent. In a very small library if the collection isn’t too large, special shelving may suffice, possibly a glass door case or cases, or a grill door book case. For any such collection, patrons should be cautioned about handling these materials. Consult Drewes and Page (1997) for advice. For a large library with substantial collections of unique materials, special planning is required. For a new building a separate program or distinct section of the building program may be written and the advice of one or more experienced consultants obtained. The issues are security, preservation, and availability, and related to these are access by users, lighting, means of storage, and quality environmental controls. As a separate department, staff office and workspace must be provided. The service characteristics are significantly different from those of other services, and the planning effort is complicated. In the case of a joint-use library, the advantage may be a much larger space than either of the partners would have alone. Competitive security products are on the market. Among these are high security locks and video surveillance cameras.2
Rooms and Shelving Areas For special reading rooms and closed stack areas, exterior windows are not recommended as they would allow sunlight to enter with its harmful ultraviolet rays. If, for aesthetic reasons, some indication of windows on the exterior is required, then faux windows may serve. Fluorescent lighting must be shielded for the same reason, unless ultraviolet rays are controlled or restricted in some other way. For some patrons task lighting will be required, and magnification devices will be helpful, not only for visually impaired individuals but for reading some fragile materials with faded print. The reading room may have windows that will allow library staff to view users in the room, especially if it is not practical to staff the room when in use. Dimmer switches will allow lighting adjustments when microform material is in use. Environmental controls for heat, humidity, and air pollution are required. If the reading room temperature is too cool for some patrons, they should be advised to bring a sweater or some other warm apparel. The temperature settings are to help preserve the material. Thermostat controls once set should be sealed so they cannot be changed. If a closed stack area is necessary, it will be much cooler than the reading area, and staff who will be entering the stacks sometimes will need jackets. These caveats may be all too obvious, but for some libraries they will represent a radical departure from past practice. Urban libraries may have environmental problems peculiar to the crowded conditions of cities. Gwin’s advice, while directed at academic libraries, will prove useful to the urban public library with large collections of unique materials (1992, 187–94). Security is an issue in any size library. For a very large library with a substantial collection, the services of a security consultant should be obtained. In the very small library, care should be taken to safeguard material because there
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is no immunity from theft or mutilation. Genealogy collections are particularly susceptible. The building consultant will advise according to the need perceived. Furniture and Equipment The choice of furnishings will range from the tastefully expensive to standard library furniture, but the same concern for security prevails and opportunities for concealing materials must be prevented. Apronless tables or carrels are preferred for this reason. Shelving options also are available ranging from conventional library shelving, compact shelving, to fine wooden shelving. Taste, need, and budget will influence the selection. For large closed shelving areas, compact shelving should prove worthwhile, especially if the collection is growing. The options here are between power activated or manually operated shelving units. The choice depends upon ability to service powered units and the frequency of anticipated use. In storage space when use is moderate to low, manual shelving is the choice. Power operated compact shelving units for use in public areas are equipped with light beam sensors that stop the motion when people’s movements are detected. For a small library, compact shelving may be considered for conserving space and protecting the collection from possible harmful environmental factors such as dust. Larger libraries preserving collections of older valued general materials may use compact shelving in storage areas or extend the closed shelving area occupied by archival materials, thereby affording environmental controls to these less unique but valuable materials. In such a situation, general public access is not permitted. In a very large library the two collections may share the same large area, but are separated by a cage style wall that permits the circulation of air. A separate entrance allows staff to retrieve material or may allow public access when necessary without access to the more valued materials. To repeat, this requires an experienced consultant’s recommendations.3 NOTES 1. Wireless technology for computer transmissions has an adventurous aura about it. A sailor participating in a round-the-world race uses satellite transmission to send e-mail to his home base (Howe 1999, 60). Wireless technology enables libraries to install Internet services on bookmobiles, as some have done in this country and in Australia. Computer magazines and others have carried a number of articles reporting on new laptop computers and tests of wireless computing. One recent article discusses communications between remote laptops and home-based table tops under limited conditions (Somogyi 1999, 79–81). Two writers discuss advances in laptop machines. Joshua Quittner writes about lower end priced “kneetop PCs” as he calls them (Quittner 1999, 83), while in another magazine Brian L. Clark covers somewhat higher priced laptops (Clark 1999, 194–98). With the right accessories some of these machines will serve for wireless usage. Another way to determine machine capabilities is to either check a manufacturer’s web
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site or call the toll free number. Machines equipped with infrared ports can be used for wireless transmissions. Clearly, the emphasis is on wireless services for people who are essentially business travelers. Others who provide technical services to clients away from a main office are also considered potential users. The common bond is a service enabling people to contact a home or main office, and transmit and receive data and other information. Costs are fairly high; transmission is slow but improving. The main thrust is toward battery operated equipment, i.e. laptops, notebooks, etc. How or if transmissions are subject to interference from other communication devices hasn’t been determined. This is something to watch. The need for standards and their establishment is apparent and in the foreseeable future. Until then, absence of standards may delay widespread library applications. The question of how much commitment library managers wish to make to laptop computers and their high vulnerability to theft is another issue (Clark 198). Planning for conduits and channels for communication lines and cabling in buildings along with capability to receive transmissions from bookmobiles or other outside sources will provide the greatest flexibility. Local area networks with wireless capability are another possible option. Table top equipment will continue to require a power supply from a power line. The following articles range over the last several years and are described briefly: Clark, Brian L. 1999. “Five for the Road.” Money 28 (March): 194–98. Clark enthusiastically describes five new and very powerful machines. All have internal 56kbps V.90 modems. While he doesn’t discuss wireless transmission directly, it is obvious that these machines are intended primarily for travelers. There is nothing, however, to discourage their use in place of table tops if so desired. One caveat about theft appears late in this article. These machines cannot be left lying about. Librarians planning to install or loan laptops in house had best be aware of the theft issue (see Jackson in this list). Colman, Price. 1996. “Wireless Modems in the Fast Lane.” Broadcasting & Cable (July): 12. Colman reports on test of a wireless cable modem and plans to offer Internet service to subscribers. Deering, Ann M. 1996. “It’s Time to Become Tetherless.” Risk Management 43 (August): 12. This article forecasts what is coming. Internet access via wireless services to laptops, sending e-mail, etc., are discussed. Gerding, David, Liesl LaGrange Noble, and Rich Schwerin. 1997. “Pulse.” PC Computing (September): 46–47. This article reports on wireless service for use with laptops with cellular telephone modem connectors built in. This is useful for business travelers and is expensive. Standards are not yet set. Halfhill, Tom. 1996. “Break the Bandwidth Barrier.” BYTE 21 (September): 68–80. High speed modems for cable television networks and telephone lines are discussed. Wireless isn’t mentioned. Howe, Robert F. 1999. “The Deep End of the Sea.” Time 153 (March 1): 60–63. Howe reports on the rescue of a female sailor in a round-the-world boat race. A radio beacon via satellite alerted race headquarters. Her rescuer sent e-mail shortly before finding her. Jackson, Maggie. 1999. “Thieves Love to Steal Laptops.” Wilmington StarNews (March 14): 3E. Associated Press business writer Jackson cites an insurance company report that 309,000 laptops were stolen in 1997. She quotes an FBI special agent on the matter of people buying stolen laptops. Apparently, the market for these stolen items is very good. LaPolla, Stephanie, Mark Moore, and Scott Berinato. 1997. “Wireless Net Access
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Wares Making Waves.” PC Week (June 23): 1, 18. This article reports on high speed adapters for notebooks, commenting on the expense of buying PC cards. Quittner, Joshua. 1999. “New Kneetop PCs.” Time 153 (March 1): 83. Quittner describes two new machines with interesting features, but doesn’t mention wireless transmission capability. Unlike the machines Brian L. Clark describes, these have only an internal 33.6k data-fax modem. A serial-port cable permits attachment to a table top computer. Salamone, Salvatore. 1995. “Untangling Wireless.” BYTE 20 (December): 96NA1– 96NA4. This author comments, “While cellular phones seem to be everywhere, wireless data connectors for laptops and personal digital assistants are not nearly as common.” More recent articles in this list are more optimistic. Somogyi, Stephan. 1999. “Road Gear, Enhance Your PowerBook with These Essentials Extras.” Macworld (January): 79–81. Somogyi describes new PC cards for upgrading performance on Apple PowerBooks, and discusses remote communications including using cellular phones. “Cell phones don’t have standardized modem connectors” he comments, and suggests a PC card that will help. He describes the Ricochet wireless service from Metricom, which is available in Washington, DC, the San Francisco area, and Seattle. This requires a modem chosen from one of three Ricochet models. Using the Richochet service via the Internet, the user can communicate with the home network. If the user has a table top model at the home office equipped with a Ricochet modem, the laptop PowerBook can communicate with the home office table top. “Wireless a Mobile Inbox.” 1998. Sales & Marketing Management. (February): 125. This report describes a new modem that can send e-mail, fax, paging, and phone services to a wireless address, noting that this is useful when traveling. 2. Architectural Record (January 1999): 166. This issue’s New Product section shows a high security lock and a video surveillance system. 3. This may seem redundant, but when large valuable collections are the subject, then extraordinary precautions are required. Newspaper accounts of rare materials stolen from unknowing libraries turning up at auctions shouldn’t get a knee jerk reaction, but do serve as an alert to plan thoroughly and secure the best possible advice when designing such space. The adage is that a determined and skillful thief will succeed, but making it very difficult is the desired deterrent. The other major issue, preservation, deserves intense scrutiny and the best possible advice. Deterioration will do more harm than thieves. Lastly, educating users on correct ways of handling materials requires much attention as well. Mishandling as a danger ranks second behind deterioration. Please consult Drewes and Page (1997) on these matters.
REFERENCES Drewes, Jeanne M., and Julie A. Page, eds. 1997. Promoting Preservation Awareness in Libraries. A Sourcebook for Academic, Public, School, and Special Collections. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. Gwin, James E. 1992. “Preservation and Environmental Control Issues in the Urban/Metropolitan Academic Library.” In Academic Libraries in Urban and Metropolitan Areas, A Management Handbook, edited by Gerard B. McCabe. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press.
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Lewis, Audrey. 1998. Madame Audrey’s Guide to Mostly Cheap but Good Reference Books for Small and Rural Libraries. Chicago: American Library Association. Wynar, Bohdan S., and Susan Dawn Strickland, eds. 1999. Recommended Reference Books for Small and Medium-Sized Libraries and Media Centers. Englewood, Colo.: Libraries Unlimited.
9 Children’s Services to Meeting Space
THE CHILDREN’S LIBRARY The optimum for a children’s area is a self-contained space exclusively for service to children, making it is unnecessary for them to leave. Everything is there. This may be a room or a space delineated by shelving, a seating area, or some division set off by an arrangement of furniture and equipment. In a jointuse library with either a school or college program, separation is best. It is not that children are noisy, but their needs differ greatly from those of teenagers and young adults. The typical children’s area of only a decade ago now is too small. Careful attention to population data, growth projections, service patterns, and community needs is critical. Arriving at the best possible size in space will help avoid problems when increased growth of population brings more children to the library. Often a separate room or wing or a carefully delineated area (in a small building) provides a more successful solution.1 As the planning process begins, and prior to talks with the consultant, population data and projections, the anticipated size of the collection by format, and the library’s service plan for children, if one has been prepared, should be gathered. If there is a service plan and it includes outreach to the community through service to day care centers, kindergarten, and elementary schools, all of this should be reviewed with the consultant. The objective is arriving at a size that will meet projected needs. Estimating the space needed for materials with al-
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lowance for growth may be determined on the basis of the projections (projected population size and size of the collections with growth projected). For furniture and equipment, the budget plan should provide for a proportionately greater expenditure per user than that for adults. Today’s automation sensitive children will have no memory of life without computers when they reach college age, just as present college students have no memory of life without television. Library planning requires a larger amount of time and effort expended on addressing the needs of children and, because they will mature, on the library service needs of young adults.2 For both children and young adults consultation with the local school authorities is advisable. The public library is not to replace school libraries; that obligation on the part of school boards remains. This remains true in a jointuse library with the school board paying its fair share of the costs. Population projections used by the school systems may coincide with the data used by the library, but possibly may not. Knowing the area birthrate is not enough. In an in-migration area to which families are moving, estimating the number of incoming children is critical to school operation. It will affect the library similarly. Knowing the types of software and equipment the schools are using will help in acquiring useful equipment for these library services. In a public library and school library joint-use facility it is important that both sides realize and fulfill their obligations. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION For a self-contained area there should be some means of enclosure or delineation. The objective as stated is to convey a sense of ownership to children and assist in keeping them from wandering into other areas. The chosen solution should be flexible so that the space can be adjusted if necessary. If walls with windows are used, the glass should be safety glass. Sadly, the occasional violent child may attempt to break the glass in some way. Floor and wall coverings should be easily cleanable. Acoustical control for noise containment may take the form of soft coverings on panels, ceiling tiles, and separation of seating areas by use of the collections. Selecting a theme for the area will aid in planning the interior design. The theme may reflect local geography, local or national history, a literary theme, or some interest that will be sustaining for some period of time. The color scheme and decorative material will reflect the theme. The interior designer will propose colors that will not agitate young children and will be conducive to their good behavior. COLLECTIONS The collections include a variety of formats. There should be an actual hard count of what is on hand, and each should have a projection so that the space
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allocation is determined with some degree of accuracy. Once the figures are determined, tables in Brawner and Beck (1996) or in Dahlgren (1998) may be used as guidelines for space allocations. If there is any doubt about the estimate then an expansion factor should be used to increase the proposed size. Strict adherence to figures developed in this method without interposing practical judgment may also result in less space than necessary. A joint-use facility with a four year academic institution may require a larger collection with more authors represented in depth and some duplication of standard children’s works. Several manufacturers offer various shelving and storage options for materials, and produce furniture for children’s libraries. These include shelving of different heights, cabinets, boxes (sometimes window boxes designed to fit beneath windows with liftable seats under which items may be stored), and bins. Tables and carrels should accommodate electronic devices. The recommendation is to plan for every seat having power/communication (online computer services) access. The equipment available, computers and accessory equipment, calculators, video monitors, etc., are power operated and in two cases use communication lines. It may not be feasible when first opening the service to place equipment at every seat, but the provision for increasing the commitment to equipment must be present. The possible introduction of wireless computing may bring about change in the requirements for online service, but may not eliminate the need for a power supply. Planning for either contingency is a better choice. SEATING The seating options selected from the available array of workstations, single and multiseat tables and carrels, lounge chairs, bean bags, figure cushions, window boxes, and backrests (for children preferring to sit on the floor) should be reviewed with the consultant and the interior designer. These specialists can advise on arrangements that will assist the architect in planning for placement of power/communication lines and lighting. Arriving at the right number of each and the correct total number of seats for the open area will take some very thoughtful discussion. It is not uncommon to hedge against an underestimate by adding some square footage to the space table to allow for a shortfall. Another common practice is to provide seating for a small number of parents who may wish to remain with their children, typically a few lounge chairs of varying sizes with space included in the space allocation. A large library may provide a separate sitting room with a window overlooking the children’s area. These spaces may be called the parents’ lounge. STORY HOUR Planning story hour space requires some basic information. First, how many children may be attending a typical story hour session? Second, depending upon
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the estimated attendance, how to best provide for them? Third, how extensive should the programming be or what can be managed for programming? The estimated attendance may be derived from past experience, comparisons with activity in other libraries, and projected population increases. A new or renovated building will gain over previous activity and attendance. The concern is for avoiding underestimating average attendance and for having a manageable space. Joint-use with a four-year academic institution may offer opportunities for training college students in story telling. A far richer program than might be otherwise available is possible. The space assignment may be open floor space in a small library, a portion of the multipurpose or meeting room, or a special room designed and used exclusively for story hour and other program presentations for children. The latter is the choice for a joint-use library. Seating will range from cushions to amphitheater-style row seats. Children will sit, sprawl, or otherwise lounge on whatever is provided. In any of these situations the arrangement should be designed to minimize distraction for the children. For small libraries a movable panel wall may be used to screen off the space when story hour is active. A dimmer switch lowers lighting intensity. In some libraries where space is limited and there is a suitably sized multipurpose or meeting room that is divisible, a section of that room may be used. For larger libraries the preference is for a dedicated room. Internal arrangements for story hour rooms vary greatly among libraries. Some have rooms that are fairly plain, use cushions for seating, and are minimally equipped. These rooms may have a screen for film showings, a puppet theater box, a small platform for the storyteller, and a dimmer switch for the lighting. In other libraries the story hour room may be compared to a small theater. These may have amphitheater seating, a small stage or platform, theatrical lighting for special effects, television monitors, rear screen projection, film screen, and power/communication supply to support educational programming. When rooms are used, soundproofing is substantial and windows are lacking. Carpeting may be carpet tile for floor access as optional. Brawner and Beck (124) provide a space allocation per child, but this is a guideline. The extent of the programming to be provided will influence the space allocated as well. Space for projection equipment, even rear screen equipment, must be calculated, and if equipment for other formats is used, floor space must be available. Story hour programming for small children may be supplanted later in the day by educational programming for older children, so the room must be planned for any eventuality. LIBRARIAN AND ACTIVITY SPACE A service desk or a counter style workstation serves as the focal point for personal service to children. If the plan calls for a public access catalog terminal
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for the children’s area, it should be placed very near this location. This service point should have access to the power/communication lines. Children will request access to online Internet services. For the librarian’s off-desk work, an office has many advantages. This should be large enough to allow work space for preparation of presentations in addition to book selection and related duties. A crafts area for finger painting and art related activities usually has a vinyl floor. The location may be a small workroom or an open space. A very large library may have supporting staff, so a workroom is necessary. If there is more than one librarian then another office or a panel system workroom should provide off-desk duty space for these people. Again, space for volunteers should be included. Space for four-year college students who have assignments involving children’s services in a joint-use library will be helpful as well. YOUNG ADULT SERVICES The need to improve services for the expanding population of young adults will become critical if it is not already so. The appearance of a book by Nichols and Nichols (1998) demonstrates the concern that many American librarians have for young adult services. There is concern in other countries as well; witness the Australian web publication “One Small Room” (1998). • The young adult service area is a transitional point between children’s and adult services. Insofar as possible it too should convey a sense of ownership to young adults, a place where they will feel comfortable as they make their way through library services.
