[baisl] Re: Designer of Library/Educational Spaces
- From: Debra Cardone <Cardone@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "<baisl@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>" <baisl@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 21:54:32 +0000
Dear Jo,
Thank you for your insightful e-mail. Is it possible to post photos of your
Lower School and Middle School Library? I would love to see the design. We are
creating a new Lower School Library in the future along with new gym, theater,
and expanded classroom space. I love looking at other library designs to gain
different perspectives.
Debra Cardone, Head Librarian
Hamlin School
San Francisco, Ca
Sent from my iPhone
On Jan 23, 2015, at 1:04 PM, Jo Melinson
<jmelinson@xxxxxxxxxx<mailto:jmelinson@xxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Hi, Eric & Cathy,
We remodeled our middle/high school library during summer of 2013. I would echo
what everyone has said about communication, but also add that you still
probably won’t get everything you’d like. When we were planning I read in
several places to hire a library consultant to work with the architect, which
we didn’t do and I wish we had, but the same things might have happened.
To make a long story short, although I weeded about 3000 books before the move,
the architect gave me much less shelving than we had talked about and so I had
to weed 1500 more books and order more shelving before we could move everything
back in, which took a couple months and made for an awkward start to the year
with the library still filled with giant wooden moving carts full of books. I
probably would have had even less shelving had I not been able to convince
people that not only are there many books that are not available in eBook form
and that replacing all our reference books with eBooks is insanely expensive,
but also our students prefer print. I did that by providing statistics
including an annual survey that we do of our 6th graders and high schoolers.
When planning, we surveyed all our students and faculty and the library
assistant and I sat down to think about what our top 3 requests would be (we
got two of them). Then we put together 6 lists:
1- A practical wish list (for example: floor outlets, student copy area with
space for supplies and sorting, etc.)
2- An aesthetic wish list (automatic screen for projector, soft seating,
display spaces).
3- How the library is used (classes, research, group study, quiet study,
display, events, meetings, AP exams, etc.)
4- How the Library office is used (workspace, volunteer space, literary
magazine production, equipment storage, individual meetings with students, book
cart storage—make sure you have space for these!—event staging, etc.)
5- Problems with current state of affairs (not enough lighting, noise v. quiet,
circ desk takes up too much space, dust).
6- What works for us now that we don’t want to lose (windows so we can see
everything from office, display space slat walls, separate space for quiet
study, etc.)
While our office and storage space was cut in half, it actually works more
efficiently for us now. I think being clear about how it was used was important
for this. And it allowed us to gain more space for student work tables and a
soft seating area.
I think asking faculty and students their opinions helped make everyone feel
they had a voice and it really helped us determine what was important. No, we
weren’t able to divide the room with a giant fish aquarium and let Lara name
all the fish or put in a fireplace, but it was fun to see what kinds of
creative and practical ideas everyone had.
The summer of the remodel I had a couple dreams where I would not be able to
find things in the library because the shelves were randomly placed and didn’t
follow any logic, and I would find wine glasses, beverage napkins, and bottles
of Pinot Noir on the bookshelves. But those were just dreams, right? Okay, we
do actually find beverage napkins and wine glasses and bottles in strange
places after some events, but it’s just because we have this beautiful space
now that everyone wants to use;-)
My dreams reminded me to continue communicating the practical uses to the
architect who was in love with the windows that took up all our wall, counter,
and shelf space. One wall of windows in the design became a solid wall with
windows on either side and that solid wall gave us some display and space for a
copy/print/supply station (don’t forget the electrical and cable drops for
technology!)
One of my ideas backfired on me: I thought it would be cool to have wooden
ceilings that echoed the ceilings in our lower school building entryway (we had
previously had ugly drop ceiling tiles). What I didn’t realize was just how
much that ceiling would echo not just the lower school library, but also every
single word that is uttered in our building. So now I have the loudest library
in the world. Be careful what you wish for I guess. It really is pretty though.
Sorry, I know this is a long post, but one last thing. I mentioned how much I
weeded. As time consuming as that was, it was worth it. Weeding really lets the
other books stand out and strengthens the collection. A few times I had to
remind myself that we’re not a museum or historical society and that the book
police were not coming. When I thought of it in terms of what the kids would
choose in the stacks when doing research, it was easy to keep the best and
newest books, and the ones with the best indexes.
Each year I have an overall goal for the year whether it’s encouraging reading
for pleasure, building skills, stressing authoritative research, etc. Last
year’s overall goal was adjusting to the new space. But I do have to say that
I’m glad I’m past that and that this year’s is marketing, which the new space
helps. Good luck to you and anyone else remodeling. I know we’re probably out
of the way for most, but we’d be happy to host anyone who wants to make the
journey. We have a fairly new Lower School library also so you could visit two
libraries on the same campus.
Jo
On Jan 22, 2015, at 1:09 PM, Eric Mahollitz
<emahollitz@xxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:emahollitz@xxxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Greetings BAISLers,
I'm in the brainstorming phase of redesigning my library and adjoining spaces.
While I know the components I'd like present in a renovated space, I am
certainly no designer. If you've recently gone through a redesign yourself, or
simply know someone who specializes in the design of library/educational
spaces, I'd love to get in touch with you and/or them.
I look forward to seeing you all on Tuesday.
All the best,
Eric Mahollitz
Librarian/Educational Technologist
Salesian College Prep
emahollitz@xxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:emahollitz@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
(510) 234-4433 x1410
Jo Melinson
Middle/High School Librarian/Literary Magazine Adviser
Sacramento Country Day School
2636 Latham Drive
Sacramento, CA 95864
916.481.8811
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