Post #5: Library Buildings

Where do the origins of the process used to evaluate library expansion lie?

Is the process currently in use derived from practices that are common to all architecture projects?

How much have these practices been altered to meet the very specific needs of libraries?

These are all questions that we should be asking ourselves about library buildings. I began to wonder about these questions as the preliminary stages for expansion are completed at the library where I work. It is important to remember that any changes to the physical space of a library will need to meet its needs for years to come. Most designs aim to satisfy those needs for a minimum of 20 years, and in reality the likelihood of public libraries having resources to change their buildings substantially that often may be unrealistic.

Because of the difficult and expensive nature of such a project it is essential to have a clear understanding of what role the library would like to fill in 20 years, how the physical space can impact that, and what the essential needs of the library will be. This is a tall order. It seems that predicting the future of libraries is a particularly difficult thing to do. I believe that if it were not so difficult library culture would change entirely. What I mean to say by that is that no one can be expected to have an accurate prediction that reaches so far into the future.

It seems clear that because the need to predict the future exists, and doing so is impossible, the only reasonable way of handling this conundrum is to make the most informed guess, as well as making the space as flexible as possible. How can this be done? I am not an architect, but my understanding of how to make this equation work best tells me that all of the available resources should be used in making building decisions. Those who know a library most intimately are the people who are qualified to postulate about what the library will need most in 20 years. Who knows the library’s needs and the library building better than library staff? The people who work in the library are likely to be the greatest asset when trying to predict building needs of the future.

As I mentioned flexibility of the space is a very important concern. Because many of the needs of the future cannot be predicted it is important to accommodate those needs with flexibility of space. What does that mean? For different libraries it means different things. Some libraries have used this need for flexibility to dictate aspects of the building construction while others have used it as a part of making interior sections of the library flexible. One library decided to eliminate unnecessary load bearing walls during construction in order to facilitate future expansion. Another library decided to make their space more flexible by putting their stacks on casters so they could be moved. Each of these types of strategic implementations creates major strengths that the library would not have had. I feel that the more of these design elements that are incorporated in library design the more gracefully the libraries will evolve.

Technology will play a major role in terms of the building needs of libraries in the future as well. We all know that the library, and our lives in general incorporate a lot more technology than they once did. There is no doubt that libraries have become a primary access point to the internet for many patrons, and this has necessitated more space devoted to computers. Building projects will also have to consider technology in new ways in order to enable connectivity and the incorporation of technologies such as RFID and other technology based tools.

For a good summary of the “technology and communication trends, their impact on public library buildings, library use patterns and physical and electronic collection issues” you may want to take a look at: The Future of public libraries: what do an Apple computer store and a library have in common?

What do you think about library space needs now, and in the future?

Let me know!