Planning for this area should include some group study rooms, good use of workstations with extra chairs (for groups to work), some four-seat and some two-seat tables, a few lounge chairs, and, space permitting, backrests and bean bags for those who care to sit on the carpet. The space allocation should be generous. This same advice applies to joint-use libraries with either schools or colleges. In those instances care should be taken to differentiate school needs versus general public library needs and college needs in the same vein. This will take space. The Australian State of Queensland web publication, One Small Room, under Recommendations, proposes that young people in the service community be involved in the planning effort. This includes selecting or suggesting appropriate furniture, preferred resources, and the types of educational and cultural activities that young people would like the library staff to prepare for them (One Small Room, 1998 Recommendations). At Logan City in Queensland, the Logan Hyperdome Library, opened in January 1998, has a youth “hyperspace” that resulted from participation of young people (Johnson 1997, 15). It would be most appropriate to provide for involvement of young adults in the planning effort for their service area. Meetings could be arranged with the
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YA librarian, the architect, and very important, with the interior designer, a person with whom young people could develop a strong rapport. It is in the area of furnishings and color that young people will feel the most satisfaction if they are asked for their ideas. This area may be distinguished by its own color scheme. The interior designer should be asked to prepare a color coordinated scheme that will clearly set off the area, and if done with participation by young adults, it should be very successful. Periodicals for young adults may be placed in this area. A large library may consider duplicating some subscriptions that otherwise would only have a single copy in the regular periodicals section. If so, shelving should be planned accordingly; shelving of different heights for portions of the collection should be considered. All seats should have access to the power/communication/computer network supply. In anticipation of services that appeal to young adults, the librarian should prepare to offer through online services opportunities for Internet access for email, research for term papers and other projects, instructional courses offered online, chat rooms, and games. ADULT SERVICES The adult collections will consist of periodicals, bound backfiles, books, and media material. Each type is treated separately. Adults will expect the same online services offered to young adults. Depending upon the composition and diversity of the population served, the librarian may anticipate high demand for Internet e-mail service when numbers of immigrants are in the service population. Periodicals Arranging a periodicals collection can be a challenge. Adults of disparate ages and interests will be the primary users. Comfortable seating patterns will be very appealing. The arrangement must allow for people who will access the collection rather quickly and leave after perusing one or two items, for those who are doing research, and those who wish to sit and read for a few hours. In the small library the area will be part of the open public space while the larger library will have a separate reading room. The furniture and equipment should provide for physically impaired persons. The extent of equipment required depends upon the scope of the collection. If microform periodical backfiles are included, then reader/printers will be necessary. If workstations for research are provided, then dimmer switches for lighting control may be helpful. The seating options depend upon the formality desired. Lounge chairs, single carrels, and tables are obvious. Casual seating such as bean bags and backrests may fit one situation and not another. Shelving choices offer some options. Display shelving should be of a height
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suitable for both visually impaired and mobility impaired users. Task lighting and magnifiers are essential. Literature Collection The storage choices—conventional height about seven feet, lower shelving about five feet, and low shelving about four feet—may all be used. For large print collections the middle height, about 60" to 66", is preferred. If oversize volumes, large picture books are one example, a separate area with low shelving may be preferred. For maximum capacity, conventional height, about seven feet, shelving is the choice. If floor space is limited, as it may be in a small library, then careful estimates of capacity and growth must be made. Again as remarked upon elsewhere, the ethnic composition of the service population may be a factor in deciding upon the height of most of the shelving. People in some ethnic groups, especially women—the predominant library users, tend to be of shorter stature than the average American. Audiovisual materials may be stored in an open area or for a large collection in a room. There are shelving styles available or cabinets may be used. This is discussed in the chapter on furniture and equipment. Permitting listening within the library is optional and a local decision. Seating for adults requires a broad range of options. The distribution and ratio among carrel seating, lounge chairs, table chairs, and casual seats will depend upon the population age ranges for the community served. In large libraries a ratio among the types of seats may be based on anticipated average use by different age groups. As noted in the section on periodicals, task lighting and magnifiers should be available in adult reading areas. MEETING SPACE This section covers multipurpose rooms or community meeting rooms, conference rooms, and supporting services. Multipurpose Room Maximum flexibility should be the objective for designing this room. To obtain a reasonable size for community meetings, the estimated attendance must be identified. The building program suggests sufficient space to accommodate an audience and activities support. Community meetings are not regular daily activities. The room should be used for other purposes ranging from small group meetings, story hour, small concerts, computer training sessions, educational film showings, lectures, and cultural activities. To accomplish these objectives, the room should be divisible, depending upon size, into two or more smaller rooms. Obtaining maximum use by scheduling more than one activity at any time when the full space isn’t needed is economical use of expensive space.
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Soundproof folding panels are useful for this purpose. Paintings and prints may be displayed on the panels if desired. The separate areas require dimmer switches, television monitors, ceiling mounted powered screens, and the power/communication supply. This may consist of network ports in a track in the floor or around the walls. Again, wireless computing may assist with this need. One section may have rear screen projection, a folding stage for speakers and small music concerts, trio or quartet. Closet space for folding or stacking chairs and coat racks is necessary. The design should avoid exterior windows. Natural light will interfere with some activities. The cost of window treatment and the staff time consumed in adjusting coverings is saved. If there is concern for exterior esthetics, faux windows may overcome this problem. Service offerings may include video teleconferencing via satellite downlink. Cultural and instructional programming will have wide appeal to community and professional groups. Conference Room Sometimes a part of the administrative suite, the room is used for library board and staff-related meetings. In small and medium-sized libraries, apart from the librarian’s office or suite, this room should be flexible for other uses as well as for staff purposes. The room in either case is used for meetings and may also serve educational purposes. This room can be used for video teleconferencing for small groups. To serve any function the room should have at least a conference center cabinet with writing board, screen, and shelving for supplies. If a plumbing supply is nearby, there may be a sink. A television monitor, data projector (both may be ceiling mounted), dimmer switch, telephone jacks (preferably two), and wall outlets complete the basic requirements. For use in teaching computer skills, network ports may be made available as stated in the previous section. The room size depends upon the estimated attendance at a typical group meeting. Discovery Area (Displays) This may be a room or an open floor space. The purpose is to accommodate exhibits. This is an option found in some libraries. A small room with several display cases, free standing or wall mounted, are used for showing hobbies of local persons’ stamp collecting, models, etc. Traveling exhibits may also be accommodated. Locations may be off the lobby, near the multipurpose room, or wherever thought suitable. Staff Lounge and Kitchen The staff lounge is proportional in size to the staff. Accordingly, small tables for eating, lounge chairs, free-standing refrigerator, double sink, dishwasher,
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stove (top only or full size), microwave oven, counter-top appliance outlets, wall outlets, television monitor, and cabinets are furnishings and equipment to consider. Staff lockers and restrooms may be in the room or nearby. Vending machines are optional. In some situations the kitchen facility may be shared with the conference room and multipurpose room if they are near. In others, the multipurpose room may have its own kitchen facility adjacent to it. In medium to larger buildings, separate facilities are preferable. A large library with security officers or guards on duty at all open hours should provide separate work space apart from the operating library staff space. This space would include one or two desks with communication equipment and lockers for clothing. This applies whether the guards are employed by an outside contractor, the local government, or the library itself. The sharing of staff lounge space may be permitted, but for a very large library, separate accommodations entirely may be the best approach. A small but appropriately sized space for coffee breaks will suffice.
NOTES 1. Several more recent building renovation projects were expressly for the purpose of expanding the children’s area. Population growth was the cause. In one Pennsylvania library, an unused upper level was converted to children’s services. In other cases, the building was expanded laterally. In Scranton, Pennsylvania, the very attractive, architecturally unique downtown library building had become hopelessly overcrowded. The fortunate solution came with the availability of an adjacent building that was converted into a children’s library much to the delight of the community parents. The original library building was restored to much of its former elegance. 2. For more on this see: Gerard B. McCabe, and Rebecca M. McCabe, “The Coming Generation of Computer Proficient Students: What It May Mean for Libraries,” ERIC Clearinghouse on Information and Technology, Syracuse, N.Y. ED367381, 1994.
REFERENCES Brawner, Lee B., and Donald K. Beck Jr. 1996. Determining Your Public Library’s Future Size, A Needs Assessment and Planning Model. Chicago: American Library Association. Dahlgren, Anders C. 1998. Public Library Space Needs: A Planning Outline/1998. State of Wisconsin, Department of Public Instruction. Public Library Development. [last modified, June 5, 1998] [23 pp.] 具http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/dlcl/pld/ plspace.html典. Johnson, Carolyn. 1997. “Drive-through Library a First.” inCite, News magazine of the Australian Library and Information Association. 1997 (September): 15.
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Nichols, Mary Anne, and C. Allen Nichols, eds. 1998. Young Adults and Public Libraries: A Handbook of Materials and Services. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. “One Small Room: What Would Young People Do to Make Library Spaces and Services More Appealing to other Young People?” 1998. The One Small Room Report. State Library of Queensland. Public Libraries Division. http://www.slq.qld.gov. au/pub/onesmall/contents.htm ———. Recommendations. 1998. Web site: http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/pub/onesmall/ recom.htm The above forty-five-page Australian publication is available on the Internet. It may take more than one downloading to obtain the full publication because of the way it was loaded.
10 Architectural Details
In this chapter certain items that are or may be included in the building program are described. This is the place where preferences are stated. Some of the inclusions may appear obvious and repetitious, but leaving them to chance may be a risk not worth taking. CONSTRUCTION FEATURES The construction module selected should reflect the “three-foot” rule, the length of a typical American stack unit. Metcalf notes that the length 36 inches or .914 meters is the American standard (1986, 134). This will permit ranges to be placed between columns assuming a construction module is selected that is also based on the same rule. For large buildings and buildings of more than one floor, the architect should consult Metcalf’s Appendix B (552–56). In countries using the metric system the measurements may be the same or may differ, but this rule regarding the relationship between shelving length and module accommodation still applies. This is an issue for larger library buildings, and occasionally, despite the fact that it is common knowledge among librarians, is seen as a flaw in otherwise very fine buildings. It is surprising sometimes to see a well planned new building with columns in stack aisles. The live load-bearing capability of the foundation and floors should be a minimum of 150 pounds per square foot, about 68.04 kilograms. If the use of compact shelving is planned, then the live load-bearing capability should be at 300 pounds per square foot,
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about 136 kilograms. This is another commonly understood necessity that sometimes is overlooked, but should be caught early in the process. If not, it may reach the blueprint stage where a careful check may reveal the problem, and send the project into a time delay while the oversight is corrected. This is mentioned in the section on site selection, but is worth repeating again. Typically, if compact shelving is wanted, the lowest floors are constructed with this capability. • Select a construction module that will allow placement of ranges between columns. • Live load-bearing capability of foundation and standard floors should be 150 pounds per square foot. • For compact shelving the live load-bearing capability should be 300 pounds per square foot.
Climatic conditions are mentioned early in the building program. In many parts of the United States peaked roofs or barrel roofs are recommended. If the choice is a flat or somewhat sloping roof, then it should be well drained and capable of withstanding a sizable snow load, if in a northern area, or a heavy downpour of rain, if in an area where severe thunderstorms and heavy downpours may occur. This common-sense advice applies in other countries as well. For ceilings, if a sprinkler system is required by state or local codes, the minimum height must be at least nine feet.
Built-ins Certain features may be built-in. These should be described in the program. Book and video return drops, bulletin boards, closets, coat racks, display cases, and lockers are good candidates for built-in status. A book or video return drop that opens into the building must empty into a fireproof closet or container. Some new libraries have automatic conveyor belts that carry returns directly into the circulation workroom. Using book bins requires staff to bend over to remove sometimes heavy books. Back strain may result, as Australian librarians have pointed out on their listserv.1 Identifying locations for public and staff bulletin boards will help give a more attractive appearance to where they are placed. Building in display cases in vestibules, lobbies, along traffic aisles, and places where they will be useful is an economy that shouldn’t be overlooked. The librarian and staff can propose sizes, and the architect will include them in the planning. If a display case is placed in the wall of a workroom, a rear opening will avoid opening a display case into a traffic aisle. Closets for equipment, for staff use in some workrooms or offices, and for folding chairs in a meeting room are conventional. Lockers are usually placed in specially designed wall alcoves. Those for staff use are placed in or near the staff room or lounge.
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Glass In the next few years, as new glass products enter the market and costs drop, libraries should be among the beneficiaries. More glass is being used today in buildings, and this will increase. New manufacturing techniques are making glass in several variations much more attractive to architects (Daniels 1998, 131– 34). Librarians should be very receptive to the use of glass products in their projects. Glass specially designed for certain uses will offer advantages such as added strength and screening out ultraviolet rays while admitting light, thereby adding to the ambience of the building. Windows, while wanted, sometimes are left to chance, but the librarian and board should indicate some preferences. The architect may make some recommendations. The usual, conventional preference is for thermal double paned windows, tinted to some degree. Most people prefer windows that open even in a building with excellent environmental control. Their concern is for the occasional power outage and the discomfort that motionless air can cause. How windows are to open may offer some choices, and this should be considered with some caution. The issue is security from burglary. Screens are another item. The preference in many cases may be for screened windows that will open, but not in such a way as to permit unwanted entry or ejection of library materials out the window. The use of glass in a library building, as in any public building, requires attention to safety features. Improved products are coming. For all internal windows, window walls, and partitions, safety glass is recommended; improvements in this product are also coming. For exterior windows, depending upon the location of the building, safety or security glass may also be important. In an area where severe windstorms are prevalent, storm blown debris may smash windows. For libraries in downtown or other congested locations, safety glass for windows is very important. The concern is for the possibility of gas main explosions, major fires in adjacent buildings, or other similar urban-type accidents that can cause damage to windows and possible injury to people. The national government has directed research on improved safety glass because of terrorist activities affecting federal buildings (Nadel 1998). The issue for libraries may not be terrorist attack, but harm from other natural and manmade causes. Librarians in congested areas with renovation projects, or new construction, would do well to review options for replacement windows that meet the highest standards for safety and security. With the government supporting research, and business and industry also seeking improvements, new advanced glass products should be on the market. Skylights and atriums are noted for attractiveness and for bringing natural light into interior building spaces. Skylights preferably are opaque rather than clear so that the entering sunlight is filtered and glare is reduced. In planning for skylights, the need is to coordinate the location in the roof with what will be placed on the floor below. Among the options are over entryways, potted
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plants, open floor space with casual seating in the children’s area, and the periodicals area if it is not near windows and other spaces. The architect and the interior designer may provide very acceptable solutions. A skylight over a series of ranges would not be advantageous. Placement of an atrium should be guided by the same concerns. In a single level building, the atrium may have lounge seating placed about it. In a multilevel building, seating and potted plantings may be alternated from floor to floor or a mobile may be suspended. All options should be considered and provided for in the planning, not left until the building is finished. For many such features, the skills of the architect and the interior designer should be utilized for the best possible results while those individuals are present and working on the project. As mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, very attractive and efficient glass products are available. The interior designer may suggest decorative features for any clear glass to enhance its attractiveness. One product that has some advantages is stained glass overlay. Less expensive than regular stained glass, it does not interfere with visibility or lighting, and offers a variety of designs from floral arrangements to thematic animal and character figures for the children’s area. • Use glass for light and ambience. • Use safety glass on all interior windows and/or glass walls. • All exterior windows should have safety glass, double paned and tinted. • If windows are to open, be certain of security. • Stained glass overlay is practical for decorating interior windows and glass walls.
Lighting New products appearing regularly over the last several years have helped resolve lighting problems for all sorts of buildings from private homes to large office buildings. Good lighting can be provided at relatively low cost. The guideline for reading surfaces in public areas has been 50-foot candles for more than a decade. Some modern lighting combinations may exceed this level, but it should not approach the levels of the 1960s when 100- to 125-foot candles on reading surfaces was the accepted norm. For lighting over shelving areas, there are options. The current preference in new buildings leans toward lighting units mounted on alternating stack ranges. Ceiling arrangements of fixtures vary among libraries. Users must be able to read call numbers or spine information on the lowest shelves with little difficulty. The chosen arrangement must satisfy that need. For windows that provide natural light to seating areas, sensors built into the lighting system will control and moderate the lighting levels on reading surfaces during daylight hours. For meeting rooms where dimmable lights are desired, the recent introduction of dimmable fluorescent lamps makes this an opportunity to lower lighting costs and still have quality lighting (Audin, 1998, 161).
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For staff work areas similar solutions are available. Care should be taken to make certain that staff have good lighting, even superior to that provided to the public if deemed necessary. An advertising insert to the June 1997 issue of Architectural Record comments on employee absenteeism in business and industry caused by poor lighting conditions. Workers in libraries must read various sizes and designs of printed type. It is inevitable that at times some eye strain may result from this type of work (“Two Component Lighting,” 178–82). • Footcandle measurement on reading surfaces needn’t exceed 50 footcandles. • Sensors placed by exterior windows will regulate lighting intensity during daylight hours. • Staff work areas should have quality lighting.
Power and Communications The building must have a power supply that is sufficient and that will support the introduction of power-operated equipment for many years into the future without the need to add additional power lines. The architect will handle this matter using the advice of electrical engineers. It is the librarian who must identify the need so that it is understood and resolved as part of the initial planning. As additional energy efficient electronic equipment is added, it is still possible that the incoming power supply will be overtaxed. It’s not unlikely that a new building will soon prove to be underpowered. This is simply because the “vision” of the library’s services and its important role in serving the community was deficient by failing to realize the need for a large quantity of power-operated equipment. This is critical regardless of the building size. Librarians may overlook such items as ceiling fans in reading areas and hot air dryers in restrooms. It is costly to correct a shortfall in the power supply. New technologies in power generation are appearing. These may offer attractive opportunities to have in-house sources of electric power for all the library’s operations. Already appearing in some commercial installations are fuel cells, turbines and microturbines, and solar power. Wind power is being revived. A newer development—the Liquid Rankin system—is in the experimental stage. A reporter for the Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service describes the conversion of a New York City police station to fuel cell power. This station now operates independently of the city’s power grid (Borenstein 1999, A1, A4). The article describes other applications of turbine and microturbine technologies in commercial enterprises. The librarian should ask the architect and project engineers to investigate and advise on the feasibility of the library having an independent power generation system. At the operating level, the building should have many circuits, many outlets, and channels in the floors or walls as appears necessary. It’s always possible that some unit of equipment may require its own circuit, the security system
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server computer for one example. Some equipment may not permit more than a handful of units on a circuit. For the online services, an “uninterruptible power supply” is required. If there is a power outage, this will permit the computer systems to operate for a short period of time so that an orderly shutdown is possible. • The building must have a sufficient power supply. • Many circuits and outlets are essential. • An uninterruptible power supply is essential for online services.
For communications, telephone lines and category 5 unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cabling are needed. Both types should be available through the channels or other suitable sources. Advice on installing this cable is available (“Cat 5 Cabling Tips” 1999). For staff use there should be a generous provision of telephone/computer jacks. In offices, not one jack but three or four, depending upon space size, will permit flexibility for movement of furniture and equipment. The same is true in workrooms. This is less expensive when it is done as part of the original construction or renovation. The electronic information center is computer dependent. A major issue in the use of computers and peripheral equipment is wire management. This is until and unless wireless computers become the norm. (This is exclusive of the power line). In today’s libraries wire channels provide control at circulation and reference counters or desks. The architect’s design for these items should provide for extensive control for the large quantity of wiring. For workstations, tables, carrels, and desks, manufacturers provide channel connections through the legs. Public telephones are part of the basic planning. If telephones for public use are provided, the locations should be planned to avoid noise issues. The larger the building the more important this becomes. It’s better to plan for locations and avoid later installations because of user complaints. For smaller libraries, a public telephone may be placed in the vestibule or even outside the main entry. Policy about public telephones varies among libraries, but it is an issue that should be addressed very early in the process. Public telephones and their receptacles sometimes can be very ugly. The interior designer may advise if a clash in color coordination is likely. There are products on the market that address this matter as noted in another section of this book. Cable and satellite television reception should be planned for in the initial phases. The cabling, dish placements, and monitor locations should be installed during construction. Planning for both may offer an advantage later if more educational programming becomes available. A public address system may be considered. A system can be useful in the event of the sudden approach of a severe storm, tornado warnings, and similar potential emergencies.
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• Include policy for public telephones in the early planning. • Plan for both cable and satellite television, keeping options open. • Provide a generous supply of telephone jacks in offices and workrooms. • Plan both for telephone lines and category 5 UTP cabling. • Plan wire management control. • Public address systems are worthwhile for large buildings and are mandatory in geographic areas prone to severe storms.
PEOPLE MOVERS Stairs and conveyances for moving people from point to point either on their own power or with mechanical assistance require special considerations. They can be hazardous and endangering to people. Stairs must be planned carefully; pitch and angle are very critical. Mechanical devices can malfunction at times to the point of threatening life. Every library should have a safety policies and procedures handbook that covers safety requirements and handling of stairs and conveyances if they are part of the building (see Appendix E). Every staff member should receive training on matters related to safety for these features. More detail appears in the subsections that follow. Elevators and Escalators Both of the above can pose extreme hazards for users on occasion. Elevators in the United States are more common than escalators, over 600,000 to about 30,000, but each has specific safety issues.2 For multistoried buildings and for buildings where site arrangements may make an elevator necessary, the elevators must meet ADA requirements. The size of the elevator’s floors will depend upon the height of the building, the number of elevators, and the use for which the elevator is designed, passengers or freight. When elevators are to be used for transporting loaded book trucks and passengers, the design load must be sufficient for this double purpose. Library consultant William Pierce believes that a separate freight elevator is unnecessary, suggesting that in a group of elevators one be oversized (Pierce 1980, 243). The selected manufacturer should be required to provide instructions for safety, training of staff, and for daily operation. Elevators should have printed safety instructions clearly mounted on one side of the carriage. In the contractual arrangements for purchasing an elevator the maintenance requirements and schedule for such should be stated as a requirement which the manufacturer must provide. Any elevator passenger should be able to signal for assistance in the event of a malfunction. Some manufacturers install telephones for this purpose in the carriages. Pierce recommends either an alarm or communication system in all elevators (Pierce 1980, 243). Local or state governments usually require safety inspection on an annual basis.
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Escalators require even more very careful thought before a decision is made to use them in a new building, or even to renovate them if they are in an older building. If a new large library is being planned when the issue of transporting library users from floor to floor in a multistoried building is considered, the serious question of how much risk the library board and civic authorities are willing to take on the matter of possible personal injury to users must be discussed. Some very large urban public libraries and some large academic libraries have escalators installed. In some instances escalators may appear as the best alternative for vertical movement of library users. The decision makers—librarian, board, architect, etc.—must weigh the floor space needed, the long range problem of the library eventually needing that floor space, the electrical supply consumption, and the people traffic that requires this solution. If so, then these installations must have safety devices and equipment prominently installed or displayed. If someone’s clothing becomes entangled in the machinery, the machinery must shut off automatically and an emergency shut-off button or switch must be clearly visible so that someone else may halt the machine. The same applies if some person should stumble or fall while using the escalator. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has been very concerned about the safety of children using escalators (see note 1). Escalators may be useful only in the largest public libraries that can afford to have security guards monitoring their use, and only for use by adults, and the expense of their operation. Any children’s service area in a library should be accessible by means other than escalators. Parents or guardians of small children who bring them to a library should not be required to use an escalator to get to the children’s area. The risk is too great (see note 2). There are differences of opinion among library consultants on the question of escalators. In a recent article, William Sannwald (1998) proposes that escalators be considered for new large libraries, “with many floors,” which will provide people the opportunity to look over the floors as they ascend or descend (207). Safety rules do not encourage random looking around when riding escalators (see note 2). Metcalf, Cohen and Cohen, and Pierce all comment on escalators. They are consistent in noting that escalators are expensive to operate, suitable only for large numbers of people, and use a large amount of floor space. Cohen and Cohen doubt that libraries have the volume of people traffic that justifies an installation such as in a department store or a shopping mall (Metcalf 1986, 262–63; Cohen and Cohen 1981, photograph caption 202; Pierce 1980, 243). Cohen and Cohen comment on the high use of electricity by escalators and the feasibility of having some sort of sensor control to start and stop an escalator only when it’s in use by people (201). Lueder and Webb (1992) note weekly maintenance for escalators (53). Stairs Stairwells, size in space, and the number required will depend upon the height and width of the building and local codes. Stairs pose special problems for
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architects. People do trip and fall occasionally on any staircase. Issues regarding space requirements, safety, and code observance are studied by the profession with considerable care (Hill 1998, 181–86). The architect should plan staircases and wells so that users may climb them comfortably, use ADA compliant balusters, and have the step surfaces finished in a slip proof manner. • People movers require careful consideration for safety issues. • Elevators must have a communication device for use by passengers in malfunctions. • Escalators consume power and space. Determine traffic requirements to justify their use. • Review safety issues and risks before selecting any conveyance for moving people. • The library should have a safety handbook covering all operational equipment, especially elevators and escalators if used. • Avoid using escalators to transport children.
SAFETY AND SECURITY The Life Safety Code ordinarily serves as a basic guide through the construction process. The architect will follow state and local regulations regarding fire safety, and what follows here is for general information purposes. Depending upon location and size, the employment of a security consultant is recommended. Local regulations and state laws around the country will vary on some requirements. The building will have smoke and fire detectors, and the control panel may be located at a place where someone is always on duty when the library is open, usually the circulation counter. The recommendation is that the system be connected to the local fire station or, as may be the case in a rural county, to the governmental center. If there is a sprinkler system, unless local codes specifically state what it should be, the merits of either a wetline or dry line system should be considered. For protection against burglary, all doors and windows should be connected to an alarm system. This in turn may be connected to a local police station, to a security service, or simply to an external alarm claxon. For personal safety there is reason for serious concern. A number of products are on the market, and the advice of a security consultant will be helpful. In small libraries one suggestion is to have a concealed silent alarm at the circulation counter. If there is an activity causing concern, the alarm may be depressed. It should be connected to a local police station, county center, or a security service that will bring assistance. This may prove safer than picking up a telephone. Other solutions involve use of commercial products. Finding the product that provides the most satisfactory solution for each individual library will require a consultant’s assistance and consultation with local law enforcement authorities. Today, libraries are “targets of opportunity,” sometimes spurof-the-moment action by some individual intent on doing harm will occur. The contents of libraries are very attractive and very portable. Among items at risk
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are compact electronic equipment items, but personal safety for users and staff can’t be left to chance. It is important that safeguards be in place. Metcalf offers a number of suggestions (110–15). Video surveillance systems are often used in large and multistory libraries. When planning the system, the planning group with the architect and the consultant should review the proposed coverage very carefully. The screening should cover the entry, the exterior approaches, any external side, rear or outof-sight areas, and the public service areas including interior entrances to special areas such as the genealogy room and fire exits, etc. The viewing plan should include the children’s service area. Some monitors for viewing the activity in the children’s area should be placed in adult areas. This allows parents who leave their children unattended in the area the opportunity to observe. Any exits from the children’s area should be covered by the surveillance system. While it may be unusual, libraries should take precautions against the possibility of parental kidnapping. Public libraries at certain times of the day have considerable numbers of school age children in the building (“Libraries Becoming Day-care Centers” 1998). The video system can be supplemented by the use of convex mirrors placed where judged necessary. The line drawings and/or CAD elevations can be used to plan locations for video cameras and mirrors. Finally, to repeat for emphasis, all libraries should have a handbook or manual with safety procedures enumerated for equipment problems, people movers, personal safety, etc. The larger libraries will have more complex manuals. Periodically, perhaps annually, there should be a staff meeting at which all safety procedures are reviewed (see Appendix E). Disaster plans are also advised, and these two needs may be combined into one pamphlet or book. • Employ a security consultant when major safety and security issues exist. • Plan alarm systems for personal safety and protection against burglary and consult local law enforcement officers. • Use video surveillance supplemented by a convex mirror system. • Plan a safety handbook and regular training sessions for staff.
AUXILIARY SPACES When feasible, the maintenance and the electrical rooms should be placed on the building perimeter. For small libraries this is usually helpful. Maintenance technicians may access these spaces without the need for the librarian or a staff person to be present to open the library. If an exterior access is nearby this will be helpful to avoid bringing in or taking out replacement or worn parts through library service areas. For larger buildings other factors in the design process may cause the architect to use an internal placement. For situations where the library is responsible for lawn maintenance, landscaping, snow removal, and other exterior maintenance, provision of space for equipment may also be on the building’s perimeter. For small buildings the solution may be a space accessible from the exterior but not accessible from the
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interior. This type of arrangement avoids the problem of persons possibly breaking into this space and then breaking into the library. The janitorial closet may be placed near the primary main restrooms or be located separately. In some arrangements the janitorial closet and small office space is placed in the receiving area. The usual inclusions are a slop sink, space for pails, mops, and a ladder. Another consideration is the use of a built-in vacuum cleaner system. This provides some efficiency in maintaining carpets and, for large areas, may reduce patron discomfort caused by the raising of dust by conventional vacuum cleaners. There are options for the use of photocopiers. In joint-use libraries with schools or colleges, carefully plan for a high volume activity. Some libraries will prefer to place these machines near staff service points. Others, through the necessity of large spaces, may place them near collections where they may be helpful to users. This is done to help reduce potential mutilation and theft. Arrangements for this equipment should be part of the design. In some buildings alcoves may be a solution. Some librarians may prefer a copy room and have users bring materials to these places. The requirements include traffic space for users and a sufficient power supply. Provision for a receiving room and loading dock for deliveries is sometimes not addressed adequately. In a new building or in a renovation even of a small library, receiving package deliveries and mail through the front door may not be practical, especially when the volume of user activity has increased. In a large library, of course it is impractical. There is also a need for collecting trash and recyclables for disposal at a building’s rear area. Most of the time the solution is rear of the building access for delivery vehicles with a loading dock. The recommendation is for a four-foot-high platform of suitable length for most large vehicles. It may allow more than one vehicle access at any time. An overwide or even double door for the receiving room is common. A dumpster may be placed outside nearby. Packages and mail are delivered here, and recyclables and trash are removed through the same entry. The outside space should be sufficient for vehicles turning, reversing, and standing while a delivery to the interior takes place. • Place maintenance and electrical rooms on the building perimeter. • Place landscaping and exterior maintenance equipment in space on the building perimeter. • Locate janitorial closet(s) where most practical. • Place photocopiers where service is most advantageous. • Loading dock four feet high accommodates semitrailers and other large trucks. • Trash and recyclables are removed through the receiving area.
RESTROOMS Restrooms often are taken for granted and the librarian may overlook making suggestions that will result in a better plan. All too often, the main adult rest-
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rooms are scaled to a 50–50 space distribution between women and men’s accommodations taken from the unassignable space. This isn’t justified by the proportions of the population using the library. The minimal distribution of the space should be 60 percent for accommodations for women and 40 percent for men’s accommodations. If justified, the distribution could be a 70 percent to 30 percent ratio. If women are the clear majority users of the library then the space allocation should be fair to them. Professor Bernard Vavrek (1999) in an unrelated article states: “The major user and supporter of small public libraries in the United States is the American woman” (50). Recognizing this fact indicates fairness in planning these facilities. Depending upon the size of the building, efforts should be made to provide separate restrooms for the public, for children, and for staff. The restrooms should have baffle entries, handicapped accessibility, sound proofing, and key control if this is believed necessary. Diaper changing stations in both the main restrooms are the common practice. In larger buildings a separate space may be provided for this use. The architect may be asked to consider the use of pressure assisted water closets for toilets. The new water saving toilets are often the source of complaints (Smaul 1998, 141). Public water fountains often are placed near restrooms or places where traffic may require. The preferred arrangement is for pairs at dual height; one providing for children or people with physical impairment and the other for people standing. Vending machines, before becoming operational, must be anchored securely. Unsecured machines can be dangerous. If vending machines are to be in the building and in designated locations, means of anchoring may be part of the construction process. Unanchored machines should not be operating until secured. • Proportion restroom space to the user population; 60 percent or more of the combined space for women’s facilities. • Restroom amenities include baffle entries, diaper change stations, and pressure assisted water closets for toilets. • Provide water fountains in pairs of varying height. • Anchor vending machines.
THE EXTERIOR Most attention centers on the interior, but matters affecting the exterior should be considered in the initial planning process. Some issues surely will arise later. The library will receive some attention when the location of a new memorial or statue is raised in the community. Like other public buildings, the library will have a flag displayed in front, possibly even three: national, state, and local government. Unless the library is part of a public building complex and the flags are shared in common, location of these flag poles should be determined as part of the original plan, not as a later afterthought. The same applies to the location
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of so-called “significant objects.” Among these are statues, sculptures, gazebos, fountains, benches not originally included in the outdoor furniture allocation, etc. The library’s original budget should include plantings, but the possibility that future donations of plantings may arise should be dealt with in the original exterior plan. As part of the project, the architect should mark on the drawings locations for these possibilities. By designating locations, the associated work is done well in advance when an issue arises. The architect takes into consideration “line of sight” for a sculpture so that it may be viewed favorably from a library window, the street passing by, or whatever may be most advantageous. The same applies to location of flag poles; future plantings of shrubs, trees, or flower beds; and other items. Landscape architects and planners will recommend plantings of trees, shrubbery, and flower beds and their locations that will not interfere with personal safety. The specter of persons intent on doing harm lurking behind overgrown shrubbery surrounding a library building need not be a reality. A combination of safety conscious plantings and a lighting scheme will eliminate this worrisome issue. Regarding outdoor “significant objects,” if there is a spacious open area, a policy governing the acceptance of donations is necessary. Local weather and environmental factors also come into play. If acid rain is a problem then any outdoor objects should be impervious to potential environmental damage, and the library held safe from such damages and repair costs. If local government has responsibility, the question of maintenance is left with that body. Local government may have a blanket insurance policy on its outdoor monuments covering vandalism and other hazards.3 The same concern applies to donations of plantings and any item designated for outdoor use. Ongoing maintenance has to be a budget factor somewhere. If it is in the library budget, policies controlling such acceptances and the resultant expenditures are necessary. Flag, banner, and pennant displays are very popular with people, something of a revival is occurring in the United States.4 These should be addressed in the building program so that mountings can be placed during the construction or renovation of the exterior. Planning ahead avoids the problem of trying to find places to hang them after the building is finished. It is less expensive to do so during construction and also helps avoid problems with the “line of sight” issue as mentioned earlier. If there is a possibility of future expansion of the building or the parking area, these spaces should be marked on the exterior drawings. Protecting these spaces from other uses will avoid awkward situations later.
Sprinkler System for Lawns, Plantings, etc. If an outdoor sprinkler system is included, the architect should plan this and coordinate location of sprinkler heads with plantings. Failure to do so could
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result in such annoyances as a sprinkler spraying water into an open window, showering the main walkway, etc. Public Telephone, Periodical Dispensers, etc. Some libraries have public telephone kiosks or booths on the exterior. If so, the kiosk design shouldn’t conflict with the building’s exterior. More than one building’s visual attractiveness has been marred by an ugly telephone kiosk. It may be necessary to negotiate with the telephone company to have an attractive and harmonious booth installed. Architectural Record illustrates a new and very attractive stainless-steel kiosk (“Architect Introduces Better Telephone Booth” 1998, 39). Designers and architects recognize the problem. Urban public libraries may also network to computer information kiosks placed at strategic points around the downtown area, at sites popular with tourists, at shopping centers, or even in malls.5 Another distraction is an assortment of newspaper/magazine dispensers placed along the public sidewalk fronting the building. There are ways to control this. If an outright ban isn’t possible, the librarian should negotiate with the primary distributor for an attractive cover to contain and shield them from view. If this is not forthcoming, the library may have to fund the cost. If so the architect can design the cover and the interior designer suggest the color so that there will be no clash with other building colors. In extreme cases, it may be best for the architect to design a specific area on the exterior to accommodate these dispensers. The appearance of an otherwise beautiful facade can be marred by these distractions. Traffic and parking signs often may be along the roadway in front of the building. These signs can corrode and become very unsightly. It helps to cultivate the local government agency responsible for these signs so that replacements can be made without undue hassle. It doesn’t add to the library’s visual attractiveness to have a row of bent and rusted traffic signs along its front. Fire hydrants, another distraction of necessity, must be present. Sometimes the colors may be changed if the hydrant remains recognizable. Parking Whenever possible the library building should have a parking area proportionally sized to the anticipated daily attendance. In small towns and cities this may be more easily achievable than in a large urban area where buildings are close together and street parking is limited, leaving perhaps the option of a parking garage or a pay lot for most library users. Where a parking lot is available, the typical ratio of spaces to library seats is one for every two seats. This is a guideline and may not satisfy the demand in some communities, so judgment based on past and projected use must be made. Parking spaces near air intakes and too close to the building should be
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avoided. The air intake should not be too near the freight dock. Exhaust fumes entering the building may irritate people by carrying in pollutants that will cause discomfort and damage materials. This applies regardless of the building’s location. Handicapped Parking One should expect that associated matters affecting the placement of parking for mobility impaired persons would be considered in the initial plan. Sometimes these matters arise as afterthoughts. The exterior drawings should show the locations for such parking spaces and curb cut-outs, small ramps from roadbed to sidewalk level, or whatever may be necessary. This is important for renovation projects. Sometimes a building is renovated, but no one looks at the sidewalk curb or the parking spaces, and only later is it noticed that an impaired person leaving a vehicle has no way to access a sidewalk. Garage Library systems providing bookmobile service to their communities may require a garage for these vehicles. This may be a component of the building or a separate building. A carport or shed type arrangement may also be considered. Either way, there should be a cabinet or shelving for self-service supplies, for example, windshield wiper fluid, rags for cleaning windows, etc. Some libraries are equipping their bookmobiles with online access and offering internet services to users. Security arrangements should be provided, for example, a secure fence if a garage is not used, to safeguard all vehicles. • Preplanning for exterior issues prevents future problems. • Plantings can be “safety and security” conscious. • Establish policy for accepting outdoor donations. • Flags and banners are popular, so use them. • Coordinate an outdoors sprinkler system with plantings. • Public telephone kiosks, fire hydrants, traffic signs, and periodical dispensers needn’t detract from the building’s attractiveness. • Handicapped parking spaces require access when curbs are present. • Poor parking arrangements adversely affect library activity. • Avoid parking spaces near air intakes. • Garages and parking areas for library vehicles require security.
NOTES 1. 具
[email protected]典. In an exchange concerning book bins, the librarians point out the problem of backache caused by bending over the bins to remove very heavy
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books. Also some lifting mechanisms in the bins do not always work. Other solutions are being sought. To join in this listserv a free subscription is necessary. 2. On Thursday, November 26, 1998, Thanksgiving Day, a woman was killed by strangulation when she fell while using an escalator in a Washington, D.C., metro station. Some of her clothing had become entangled in the grill plate at the bottom of the escalator. In a news report on this incident two reporters state: “Across the country, about 5900 people in stores and other public places are injured each year. . . .” (Sipress and Jackman 1998, 1). This tragic incident is mentioned here because it is important that librarians realize that if their library has escalators, staff must be aware of safety features. This accident was not the first of its kind resulting in a death. In another article, writing about the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s review of escalator safety problems, David Armstrong reports, “The commission, based on a nationwide survey of hospitals, estimated that 7,300 people sought emergency-room treatment for escalator injuries in 1994 (Armstrong 1996). Armstrong further quotes U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission spokesman Rick Frost commenting on escalator injuries: “Our figures show that children under 14 are especially vulnerable to the entrapment type injuries.” The reference is to shoes or body parts being caught in the space between the moving steps and the escalator sidewall. This is so serious that any library board or governing body must address the safety issue and determine that the estimated number of people who may be using an escalator system is sufficiently large enough to justify its use. The specifications for an escalator must clearly stipulate that safety devices are required, and the purchasing contract must reiterate these requirements. The manufacturer should demonstrate that any federal government requirement or anticipated requirement for safety features has been met, and that safety controls are visible and easy to reach. A safety device shut-off is essential. A list of safety tips published by the Boston Globe (1994) may be accessed through the newspaper’s web site. The librarian should have safety instruction for stairwells, elevators, and escalators (if applicable) for all staff members as part of their training, and safety updating procedures. The library should have a safety manual that includes this information as stated in the text (Appendix E). The Boston Globe. 1994. “Escalator Safety Tips.” This list of nine tips includes precautions such as always facing forward, no sitting on the moving stairs, hold hands with children, stay clear of the sides, not taking a stroller on the escalator unless it is being carried, etc. The Boston Globe. 1996. “Risky Ride: A Special Report on Elevator and Escalator Safety.” This article and other information may be accessed online at this site: http: //www.Boston.com. The newspaper advises using “elevator” as the access word. 3. At an academic institution where donations of outdoor sculptures were accepted somewhat routinely, one large suspended sculpture, its supporting cables weakened by corrosion in just a few years, fell to the ground and lay there for several months to the sculptor’s dismay. In the face of repair costs, the institution reviewed its policy of blind acceptance. 4. Richard Wolkomir, “Near and Far, We’re Waving the Banner for Flags,” Smithsonian (June 1997): 70–82. This is an enjoyable article. 5. Elizabeth Ho, and Steven Smith. 1998. Information in the City. Presentation at Adelaide ’98, Pathways to Knowledge. Australian Library and Information Association 5th Biennial Conference and Exhibition. Adelaide.
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The presenters worked on the Adelaide 21 Project and described “a broad strategy and model for packaging and delivering technology solutions . . . for residents, workers, businesses and tourists. . . .” Information kiosks controlled by the city library and placed in certain areas would provide instant information through a high speed link to the site where it was needed.
REFERENCES Americans with Disabilities Act Handbook. 1991. Published by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. “Architect Introduces Better Telephone Booth.” 1998. Architectural Record (February): 39. Armstrong, David, 1996. “US Urges Upgrade in Escalator Safety.” Boston Globe, July 21, A1. Audin, Lindsay. 1998. “Screw-in Dimmable Compact-Fluorescent Lamps: Finally a Reality.” Architectural Record (November): 161–62. Borenstein, Seth. 1999. “New Devices May Let Homes Generate Own Electricity.” Wilmington Morning Star, (July 7) A1, A4. “Cat 5 Cabling Tips.” 1999. Library Systems Newsletter 19 (January): 1–2. Cohen, Elaine, and Aaron Cohen. 1981. Automation, Space Management, and Productivity, a Guide for Libraries. New York: R. R. Bowker. Daniels, Stephen H. 1998. “Improving Glass Performance, New Films, Coatings, and Laminates Make Glazing Safer, Stronger, and More Energy-Efficient without Sacrificing Transparency.” Architectural Record (August): 131–34. Hill, David. 1998. “Safer, More Attractive Staircases. While Few Elements of a Building Are More Dangerous, Stairs Can Be Made Beautiful and Less Hazardous With Good Design and the Creative Use of Materials.” Architectural Record (September): 81–86. “Libraries Becoming Day-care Centers.” 1998. (Associated Press). San Luis Obispo County Telegram-Tribune, November 6, A-7. Lueder, Dianne, and Sally Webb. 1992. Administrator’s Guide to Library Building Maintenance. Chicago: American Library Association. Metcalf, Keyes D. 1986. Planning Academic and Research Library Buildings. 2nd ed. by Philip D. Leighton and David C. Weber. Chicago: American Library Association. Nadel, Barbara A. 1998. “Designing for Security. Security Has Become a Top Priority in Building Design, the Challenge is to Mitigate Damage While Still Creating Friendly Environments.” Architectural Record (March): 145–48, 196–97. Pierce, William S. 1980. Furnishing the Library Interior. New York: M. Dekker. Sannwald, William. 1998. “Espresso and Ambiance, What Public Libraries Can Learn from Bookstores.” Library Administration & Management 12 (Fall): 200–11. Sipress, Alan, and Tom Jackman. 1998. “Metro Serviced Escalator in Fatality, Automatic Shutoff Not Yet Installed.” The Washington Post, Metro section D, Saturday, November 28, 1, 5. Smaul, Joseph M. 1998. “A Tale of Two Water Closet Technologies.” Architectural Record (advertisement) (November): 141. “Two-Component Lighting, The Total Solution for Glare-Free Illumination.” 1997. Architectural Record (June): 178–82. Vavrek, Bernard. 1999. “Your Public Library Has a Web Page? So What?” American Libraries (January): 50.
Appendix A Joint-Use Libraries in Australia
Joint-use libraries are common in Australia. The Technical and Further Education System (TAFE) has several joint-use libraries with schools, public libraries, and other academic institutions. TAFE campuses are similar to community colleges in the United States. The national association, Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA), takes a very affirmative view of joint-use libraries. At the Australian Library and Information Association 5th Biennial Conference and Exhibition, October 25–28, 1998, Adelaide Convention Centre, one of the programs was: Joint Use Libraries: Progress and Potential. The program co-chairs were Dr. Alan Bundy, University Librarian, and Professor Larry Armey, School of Library and Information Studies, University of South Australia. The following papers were distributed in advance of the program presentations: 1. ALIA Statement on Joint-Use Libraries, June 1986, 1 page 2. Madeleine L. Juchau, School/Community Libraries, 1982: Alive and Well and Here to Stay, pp. 424–29 (photocopy from presentation at the 1982 LAA Conference in Adelaide) 3. Glenys Aird, Change, and The Critical Success Factor in School Community Libraries in S.A., 4 pages 4. Deb Hamblin, Method and Madness: The development of a tripartite library, 4 pages 5. Helen M. Dunford, Co-operation and Compromise (also Commitment) Joint-use Libraries in Isolated Areas, 4 pages 6. Judy Humphreys, Hervey Bay Library: Dovetailed Not Seamless Service, 6 pages
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7. Sue Perkins, and Albert Bergoc. School Community Libraries in the City of Onkaparinga, 8 pages 8. Cathy Shepherd, Minto Community Library: Alive and Here to Stay, 6 pages. The first document, the ALIA statement, states: “supports the establishment of jointuse libraries where it is considered that such services will equal or better the level of service which would be given in separate facilities.” The document offers a series of four circumstances where a joint-use library may be successful. Following these are a series of seven conditions for application to such proposals. The primary reason in any country or region for considering a joint-use library is economic. In some geographic areas of Australia, as in the United States, financial resources are not capable of sustaining adequate separate efforts, so a combined facility may appear more achievable. ALIA is quite definite, though, in asserting that saving money alone is not sufficient reason to do so and prescribes for other advantages. In her paper, Madeleine L. Juchau gives a brief history of joint-use school and community (public) libraries and some definitions. One such is a brief quote from a report by James G. Dwyer, former Superintendent of Public Instruction in South Australia, a leader in promoting joint-use. In brief, two different governing bodies agree to mutually develop and support a library facility. Glenys Aird, who has worked in school community libraries, reviews their development and success in the state of South Australia. Deb Hamblin reports on the library she directs, which opened in February 1998 and combines library services for a university branch campus, a TAFE campus, and the city of Rockingham south of Perth in the state of Western Australia. Helen M. Dunford gets to the heart of the matter with her paper on joint-use libraries in very rural areas, notably part of Tasmania, or as she expresses it, “remote areas of Australia.” She also cites Dwyer’s 1978 report. Her conclusion is very apt: “A joint use library is most appropriate in small, isolated rural centers where, with community support, the combined library can play a very active role in linking people to the world regardless of geographic location.” On another theme Judy Humphreys makes a strong case for a joint-use academic and public library on a branch campus. In this case the University of Southern Queensland branch campus at Hervey Bay joined with the city to form this library. Her conclusion makes another very strong point: “a joint-use academic/public library offers a logical and cost effective solution to the problem of providing information services and support to regional students.” Sue Perkins and Albert Bergoc describe three joint-use libraries in the city of Onkaparinga, South Australia. They describe two of the libraries that are school community libraries. The other situation is a TAFE facility. In both cases the resolution has been successful. The last paper by Cathy Shepherd describes the Minto Community Library in New South Wales. The city is a somewhat distant suburb of Sydney. This library serves the community and three schools. In this frank and full discussion, Shepherd describes the difficulties inherent in beginning such a radically different type of library service and gives two long lists of advantages and disadvantages, but ends on a very bright note, a very positive mission statement. This resulted from an in-depth meeting among the people most closely involved: “By the year 2003 Minto Community Library will be the model of excellence for joint use library services in Australia.” This is an ambitious statement. Whether it is the community of Minto, a rural area of the island state of Tasmania,
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the vast reaches of Western Australia, or anywhere on the continent, the spirit of cooperation pervades Australian librarians. Facing economic shortfalls and vast expanses of sparsely settled land, nevertheless undaunted, they develop the best possible service for the people. In the United States a few school/public joint-use libraries exist in very remote areas, notably in the western states. As mentioned in the introduction to this book, joint-use libraries, academic and public, are being considered in more populated areas for the possible advantages they offer. Among the advantages that are fairly obvious are a larger building than either might obtain separately, better computer-based online services especially for nonstudent users, more program space for the public especially when the academic program is not in session, more cultural program offerings that benefit both students and regular public library users, more unique materials, better service, better preservation support for all materials, larger and more diverse collections than either might afford in literature of all kinds, reference materials, and the children’s collections. All that is necessary is for reasonable people to meet, negotiate appropriate operating guidelines, and stick to them. Our Australian colleagues set a fine and principled example to emulate. The July 1997 issue of inCite, News magazine of the Australian Library and Information Association has a feature section, Focus on Learning: a TAFE libraries special issue. The lead article by Di Booker describes the topic and gives a brief history in summary detail. The Technical and Further Education System (TAFE) consists of 93 institutes with over 300 campus locations (Booker 4). The TAFE libraries serve their campuses, but also are a national resource and some of them are joint-use libraries. The sharing implicit in joint-use libraries also extends to a mobile library, a bookmobile in effect, weighing 98 tons (Schwartz 1997, 15). In another article Verna Aslin describes a combination TAFE and high school library, and in another situation a combination of three higher education institutions sharing a library. She also reports on the development of draft guidelines for such libraries in New South Wales. Maureen Allman and Deb Hamblin describe a joint-use library with a TAFE campus, the local community, and a branch of Murdoch University in western Australia. Other articles discuss further TAFE library efforts.
REFERENCES Allman, Maureen, and Deb Hamblin. 1997. “Miracles Take a Little Longer!” inCite, News magazine of the Australian Library and Information Association 18 (July): 18. Aslin, Verna. 1997. “TAFE Builds Libraries.” inCite, News magazine of the Australian Library and Information Association 18 (July): 22. Booker, Di. 1997. “TAFE Libraries, From a “Few Books in the Teacher’s Cupboard’ to a National Resource.” inCite, News magazine of the Australian Library and Information Association 18 (July): 4–5. Schwartz, Robyn. 1997. “Joint Mobile Library a First.” inCite, News magazine of the Australian Library and Information Association 18 (July): 15.
Appendix B Management Checklist
This list serves as a reminder of things that require attention. Some items included are not related directly to the building project, but they are matters that may require attention.
CHAPTER 1: BEGINNING THE PLAN List of goals and objectives Staff involvement and keeping staff informed via meetings, newsletter, bulletin, or ? Employ library consultant Draft request for proposal (RFP) Contact local planning and other offices for demographics, flood plain maps, local road and highway plans Architect selection Community involvement and extent desired
CHAPTER 2: DATA FOR PLANNING Awareness of formula deficiencies Gathering data reminder as per chapter 1 Planning for an increase in activity (staff, supplies, open hours)
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CHAPTER 3: LOCATION: FINDING A SITE Finding a location for new construction Free land and related cautions
CHAPTER 4: INTERIOR DESIGN Selecting an interior designer Obtaining staff reservations about any color Color of reading surfaces Waste and recycling
CHAPTER 5: FURNISHING AND EQUIPPING THE LIBRARY AND ITS ENVIRONS Furniture and equipment lists, two and cross checking Delivery timetable Policies for printing, loaning machines
CHAPTER 6: OTHER VIEWS Overview of considerations for a good building plan Young adults and their needs
CHAPTER 7: THE LIBRARY BUILDING PROGRAM Aids to writing the building program Bubble diagrams for relationships Careful estimation of staff space requirements—full-time, part-time, volunteers for a realistic space allocation Storage rooms and future use if need decreases
CHAPTER 8: REFERENCE SERVICES TO SPECIAL COLLECTIONS Reference service plan
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Appendix B
CHAPTER 9: CHILDREN’S SERVICES TO MEETING SPACE Service plan for children Story hour plan and use of space Young Adults and Adults Meeting spaces
CHAPTER 10: ARCHITECTURAL DETAILS Preferences for built-ins and/or free-standing items Windows opening and screens Skylights and preferences Power supply, assurance of adequacy Public telephone policy Photocopier location and policy Donation of “significant objects” policy
OTHER Policy on children in the library and parental (guardian) responsibility. Moving the collections: Prefer professional moving company, see Elizabeth Habich (1998) for specifics. Telephone policy: Negotiate with the telephone company for such things as cordless telephones for the reference librarians, voice mail, etc.
Appendix C Furniture and Equipment Options for Public Libraries
Library Name
Adult Work Surfaces Table
Style 4 seat (apron)
Table
4 seat (apronless)
Table
2 seat (apron)
Table
2 seat (apronless)
Table
Conference (seats
Table
(work, size
Table
Kitchen/lounge (size
Table
side (size
Table
1 seat study (apron) (size
Table
1 seat study (apronless) (size
Table
Model name:
Table
Folding (size
Quantity
, size
⫻ ⫻
⫻
)
) ⫻
)
)
⫻
⫻
) ⫻
)
)
Carrel
2 joined (style
) parallel
Carrel
2 joined (style
) alternate sides
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Appendix C
Carrel
single, high side
Carrel
single, low side
Carrel
Carousel style (number of units
)
SHELVING Standard Shelving Height
Face/S or D
Quantity
Face/S or D
Quantity
Display Shelving Height
Speciality Shelving (write in type) Height
Face/S or D
Quantity
Face/S or D
Quantity
Face/S or D
Quantity
Compact Shelving Height
Utility Shelving Height
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End Panels Height
Face/S or D
Quantity
SEATING Chairs Style
Quantity
Sofas Style
Quantity
Couches Style
Quantity
ACCESSORIES Style Back rests (recliner) Bean bags Benches Cushions (children) Cushions (sofa, couch) Ottoman
Location
Quantity
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Appendix C
Stools —foot —seat —step
YOUNG ADULT FURNITURE Modifications of options listed in this appendix.
CHILDREN’S FURNITURE A similar modification should be made for the children’s area although some items are included in this main schedule.
OTHER FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT Circulation Counter (height, style, units) Reference Counter or Desk (height, style, units) Built-ins Bins (for children’s materials; delivery bins) Book return, in exterior wall Bookcases in offices Bulletin boards Cabinet, wall mounted with writing surface for meeting or conference rooms Cabinets for special materials or uses Closets Coatracks Display or exhibit cases Hearing Assistance System (ADA) required in some cases for meeting rooms with a certain capacity Lockers (inset in wall space) Mirrors, convex, for observation of certain areas Security systems: for the building; for personal safety; for library materials Television system, cable, closed circuit Vacuum cleaning system Vanity panels for offices and workrooms Video return (in exterior wall) Video surveillance system
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Other Atlas stand Bookcases for offices, if not built-in Bookdrop bins or carts (for exterior and interior book returns) Cabinets for special materials (if not built-in, note options are available for certain formats in either cabinets or specialty shelving) Carousels: For Paperbacks, etc. (see also revolving displays) Cash box, cash register Coatracks, if not built-in Dictionary pedestal or stand Display or exhibit cases, if not built-in1 Lateral business files Map cases, if not built-in Revolving displays (paperbacks, videos, etc., see also carousels) Spinners (see carousels, revolving displays) Machines Calculators, talking and for loan Computers for automated check-out Disk drives Fax machines and/or modems Headsets for any audio equipment (caution re: sanitizing) Hearing assistance devices Kurzweil type reading machine Laptop or notebook microcomputers for loan to customers Learning machines Microcomputers Microform readers/printers Photocopiers Printers Projection equipment Receipt printers (if used) Sensitizer/desensitizer Television system and monitors, if not built-in Special Public Use Equipment Book holders (for use by readers) Calculators, talking and for loan (also on machine list) Computer with enlargement screen for visually impaired Hearing assistance devices (also on machine list)
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Magazine holders (for use by readers) Magnifiers (special floor models or clamp-on for carrels and tables) Pencil sharpeners (electric for service counters, manual for shelving areas) Ropes and posts for crowd control Task lighting (reading lamps for supplemental lighting for visually impaired) Software Enlargement software for public catalog access microcomputers and for microcomputers for visually impaired persons, unless equipment is so supplied as on list above. Educational and word processing software Speciality software for word processing, tax forms, etc., for public use. Miscellaneous Ash tray receptacle(s) (for exterior use) Book carts and trucks Bicycle racks or stands (exterior) Carpet runners (rubber backing) for vestibules lacking a drain system Ceiling hooks for suspending mobiles (see Highsmith catalog for description) Diaper pail(s) Exterior lighting units First Aid Kit Flag/banner display mounts, interior and exterior Flagpole(s) interior and exterior Flashlights Hardware: drawer handles, door knobs (plain and safety knurled for visually impaired— use for doors to restricted areas) Microwave oven Paging system for staff Pails (for possible plumbing or roof leaks) Public Address System Raynes Rail (for visually impaired) Refrigerator Rugs (for special collection rooms, etc.) Security anchors for library and personal computers (attached to study carrels or tables) Security mirrors (also on previous list under mirrors) Signs, interior directional, service and collection markers; exterior signs and markers Staff lockers (if not built-in) Stove top (for staff kitchenette, or full stove for kitchen) Trash receptacles interior and exterior Umbrella stand
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Wastebaskets Maintenance Equipment Broom(s) Dust pan Fertilizer spreader Ladder(s) (step and extension) for changing light bulbs, tubes, cleaning fixtures, etc. Lamp changing pole for high ceiling lights Lawn mower Mop(s) Pail(s) Snow removal device(s), shovel, blower Tool box—a box of standard tools such as screwdrivers, hammers, pliers, power drill, Allen wrenches, lubricating oil, pruning shears, carpenter glue, etc. Vacuum cleaner(s), if not using built-in system carpet cleaning and industrial for cleaning up liquids Water hoses Window squeegee (Note that cleaning and sanitary supplies such as paper towels and spot remover are not listed, but should be noted as an expense item at initial occupancy of a building. Spare bulbs and fluorescent tubes are not listed, but should be available. The inventory should include replacements in exact types. Plastic trash bags are a necessity.) Garage equipment and supplies (for bookmobiles, vans, and or automobiles)
NOTE 1. “Preserving the Nation’s Heritage.” 1999. Wilmington Star-News, February 8, 3A. The National Institute of Standards and Technology has commissioned a new design for the cases that display the nation’s revered documents. This is an illustration with detail. Librarians responsible for preserving historic documents should look for products that meet the new standards. As illustrated, the new cases will have titanium frames. Viewing will be through two layers of tempered glass separated by a thin layer of plastic. The documents will rest on a platform of perforated aluminum that is molded to the shape of the document. The base is aluminum. Inside the case water vapor and argon gas, which is inert, will help prevent deterioration (summarized from the caption). Warren E. Leary. 1999. “Protecting the Parchment. Framers Work to Seal the Constitution,” Wilmington Star-News, February 8, 3A. This is an article reporting on efforts to preserve historic national documents by developing new cases for them. Other sources are: Keyes D. Metcalf. 1986. Planning Academic and Research Library Buildings. 2nd ed. by Philip D. Leighton and David C. Weber. Chicago: American Library Association, 1986. Appendix C, A List of Equipment That Might Be Overlooked, pp. 567–71, should be consulted for detailed explanations of the importance of certain items. Some construction details are included.
Appendix D Drawings
To show area relationships, consultants may use overlapping geometric figures with borders touching or, for specific items, rectangles.
Stack ranges are shown with seating in between. Included in a drawing are measurements for separation distances, aisle widths, and range lengths. This drawing indicates that the online public access catalog (OPAC) may be placed
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between the two services. Placement may be either to the left or right of the main entry after passing the circulation service.
In this drawing ovals represent shelving ranges. Large circles are tables; small circles are study carrels. In the actual layout on line drawings, the ranges may be single or in clusters. Tables and carrels may be single or in clusters. Separating seating clusters with shelving provides for noise containment.
Wall shelving is to the left and right above.
This drawing has wall shelving to the right. Range on the left isn’t visible.
Appendix E Safety Procedures Handbook
The activity level in a public library is very high. In a very busy environment accidents can happen. Equipment malfunctions and becomes hazardous. Weather issues arise that create problems leading to safety issues. Every library should have a safety procedures handbook that details what to do when a situation arises. This should be supported by regular training sessions at certain times. In preparing a handbook, common sense procedures should be described and illustrated as appropriate. Some items suggested for inclusion in the safety procedures handbook follow. This list is not complete. It simply lists topics that should be included if applicable. Access ramp on the exterior: Whom to notify when it is slippery and wet or icy. Book bins: How to remove material without risking backache or injury. Compact shelving: Automated or manual. How to shut off power for automated equipment if necessary; whom to call if a patron is injured or has abused the equipment. Elevators: Whom to notify when the elevator is not operating; whom to call when people are trapped in an elevator; what to tell the people in the elevator. What not to do should be stated clearly, such as not attempting to evacuate people and wait for the trained personnel to arrive. Escalators: Where the emergency cut-off switch is. What to do and whom to call if a malfunction occurs. Fire extinguishers: For use of fire extinguishers a fire marshall should be asked to give training to all staff on their proper use. Lobby floor: Whom to notify when it is wet and slippery.
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Restrooms: Whom to notify when plumbing fails and flooding occurs. Roof or ceiling leaks: Where are the receptacles for catching dripping water? Whom to notify. Stairwells: What to do if a patron slips and falls. Whom to notify if the stairs are wet or have some problem on their surfaces, such as an accumulation of dirt that could become hazardous. Wet floors: Whom to notify. If no responsible person is available, when to place warning markers on the floors and where they are kept. Wiring: Watch for frayed covers and report the location of the equipment involved. Concerning health issues, the handbook should state which office, agency, or staff person is to be notified when a patron becomes ill; who is responsible for first aid or who is to provide cardiac pulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Appendix F Conversion or Renovation of Other Types of Buildings
Consultants often are asked to evaluate other types of buildings for possible conversion to library use. The building under consideration may approximate in size the space that is required for library service. The library board and public officials eager to save construction costs also can be motivated by the possible low cost or even the donation of a building. Sometimes the librarian finds pressure exerted for acceptance because of these factors: immediate availability, a low or nonexistent cost, and seeming adequacy of size in square feet. If a consultant has been employed the question passes to that person. There are certain common factors for the evaluation of any type of building under consideration for conversion to a library. These are: • Age of the building • Foundation and liveload bearing capability • Presence of and quantity of asbestos • Presence of lead paint • Type of roof, flat or peaked, and any fatigue in supporting members • Height of interior ceiling • Levelness of floor • Presence of load-bearing walls that restrict open space • Location in relation to flood plain, to residential areas, and to other people-directed services.
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The three common building types that are proposed most often for conversion are churches, grocery stores, and school buildings. All three can have shortcomings that indicate a negative response to the conversion question. The age of the building is the first indicator for determining what problems may exist. In most cases the building under review is forty or more years old. Rarely is a more recent building made available, though it does happen. Lueder and Webb (1992) deal with the asbestos question. “If the building was constructed between 1900 and 1980, it is a strong possibility that asbestos was used in the construction process” (148). These authors give procedures for determining the content of asbestos, where and in what it will be found, and standards for its removal (148–50). If the asbestos is sealed, meaning that it cannot escape into the air, it may be possible to leave it in place. Unfortunately, much of the asbestos in a typical building of this age is not sealed and must be removed. Removal is expensive. The quantity for removal, if high, means a high cost. In some cases the cost may be so high as to negate the conversion proposal. The live load-bearing capability of the floors and foundations must be a minimum of 150 pounds per square foot. Employing a structural engineer to review this may be necessary. Typically, a church will have a 60 to 70 pound live load capability, a school may have 60 pound capability, and a grocery store around 100 pounds. If the slab is on level ground and the underlying ground is supportive, a structural engineer may give an affirmative indication for a single level building or the use of the ground level floor only for library materials. Lead paint is an odds-on favorite to be present. Removal is required. Obviously, the public library will have a children’s service and lead based paint shouldn’t be present. Removal will be expensive. If the building is seventy or more years old, the structural supports for the roof must be examined by a structural engineer. Fatigue may be a factor. In a high snowfall area, a building with a flat roof could be susceptible to a partial or full cave-in. A peaked roof building with fatigue in the supports could suffer damage from high winds. Ceiling height in a former church and in some parts of a school building will pose a problem. A new lower ceiling could be installed. This is expensive. The costs of the new ceiling and the possible changing of the HVAC ducts could be very high. In both a former school and a former church, window locations could pose another problem, for example extending above and below the height of a new ceiling. In former church buildings, the sanctuary floor may slope toward the location of a pulpit or altar. Leveling the floor could be very expensive. Difference in ceiling height is another factor. Load bearing walls separating rooms, as in a school building, create small spaces and inhibit library service, which requires a large expanse of open space. An engineer’s evaluation is critical as to possible removal of any such walls. A building could pass on all the preceding, but fail the most critical test that of a viable location. If the building is on a flood plain, no further discussion should ensue. Rejection is the only response. If not on a flood plain, the information contained in chapter 3 comes into play. The location must pass the stated criteria as contained in Dr. Koontz’s book. Last, the overall cost of conversion and renovation must be a factor. If the total cost, regardless of the fact that the building is a donation, approaches or exceeds 60 to 65 percent of the cost of new construction, then serious consideration should be given to new construction. Again referring to chapter 3, this building will be in use for upward
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of fifty years and longer. Some library buildings in use today are approaching their 100thyear. Is it wise to spend so much money on a building in excess of forty years of age? The original building was not designed for library use. It has limited flexibility. As library service needs change, the cost of modifications may be disproportional to what they could be for a building that was designed for library purposes and that has the internal adaptability to accommodate anticipated changes in its functionality.
REFERENCES Koontz, Christine M. 1997. Library Facility Siting and Location Handbook. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. Lueder, Dianne, and Sally Webb. 1992. Administrator’s Guide to Library Building Maintenance. Chicago: American Library Association.
Appendix G Library Building Program, Checklist of Contents
Introduction: Describe the proposed project, new, renovation, or expansion; what it should do; what this building program describes or requires and how it is arranged. Philosophy of Service: How the library intends to serve its public. The Community: Nature of the community, the geographic area and description, historical aspects. Demographics with a twenty-year projection. Table of Spaces: The table provides a total expectation for both the gross square footage, nonassignable, and the assignable square footage by listing each area and its suggested space allocation as described in the text. Bubble Diagrams: These show in bubble form the relationship of service spaces and auxiliary spaces to each other. Library Service Areas: For each service area the text describes the need and suggests a size in square feet. Circulation: desk, counter, workroom, storage room, public access catalog to holdings Reference Services: collection space, file space, workstations, other seating, office, workroom, teaching room for online self-service by patrons Periodicals Service: seating style, task lighting, projected size in numbers of titles General Collection: projected size of print materials Media, Audiovisual Services: nonprint materials Adult Services: particulars and requirements Young Adult Services: particulars and requirements
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Appendix G
Children’s Services: Style of service Special Features/Preferences: story hour arrangement, restroom(s) for children, office, workroom, restroom(s), adult proportions Multipurpose Room or Area: projected size of attendance, number of divisible spaces, audio amplification system Library Conference Room: projected capacity Kitchen Lounge: furnishings and equipment preferences Restroom(s) for Staff
ARCHITECTURAL OR CONSTRUCTION FEATURES Construction module, the three foot rule, library shelving size Live floor load: 150 lbs psf, etc. Ceiling height: sprinkler system requires 9' height Climate and the roof (good drainage or run-off) Main entry: accessible level approach, double doors, canopy or overhang drain pan in floor, Pedimat Public telephones, bulletin boards, display cases Built-in features: display cases, closets, coat racks Book return drops (fireproof closet) Bulletin boards Energy control; HVAC system, room location, maintenance room on perimeter Thermal pane windows Skylight Atrium Lighting Electrical capability: good power supply coming in; many outlets, many circuits; channels in floor Electrical room, or space for incoming wiring and cabling, and controlled egress to library service points, location on perimeter Communications capability: telephone, fiber optic lines, shared channels in floor Security/safety features: importance and explain each requirement Fire alarm system: connect to local fire station, or governmental center; sprinkler system connection, wetline, dryline Burglary protection; all doors and windows with alarms; local police station or governmental center Personal safety; concealed silent alarms, etc. Interior design: carpet, carpet tile, wall covering Color scheme: conductive to good behavior
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Maintenance room: on perimeter Electrical room: on perimeter Janitorial closet; built-in vacuum cleaner system Photocopiers—locations, alcoves, etc. Restrooms: handicapped accessible, key control, sound proofing, baffle entries Cable television, satellite television: Entry for each, provision for cable management Public water fountains: provide in pairs, dual height; place where traffic requires Receiving area loading dock, for deliveries provide a four foot high loading dock; access to a receiving room of suitable size Landscaping, exterior maintenance Parking Highway access for new buildings State, country, city plans for development of roads, etc.
Appendix H Sample Survey Forms
This series of survey forms are intended as examples. They may be modified for use in a library project. The first survey for travel is intended to gather data that can be compared to data that appears in chapter 3 of Christine M. Koontz’s book (1997). In her chapter written for Joy Greiner’s book (1994), she mentions that people often combine a library visit with a visit to some other service. Questions 4 and 5 will bear out the validity of this in the individual case of the library project in question. This survey is limited to 100 forms all of which must be returned. Usually ten forms are distributed at a time during ten preselected periods of library activity. This type of survey can be repeated at different times of the year. In some locales, if the percentage of people using the library comes from a very short radius and if that usage is high, this may provide evidence for another library, perhaps a branch if it appears that a considerable proportion of the population finds the library’s location inconvenient. Conversely, if use is low and a majority of the users come from within a very short radius, the library’s present location may be questioned. The second survey form may be printed in some set quantity and distributed from library service points marked by the poster. This form is aimed at in-house users. The staff survey is very important. It is best for morale to involve staff. Every opportunity for meaningful participation should be proffered to the staff. They will be expected to make the new surroundings work effectively, and early involvement will produce the best results. It should be explained, of course, that not all ideas will prove feasible or, perhaps in some instances, affordable. There are two mail type surveys. One is for direct mailing to a selected list of patrons, possibly people who live in the community but are not registered; the other is for persons residing in retirement centers. These need not be mailed, but may be left at the man-
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agement counter for return and later pick-up by a library staff person. One telephone survey is included. The bookmark is inserted in any one book at check-out. This is simply to provide even the busiest person an opportunity to make a suggestion. With media attention and an obvious effort by the library to gather recommendations from the community through various surveys and community meetings, the final outcome should be satisfying to everyone.
REFERENCES Koontz, Christine M. 1994. “Retail Location Theory: Can It Help Solve the Public Library Location Dilemma?” In Research Issues in Public Librarianship, Trends for the Future, edited by Joy M. Greiner. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. ———. 1997. Library Facility Siting and Location Handbook. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press.
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Sample Survey Forms
139
140
Appendix H
Sample Survey Forms
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142
Appendix H
Sample Survey Forms
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144
Appendix H
Sample Survey Forms
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146
Appendix H
Sample Survey Forms
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148
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Appendix H
Selected Bibliography
The titles listed here include works on both academic and public libraries. The common focus is library buildings and often problems encountered are very similar. What will work in or for one type of building often will work in another. Innovative ideas raised in one type of structure may and should be considered for another. If the project is a joint-use facility between a public and academic library, then all titles may be of some usefulness. The first title, Americans with Disabilities Act Handbook, is essential for planning any type of building. Some of the older titles (more than five years old) may lack much information on computer based technology and so thought to be out-of-date. These titles contain basic information on other matters that is not often repeated or cited in more recent works and so may be lost to librarians and others who have not reviewed the literature of building planning in depth. Americans with Disabilities Act Handbook. 1991. Published by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. This book is essential for assisting in planning for the accommodation of physically impaired persons. Every aspect of a building project must be checked against this volume, but this alone is not sufficient. Regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Justice or other federal agencies with ADA jurisdiction must be checked as well. The architect bears primary responsibility for doing so. Bazillion, Richard J., and Connie Braun. 1995. Academic Libraries as High-Tech Gateways a Guide to Design and Space Decisions. Chicago: American Library Association. There is no reason why public libraries cannot be high-tech gateways. There is much
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of value for public libraries in this book. Each chapter ends with a substantial list of notes referring mostly to literature on buildings. The book concludes with a long bibliography. This book may be best described as a compendium of current thinking on academic libraries by many well-known library building consultants. The same can be said for public library buildings. There are many useful ideas in this book. Brawner, Lee B., and Donald K. Beck Jr. 1996. Determining Your Public Library’s Future Size, A Needs Assessment and Planning Model. Chicago: American Library Association. Brawner is a well-known building consultant and a past chairperson of the Building and Equipment Section of LAMA. Co-author Beck is a library building experienced architect. With this combination of expertise, the book is certainly well worth acquiring. It contains much useful information and advice for library planners. Brown, Carol R. 1995. Planning Library Interiors, The Selection of Furnishings for the 21st Century. Phoenix, Ariz.: Oryx Press. Brown offers many helpful suggestions. The book has illustrations and photographs. Chapter 7 on children’s areas is particularly informative. Building Blocks for Library Space—Functional Guidelines. 1995. Chicago: American Library Association, Library Administration and Management Association: Buildings and Equipment Section, Functional Space Requirements Committee. This useful handbook serves as a guide to planning space allocations. The introductory material may be described as “required reading” when a project is being developed. Librarians considering rearranging service areas will find this publication very helpful as well. Cirillo, Susan E., and Robert E. Danford, eds. 1996. Library Buildings, Equipment, & The ADA: Compliance Issues and Solutions. Chicago: American Library Association. This softcover book reports the proceedings of a LAMA Buildings and Equipment Section preconference. All the chapter authors are authoritative and this book is a must for librarians beginning a project. Cohen, Aaron, and Elaine Cohen. 1979. Designing and Space Planning for Libraries. New York: R. R. Bowker. Still useful for practical advice, this book is worth consulting for clear and simple explanations of such things as color and its effects on people, acoustics, the use of carpet, and other matters. The section on Lighting, Power, and Energy offers good explanations of basics. The illustrations include photographs and line drawings. Cohen, Elaine, and Aaron Cohen. 1981. Automation, Space Management, and Productivity, A Guide for Libraries. New York: R. R. Bowker. In this book, the Cohens again offer much basic information that is helpful to the planning effort. Remarking on escalators for example, they point out that when used for moving large numbers of people hourly they may be helpful but a library typically doesn’t have that level of traffic. Well illustrated with photographs and line drawings, the captions are exceptional for offering lucid explanations. Curry, Ann, and Zena Henriquez. 1998. “Planning Public Libraries: The Views of Architects and Librarians.” Library Administration & Management 12 (spring): 80– 90. This excellent article is must reading for all librarians with a project. An excellent
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summary of the major planning factors, the authors explain how architects and librarians may differ on their views of a library building. Dahlgren, Anders. 1985. Planning the Small Public Library Building. Small Libraries Publication, no. 11. Chicago: Library Administration and Management Association. This helpful pamphlet has proven a mainstay to planners of smaller public library buildings. Though somewhat dated now and formula dependent, it is still very useful for such things as calculating collection space. ———. 1996. Planning the Small Library Facility. 2nd ed. Small Libraries Publications, no. 23. Chicago: Library Administration and Management Association. In this newer version of the preceding work with a modified title that signals a slight change in scope, Dahlgren cautions against using older space formulas too rigorously. He emphasizes consideration for automation and the resulting changes in furniture and equipment sizes and consequent space needs. This version has more attention to detail and simple explanations of technicalities than the first edition. Practical advice is given for certain areas and services. This small addition to library planning literature will prove very useful, but there are portions of the first edition that may serve as guidelines even now. ———. 1998. Public Library Space Needs: A Planning Outline/1998. State of Wisconsin, Department of Public Instruction. Public Library Development. [last modified, June 5, 1998] [23 pp.] 具http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/dlcl/pld/plspace.html典 This unique publication available at the listed web address is a “must” for librarians facing a building project. The introduction states its intention “to help librarians and library trustees determine whether to initiate a facilities planning process.” Beginning with a means of estimating the population to be served, in a series of detailed but summary presentations, possible assignable space requirements for the service and work areas are determined and then supplemented by a guideline for determining nonassignable space. Using this publication, Building Blocks (1995), and Brawner and Beck’s work would provide a very well-defined statement for an approximate estimate of a library’s space needs. Dahlgren, like Brawner, is a well-known consultant and past chairperson of the Building and Equipment Section of LAMA. Librarians should be cautious, however, in using any of these publications alone. They do not substitute for a qualified consultant, nor are they intended to do so. Drewes, Jeanne M., and Julie A. Page, eds. 1997. Promoting Preservation Awareness in Libraries: A Sourcebook for Academic, Public, School, and Special Collections. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. Though not directly concerned with library building planning, some of this book’s chapters offer useful advice for preserving library materials. Harlan Greene in his chapter “Common Sense Solutions for Common Preservation Problems” offers advice on humidity and temperature levels. In planning for a new building, an understanding of preservation issues is important. Foos, Donald D., and Nancy C. Pack, eds. 1992. How Libraries Must Comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Phoenix: Oryx Press. This is a small and handy reference reference work with authoritative chapters supported by a very thorough index. It should be kept at hand to help answer questions that may arise during the planning process.
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Frawley, Ruth A., and Carol Lee Anderson. 1985. Library Space Planning, How to Assess, Allocate, and Reorganize Collections, Resources, and Physical Facilities. New York: Neal-Schuman. In reality this book is a manual and a very effective one. Some of the practical advice offered includes having photographs made of arrangements and lay-outs for future reference, reviewing old blueprints that may show forgotten details, etc. Some of the authors’ advice is dated and now inconsistent with ADA requirements, for example, increasing stack capacity by reducing open stacks aisle widths from 36" to 24". The book is useful for reviewing specific information on a variety of still important topics. Habich, Elizabeth Chamberlain. 1998. Moving Library Collections: A Management Handbook. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. A comprehensive and very detailed explanation of the complexities of planning the movement of library collections, this book is definitive. It has tables for measurements and other matters and line drawings of shelving arrangements and flow of the classification scheme. Contributions by guest authors include information on pest and mold infestation, a moving company executive’s viewpoint on moving a collection, and handling a move of material that is badly arranged. There is an extensive bibliography with annotations. Habich is a past chair of the Building and Equipment Section, LAMA, and a frequent contributor to programs and preconferences offered at ALA annual conferences. Hawthorne, Pat, and Ron G. Martin, eds. 1995. Planning Additions to Academic Library Buildings. A Seamless Approach. Chicago: American Library Association. This is worth looking over for medium to larger libraries. Similar problems to those described here may arise. Two of the libraries described in this book are medium sized and one is a research library. While these are academic buildings, the problems of increasing space, maintaining original architectural styles, and the building’s functionality are not uncommon to public library renovation projects. Hayes, Robert M., and Virginia A. Walter. 1996. Strategic Management for Public Libraries: A Handbook. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. Very useful to the planning process is a book like this one. Hayes and Walter illustrate some of the changing needs that public libraries will be facing. Public libraries of all sizes will find much that is useful. Holt, Raymond M. 1989. Planning Library Buildings and Facilities from Concept to Completion. Metuchen, N.J.: The Scarecrow Press Inc. Raymond Holt is revered as a wise and sagacious consultant. This book is extremely useful. Holt conveys the wisdom of many years experience. This book lacks much information on space for computers, but this is a deficit of its age and not of its continuing value. There are other sources for current information on planning for computer services. Koontz, Christine M. 1997. Library Facility Siting and Location Handbook. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. This book will become the authoritative guide to location of public library buildings. It is a comprehensive guide to a serious matter. Locating libraries where they will be used to the maximum is something that cannot be left to guessing. Libraries are expensive and the public must get the best possible return on its investment. Koontz covers the beginnings of theory on location to Geographic Information System, computer software with dynamic implications for sound decision making.
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———. 1994. “Retail Location Theory: Can It Help Solve the Public Library Location Dilemma?” In Research Issues in Public Librarianship, Trends for the Future, edited by Joy M. Greiner. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. This chapter explores the use of theory related to placement of retail stores applied to public library buildings. The need for a successful location is critical for both: good sales for the former and good service to the community for the latter are the objectives. This chapter and the preceding work should both be read and used by library planners. Library Administration and Management Association. (1999; published every two years). Library Consultant List. Library Administration and Management Association, Building and Equipment Section, Library Buildings Consultant List Committee, Chicago: American Library Association. This biannual publication lists many library consultants who work at improving their skills and sharing their knowledge through participating in ALA activities. Currency in trends for library buildings is critical and active service in ALA work is a certain sign of that attribute. Lueder, Dianne, and Sally Webb. 1992. Administrator’s Guide to Library Building Maintenance. Chicago: American Library Association. Every library administrator should have a copy of this useful book. It will serve not only as a guide to maintenance but also will assist the librarian in knowing what to anticipate for maintenance costs in a new building. During a building planning process, if unfamiliar with recommended materials, the librarian may consult this book to learn what may be involved. One example is air quality and the way automobile exhaust (because of close proximity to a parking lot) may affect it. The coverage of carpets is very detailed. For daily management it includes a chapter on preventive maintenance. This covers a full range of topics including schedules for fire prevention systems and elevators and escalators. Each is accompanied by a list of items that should be checked and how frequently this should be done. Some elevator items are scheduled monthly while others are scheduled at other times up to annually. Escalators have a weekly list and an annual list. The HVAC system is also covered. Although maintenance contracts will include service requirements, it doesn’t hurt for the librarian to know what to expect. The book concludes with a series of appendices that cover job descriptions, lighting levels, regulations, codes, and other matters. Lushington, Nolan, and James M. Kusack. 1991. The Design and Evaluation of Public Library Buildings. Hamden, Conn.: Library Professional Publications. At the early stages or even before beginning a project, this book should be read. It contains many basics of excellent advice and will provide a strong foundation as the planning starts. Lushington is a well-known library consultant active in LAMA BES. Martin, Ron G., ed. 1992. Libraries for the Future, Planning Buildings That Work. Chicago: Library Administration and Management Association, American Library Association. The proceedings of a LAMA preconference make up the content of this well-edited publication. All the papers are worth reading, and like Lushington and Kusack’s book, this is also a fundamental source and should be read at the earliest stages of planning. Mason, Ellsworth. 1980. Mason on Library Buildings. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press. Mason, a highly respected library consultant and authority on lighting, writes primarily about larger facilities. This book has five chapters of text covering planning overview,
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Selected Bibliography
the building program, lighting, air handling, and interior design. Another six chapters review a series of academic libraries. An appendix provides brief summary evaluations of a series of school, academic, and research library buildings, and one branch library of the New York Public Library. This book should be of interest to those planning larger facilities. McCabe, Gerard B. 1996. The Public Library Building and Information Services. Syracuse, N.Y., ERIC, ED386208. This short paper covers the potential impact of the National Information Infrastructure, configuring library buildings for network service, libraries less than 30,000 square feet, those over this figure in size, and space for workstations. Metcalf, Keyes D. 1986. Planning Academic and Research Library Buildings. 2nd ed. by Philip D. Leighton and David C. Weber. Chicago: American Library Association. This volume serves as a useful reference work, a place to look when a difficult question arises. Some of its recommendations are just as applicable to small public libraries as they are to the larger research facilities. Lighting and site selection are two examples. North Carolina. 1988. Standards for North Carolina Public Libraries. A Joint Project of the North Carolina Library Association and the North Carolina Public Library Directors Association. Raleigh: North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, Division of State Library. This pamphlet is the result of the cooperative effort by the two named associations. Intended as a guide to standards it includes checklists for measuring progress on aspects of library planning. Parker, Donald E., and Alphonse J. Dell’Isola. 1991. Project Budgeting for Buildings. New York: Van Nostrand. The intended audience is professionals in the building industry. It is listed here for awareness. Librarians involved in a large library project may find it helpful to their understanding of the factors that go into technical aspects of a project. Pierce, William S. 1980. Furnishing the Library Interior. New York: M. Dekker. This book may appear dated, nevertheless, it contains some very useful advice. The author, a well-known consultant active in LAMA BES, visited an extensive number of libraries in preparing this book; a list is included. For many years Pierce was associated with the Pennsylvania State University Libraries. He had advised on many projects throughout the country. The book goes beyond furniture and service equipment and discusses other matters as well. His comments on elevators and escalators, for example, are valid today. Because the advice given in this volume comes from a respected library consultant, the book is indispensable and should be consulted. Sannwald, William W., ed. 1997. Checklist of Library Building Design Considerations. 3rd ed. Chicago: American Library Association. Indispensable and strongly recommended as essential for any building related projects, Sannwald’s compilation of logically detailed questions arranged under headings in twelve chapters has earned a solid reputation in planning literature. The intent of this publication as explained in the introduction is to help librarians assure that no important details are overlooked or omitted. It succeeds exceptionally well. Sannwald is a past president of LAMA and has long been active in BES.
Selected Bibliography
157
Shuman, Bruce A. 1999. Library Security and Safety Handbook: Prevention, Policies, and Procedures. Chicago: American Library Association. In his preface, Shuman states that the focus of the book is on security. He uses the anecdotal method to convey a strong sense of need for security precautions in all types of libraries. There is coverage for a full range of security issues. Chapters cover loss of materials, behavior of patrons, developing policies, and one chapter deals with misuse of computer systems and the security concerns for these systems. Shuman also insists that libraries develop policies to cover a variety of matters. These policies should cover handling patron health problems, other emergencies, and disasters. A security team in every library should conduct audits of security preparations. The book ends with a bibliography. Surprisingly, the book by Dianne Lueder and Sally Webb, Administrator’s Guide to Library Building Maintenance (1992), is not included. This is an American Library Association publication and includes material on safety, emergencies, and disasters. Solomon, Nancy. 1998. “Understanding Accessibility Laws. . . .” Architectural Record (July): 109–14. This article reviews current information concerning the ADA and other laws as they pertain to architects. This article is especially important to architects as they plan for a library building. Switzer, Teri R. 1999. Safe at Work? Library Security and Safety Issues. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press. This selective bibliography offers representative citations under broad topical headings. There are eight subject chapters supported by separate author/title and subject indexes. Each chapter has an introductory text followed by annotated citations. The annotations are precise and very useful. This book will save time for library committees or staff persons who are responsible for drafting or overseeing library policies on safety and security. The citations are comprehensive enough to give good background coverage for any special problem areas. Although there are some omissions, the coverage is broad enough in depth to give satisfactory coverage. Wisconsin Library Building Project Handbook. 1990. Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Raymond M. Holt, Library Consultant. 2d rev. ed. by Anders C. Dahlgren, DPI Library Consultant. Madison: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Although intended for use by Wisconsin libraries, this volume is quite helpful on many aspects of the planning process. Much practical advice, as well as excellent illustrations, make this a useful reference and planning tool. The two consultants, Holt and Dahlgren, are an effective combination in this presentation.
Index
Accessories, 47 Acoustical control, children’s area, 86 ADA. See Americans With Disabilities Act Adelaide, Australia, 1 Adult services, 90–91 Adult work surfaces, 43–44 Age of readers and lighting, 38 Aird, Glenys, 113, 114 Aisle width and volume capacity, 23 Alarm system, 103 Albright, Gary, 8 ALIA Statement on Joint-Use Libraries, 113, 114 Allman, Maureen, 115 “The American Community Survey— Your Community’s Key to the Future,” 10 American Institute of Architects, 15 American Libraries, 2, 43 American Library Association, 9 Americans With Disabilities Act, 23, 48, 53, 71, 103; aisle widths, 23 Anderson, Carol Lee, 154
ANSI/AIIM, 8 Archeological sites, 30 Architect, selection of, 13 Architectural details. See specific features Architectural Record, 2, 40, 50, 99 Archives, genealogy, local history, rare and unique material collections, 79–81; furniture and equipment, 81; rooms and shelving areas, 80–81 Area of (locale of library buildings), 68– 69 Arizona State University, 2 Aslin, Verna, 115 Atriums, 97–98 “Attractive nuisance,” 71 Audin, Lindsay, 98 Audiovisual materials, 91 Auerbach, Barbara, 64 Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA), 5th Biennial Conference, Adelaide ’98, Pathways to Knowledge, 1, 113; listserv, 55 Australian Television News, 33 Auxiliary spaces, 104–5
160 Back rests, 47 Back strain, 96 Banner, 107 Bazillion, Richard J., 69 Bean bags, 47 Beck, Donald K., Jr., 22, 25, 31, 44, 87, 88, 152 Bequests, 19 Bergoc, Albert, 114 Birthrate and population projections, 86 Booker, Di, 115 Bookmobile service, 109 Bookstores, super, visit to, 43 Borenstein, Seth, 99 Braille messages, 37 Braun, Connie, 69, 151 Brawner, Lee B., 22, 25, 31, 44, 87, 88 Brightness, 38 Brown, Carol R., 39, 42, 48, 50 “Brownfields,” 30 Bubble diagrams, 60–61, 69–70 Budget: cost projections, 16; and maintenance supplies, 53 Budget for Furniture and Equipment, master list, 41–42 Building program, 67–70 Built-ins, 50, 96 Burial site, 30 Cable television, 100 Cabling, 59 CAD. See Computer assisted design Camping, 33 Carnegie libraries, 27 “Cat 5 Cabling Tips,” 100 Caywood, Carolyn, 63 CD-ROM, 77, 78 Ceiling height and sprinkler system, 96 Chairs, 43, 46–47; distinction, for public and staff, 47; selection fundamentals, 46–47; sizes and styles, 46 “Charette” approach, 17, 59 Children and escalators, 102 Children’s furniture, 48 Children’s library, 85–86; budget plan for, 86. See also specific features Circulation, 72–73
Index Circulation counter, 48–49; straight line, 49 Circulation workroom and workspace, 73– 74 Climate and weather factors, 69 Climatic conditions, 96 Cochran, Sally, 65 Coffee bar, 75 Cohen, Aaron, 102 Cohen, Elaine, 102 Collection areas, 61 Collections, 8; for children’s area, 86–87 College & Research Libraries News, 53 College library planning steps for a public library setting, 59–63 Colman, Price, 82 Color: and contrast of reading surfaces, 37–38; and personal taste, private offices, 36; and staff issues, 36; “trendy,” 36 Color and matching in bid process for furniture, 43 Color scheme and patron comfort, 36, 39 Color selection, 36 Columbia, Maryland, Public Library, East Columbia branch, 2 Comfort station, 33, 72 Commercial and sales space, 75 Communications, 99–101 Community, 68 Community involvement, 16–17, 59 Compact shelving, 46 Computer assisted design (CAD), 14, 15, 16, 42, 45, 53 Conference room, 92 Construction features, 95–101 Construction module, 95 Consultant. See Library consultant Contrast, of reading surfaces, 37 Conversion or renovation of other types of buildings, 130–32 Couches, 47 Curry, Ann, 13, 14, 31 Cushions, 47 Dahlgren, Anders, 22, 23, 25, 29, 31, 87 Danford, Robert E., 152
Index Daniels, Stephen H., 97 Day care centers, 85, 104 Delivery timing of furniture and equipment, 54 Dell’Isola, Alphonse J., 69 Demographics, 9–10, 23–24 Design needs, 8–9 Diaper changing, 106 Discovery area (displays), 92 Display shelving, 45 Displays and bulletin boards for teens, 65 Docking stations, 52 Doors, main entry, sliding, swing-out, 71 Downey, Claire, 34 Drag racing, 32, 33 Drawings, 126–27 Drewes, Jeanne, 8, 80 Dunford, Helen M., 113, 114 Dwyer, James G., 114 Earthquake prone areas, 29 Electrical room, 104 Electronic information center (EIC), 7–8 Electronic workstation, space for, 22 Elementary schools, 85 Elevators, alarm or communication systems for, 101 Elevators and escalators, 101–2 End panels, 46 Entry to public catalog, 70–76 Entryway content and surroundings, 71– 72 Environment, 8 Escalators, 101, 102; and child safety, 102 European Parliament building, 33 Evaluating open land, 29 Exterior, 106–10. See also specific features Exterior color selections and the interior designer, 36 Fabric upholstery, replacement time, 42 Facility sharing, 62 Factoring for an increase in service activity, 24–25 Fire hydrants, 108
161 Fire station, unstable land, 33 “Fixed function,” 21 Flag, banner, and pennant displays, 107 Flexibility, 59 “The Flood of ’97 Wreaks Havoc,” 29 Flood plain, 29 Floor and wall coverings, children’s area, 86 Flynn, John E., 38 Formulas, 22–23 “Free land syndrome,” 31 “Function determines form, or form follows function,” 13 Funding the project, 17–18 Fund-raiser, 17, 18 Fuller’s earth, 29 Furnishings, 60 Furniture: for children, 48; outdoor, 50; for young adults, 47–48 Furniture and equipment, 9, 36, 81; budget and early planning, 41; delivery timing, 54; lay-outs, 53–54; longevity, 36; options for public libraries, 119–25; other, 48; replacement cycle, 42 Gantt chart, 12 Garage, 109 Genealogy collections, 79–80 Geographic information system, 10, 11, 28, 31 GIS. See Geographic information system Gisolfi, Peter, 65 Glare, 37, 38 Glass, 97–98; safety and children, 86 Glossy surfaces, 37 Goldsmith, Francisca, 64 Gradations of brightness, 38 Grants, 19 Greensboro News & Record, 2 Greensboro, NC, Central Library, 2, 55, 76 Greiner, Joy M., 136 Grosslight, Jane, 38 Group noisy functions together, 60 Group study opportunities, 60 Guards, security, 32, 102 Gwin, James E., 80
162 Hamblin, Deb, 113, 114, 115 Handicapped parking, 109 “Hang-out” location, parking lot, 32 Harold Washington Library, Chicago, 1 Hayes, Robert M., 24, 25 Head librarian: office, 74; responsibility of, 9–11 Hearing assistance devices, 48, 52 Henriquez, Zena, 13, 14, 31 High school students, 52 Hill, David, 103 Holt, Raymond M., 31, 32 Hopkinson, R. G., 37, 38 Humphreys, Judy, 113, 114 “Hyperspace,” 89 inCite, News Magazine of the Australian Library and Information Association, 2, 3 Information services cluster, 60 Interior design and recycling, waste, and trash, 39 Interior designer, 35, 98; children’s area, 86; selection of furniture and equipment, 42 Internet services for children, 89 Introduction, for building program, 68 Janitorial closet, 105 Johnson, Carolyn, 89 Joint use libraries in Australia, 113–15 Joint use of space, 62 Jones, David J., 17 Jones, Theodore, 27 Juchau, Madeleine L., 113, 114 Kay, J. D., 38 Kindergarten, 85 Kitchen, 92 Koontz, Christine M., 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 131, 136 Land: evaluation of open, 29; filled in, 29; unstable, 29 Landscape architects and planners, 107 Laptop computers, 51 Las Vegas/Clark County library system, Nevada, 2, 76
Index Lead paint, 131 Lead time for ordering furniture and equipment, 41 Lease, 30 Lewis, Audrey, 78 Librarian and activity space, children’s area, 88–89 Libraries becoming day care centers, 104 Library Administration and Management Association, 9, 15 Library Building Awards Program, 15 Library Building Consultants List, 9 Library building longevity, 27 Library building program, checklist of contents, 133 Library consultant, 9–19; first meeting, 11–13 Library in a public park, 30–33 Library Journal, 2, 16, 57 Library of Congress, 1 Library sinking into ground, 29 Library staff, 8 Life safety code, 103 Lighting, 59, 98–99; absence of problems, 3; metal halide, 59–60; “up lighting,” 59 “Line of sight,” 107 Literature collection, 91 Live load-bearing, 95–96; capability, 131 Load-bearing capability of land, of library foundation, 29 Loading dock (freight), 105, 109 Local history collections, 79–80 Location, 27; in relation to where most users come from, 28 Logan Hyperdome Library (Australia), 89 Loitering, 71 Longevity of a library building, 27; of furniture and equipment, 36 Los Angeles Public Library, 1 Lueder, Dianne, 102, 131 Lythgoe, R. J., 37 Machines, 51–52 Magnifiers, 52 Main entry, 70–71 Maintenance equipment, 53 Maintenance room, 104
Index Mall locations, 30 Management checklist, 116–18 Managing the incoming funds, 19 Mansfield University of Pennsylvania Library, 2 Maps, 11 Mason, Ellsworth, 12, 67, 72 Mediavilla, Cindy, 47–48 Meeting and instructional spaces, 62 Meeting spaces, 91–93 Metal halide lighting, 59–60 Metcalf, Keyes D., 29, 37, 39, 95, 102, 104 Minudri, Regina, 64 Miscellaneous items for libraries, 52 Mitchell Library, Sydney, Australia, 2 Multipurpose room, 91–92 Munsell value, 38 Nadel, Barbara A., 97 Negative feelings of board members or others, 11, 15 Networked wiring, 61 New Mexico, public library sinking into ground, 29 New South Wales State Library (Australia), 2 Nichols, C. Allen, 47, 89 Nichols, Mary Anne, 47, 89 Noise containment, children’s area, 86 Notebook computers, 51 Novitski, B. J., 15 Of Drag Loads, 69 Ogden, Sherelyn, 8 “One Small Room,” 63, 64, 89 Other furniture and equipment, 48 Other items for libraries, 51 Outdoor furniture, 50 Outdoor objects. See “Significant objects,” outdoor “Out source,” 75 Page, Julie, 8, 80 Parental kidnapping, 104 Parents lounge, 87 Parker, Donald E., 69 Parking, 108–9; handicapped, 109
163 Parking signs, 108 Park location, 30–33 Patron comfort and color scheme, 36 Pennant, 107 Pennsylvania real estate transfer tax, 17 People movers, 101–3 Peoples’ university, 57, 58 Periodical dispensers, 108 Periodicals, 90–91; shelving for, 45 Perkins, Sue, 114 Personal safety, 103 Philosophy of service, 68 Phoenix, Arizona, Public Library, 1, 76 Photocopiers, 105; placement of, 51 Pierce, William, 37, 39, 42, 50, 101, 102 Pinellas County, Florida, 2 Planning the Small Public Library Building, 22 Plantings, 107 Population projection and birthrate, 86 Posters for teens, 65 Power and communications, 99–101 Printing service policy, 51 Program description for children’s area, 86 “Prospect identification,” 18 Public address system, 100 Public furniture, 43–44 Public library in a shopping center or mall, 30 Public online catalog, 75–76 Public park. See Park location Public telephones, 100, 108 Purchasing and delivery timing, 54 Pustaka Negeri Sarawak, Malaysia, 3 Queensland, Australia, 89 Quit clause, 30 Rain water on roof, 69 Rare materials collections, 79–81 Raynes Rail, 37, 52 Reading and collections areas, 61 Reading surfaces, color, and contrast, 37– 39 Receiving room, 105 Recliners, 47
164 Recycling, trash, waste, and the interior design, 39 “Red River Flood Takes Toll,” 29 Reference collection, 78–79 Reference desk or counter, 49–50 Reference services, 77–78 Reflectance, 38 Renovation: conversion of other types of buildings, 130; in twenty-fifth year, 27 Request for Proposal (RFP), 9 Restrooms, 105–6 “Retail Location Theory,” 31 Rizzo, Joe, 12–13 Roads and highways, 11 Roofs, 96 Rooms and shelving areas for special collections, 80–81 Safety and security, 103–4 Safety glass, 86, 97 Safety procedures handbook, 128–29 Saffady, William, 8 Sales and commercial space, 75 Sample survey forms, 136–37, 138–50 San Francisco Public Library, 1 Sannwald, William, 28, 31, 102 Satellite television, 100 School libraries, 86 Schwartz, Robyn, 115 Scottsdale, Arizona: Civic Center Library, 2; Mustang branch, 2 Scranton, Pennsylvania, 93 Screens, 97 Seating, 46–47; for children, 87 Security, 50–51, 80, 103; consultant, 103; guards, 33; staff space, 93 Segil, Arthur W., 38 Selecting an architect, 13–16 Selecting an interior designer, 35 Seminar room, 60 Sensors for lighting, 98 Service activity increase, 24 Services and annual report, 10 Shared space, 62 Shelving, 44; compact 46; display, 45; height and capacity, 23; installation, 45; liveload, 46; specialty, 45; standard, 44; utility, 46
Index Shepherd, Cathy, 114 Shopfronts (Australia), 30 Shopping center locations, 30 “Significant objects,” outdoor, 107 Signs, 36 Sign specialist, 36–37 Silent alarm, 103 Skate boarding, 32 Skylights, 97–98 Slide areas, 29 Smaul, Joseph M., 106 Snow loads on roof, 69 Sofas and couches, 47 Software, 52 Soil engineer, 29 Soil tests, 29 Space formulas, per capita, 22 Special public use equipment, 52 Specialty shelving, 45 Specifications book, 67 Specifications for furniture and equipment, 42, 43 Sprinkler system: and ceiling height, 96; for lawns, plantings, etc., 107–8 Staff involvement in planning, 59 Staff lounge and kitchen, 92–93 Stained glass overlay, 98 Stairs, 101, 102–3 Stairwells, 102–3 Standard shelving, 44 Steffy, Gary R., 38 Stools, 47 Storage room, 74–75 Storefronts, 30 Story hour, 87–88 Strickland, Susan Dawn, 78 Strip mine, 29 Study carrels, 61 Supply budget, 53 Table of spaces, 69 “Targets of opportunity,” 32, 103 Taste and cultural interests, 10 Technical and Further Education System (TAFE, Australia), 113, 115 Technology, 61 Teens, a special place for, 63–65 Telephones. See Public telephones
Index Tempe, Arizona, Public Library, 2 Test borings, 29 Theme for children’s area, 86 “Three-foot rule,” 95 Time line, 12 Today’s Librarian, 2 Traffic signs, 108 Trash, 39 Travel cost and library location, 31 “Two Component Lighting,” 99 “Uninterruptible power supply,” 100 Unique materials collections, 79–80 Unstable land, 29, 33 U.S. Bureau of the Census, 10 U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 102 Utility shelving, 46 Vacuum cleaner system, 105 Valliancourt, Renee J., 64 Vandalism. See “Targets of opportunity” Vavrek, Bernard, 106
165 Vending machines, 106 Video surveillance systems, 104 Walter, Virginia A., 24, 25 Waste, 39 Wastebaskets, 39 Water fountains, 106 Webb, Sally, 102, 131 Weston, H. C., 38 “Wetland,” 34 Wilson, William K., 8 Window boxes, 47 Windows, 97 Wireless technology, 81 Work-in-kind, 11 Workstations and floor-based power supply, 43 Wynar, Bohdan S., 78 Young adult furniture, 47–48 Young adult services, 89–90 Young people and library planning, 89 Z39.73–1994, and “Test Reports,” 44
About the Author and Contributors
GERARD B. MCCABE retired as Director of Libraries at Clarion University of Pennsylvania in 1996. Among his public library projects are three new buildings in Lancaster, Pennsylvania at Ephrata, Mount Joy, and Lititz. Since 1988, McCabe has been Editor/Series Adviser for the Greenwood Library Management Collection. Among his edited works are: The Smaller Academic Library: A Management Handbook (1988), Operations Handbook for the Small Academic Library (1989), Academic Libraries in Urban and Metropolitan Areas: A Handbook (1992), Academic Libraries: Their Rationale and Role in American Higher Education with Ruth J. Person (1995), Introducing and Managing Academic Library Automation Projects with John W. Head (1996), and Leadership for Academic Librarians: A Handbook with Terrence F. Mech (1998). JAMES R. KENNEDY is Library Director at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa. Kennedy currently serves as Chair of the Building and Equipment Section’s Publications Committee in the Library Administration and Management Association, a division of the American Library Association. He is coeditor of The Great Divide: Challenges in Remote Storage (1990). BERNADETTE STORCK is the Administrator of the Pinellas Public Library Cooperative, Inc., which serves as the coordinating agency for member libraries in the central west coast of Florida. REBECCA M. WENNINGER is employed by the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, Maryland. She is co-author of “The Coming Generation of Computer Proficient Students: What It May Mean for Libraries” (1994).
