LJ’s Design Institute: San Diego was held on Friday, May 8, at San Diego’s recently constructed Central Library. The award-winning space (see “The New Placemakers” in LJ‘s forthcoming New Landmark Libraries coverage) was an inspiring setting for librarians from across the United States to gather and rethink what it means to build a library that will last in a time of rapid technological transition.
Shaping size & service
One of the first and most fundamental questions in any library construction or renovation project is what size the library should be to serve its community best and how that space should be allocated. On the first expert panel of the day, a mix of architects and librarians dug into the details and process of finding the unique right answer for each project—and how to convince communities, funders, and other stakeholders to get on board with the result.
CHARRETTE, CALIFORNIA STYLE. 1. San Diego’s Central Library hosted the latest Design Institute, at which (2) attendees networked and compared notes. Chatting about issues were vendor sponsors, including (3) Demco’s Janet Nelson (2d from l.) and (4) Tech Logic’s Stan Smith. 5. Participants signed up for their respective challenge sessions. 6. San Diego PL director Misty N. Jones welcomed the crowd (7). The first expert panel discussed how to choose the right library size, moderated by San Diego County Library director José Aponte (8) and including (9; l.–r.) Jill Eyres from Group 4 Architecture, Research + Planning and Dennis Humphries of Humphries Poli Architects. Also offering their expertise were (10; l.–r.) Jeff Davis from Architectural Nexus and LJ Mover & Shaker Patrick “P.C.” Sweeney from Sunnyvale PL, CA, followed by lunch (11). Among the challenge sessions, Folsom PL was up for a potential redesign (12) as was San Diego PL’s Rancho Penasquitos Branch (13). Another panel on adaptable spaces and evolving uses (14) featured LAPL city librarian John Szabo (l.) and Noll & Tam’s Trina Goodwin. (15) Miller Hull Partnership’s Ruth Baleiko (l.) and Betty Waznis, director of the Chula Vista PL, presented their views, and audience members shot questions at (16; l.–r.) Group 4’s Andrea Gifford, Humphries Poli’s Dennis Humphries, and Noll & Tam’s Chris Noll. Photos by Kevin Henegan
While the shift to digital and concomitant shrinking of print collections is undoubtedly a factor, Dennis Humphries, principal of Humphries Poli Architects, cautioned the attendees about outpacing their patrons. “Change is happening slower than the ebook hype expected,” he noted, something borne out by the leveling off of ebook growth and the continued preference for print expressed by many Millennials, particularly for study purposes. Humphries also suggested that libraries and their architects turn away from older models of library design that were based around collection size. “Don’t count the books, count the experiences,” he said, a view that makes room, literally, for the coworking, Maker, teen, and community event spaces that are vital to today’s libraries. This question was addressed in more detail during the day’s concluding open forum, where Ruth Baleiko, partner, the Miller Hull Partnership, said, “You are really talking about comfort, so I would rely on what feels comfortable ergonomically.”
Jeff Davis, principal, Architectural Nexus, pointed out that local construction codes will have minimum requirements and suggested that beyond that, librarians should “watch your library and see where places are getting too crowded.” Humphries reminded attendees to take into account universal accessibility.
Making square feet count
To make the most of a small space, Davis suggested using acoustics to create isolated sound patterns, outdoor adjacencies, glass accordion doors, and furniture to signal the age ranges different areas are targeting. Humphries reiterated the basics for making the most of an existing space: declutter, shrink service desks, lower shelving height, and add daylight.
During the vendor panel, Jane Schutmaat, who does business development for Biblomodel, echoed the points about lower and movable stacks. Not only is shelf height dropping to create better sight lines for staff, views for patrons, and natural light, but bottom shelves are actually being eliminated. “Most bottom shelves are not used,” said Schutmaat, since patrons don’t want to crouch to browse them. If libraries aren’t using the shelves, she asked, why pay for them?
For those working with existing tall stacks that they can’t afford to replace, Humphries suggests trimming back on some shelves depending on the construction and reorienting them to work with windows. Chris Noll, principal, Noll & Tam Architects, prescribed taking out top shelves and replacing them with signage. For those who can’t shorten their stacks from the top, Group 4 Architecture’s Andrea Gifford proposed removing a middle section instead to “break the density with seating.”
Accomplished collaborations
Collaboration in the form of shared or collocated space, or hosting partnered programs within the space, was a fruitful topic for the panelists. Moderator José Aponte, director of the San Diego County Library, the 2012 Gale/LJ Library of the Year, and a 2003 LJ Mover & Shaker, stated, “We have to collaborate” owing to budget pressure.” Aponte did not necessarily regard that pressure as negative, however. “It can be the tipping point for action,” he acknowledged, recalling how a park’s readiness to partner once “tipped a project into reality” and opened pocketbooks.
Librarian Patrick “P.C.” Sweeney, EveryLibrary.org and Sunnyvale Public Library, CA, and a 2015 LJ Mover & Shaker, was skeptical of that particular prospective partner, saying that projects between parks and recreation departments and libraries can be challenged because the former charges for services and the latter does not, a stark contrast when the two are offering similar or overlapping programming. “I haven’t seen a successful model of parks and rec and libraries,” said Sweeney, proposing instead that libraries work with partners that are more aligned with their philosophies, such as community colleges, or volunteer-run programs such as the seed library in Sunnyvale. “Our librarians didn’t have to touch it, but we provided the space,” he explained.
The case for space
Jill Eyres of Group 4 noted that the message that will help get stakeholders on board with the necessity, and benefit, of new construction or renovation can’t be one size fits all. “Selling the library as a necessity is going to be different in different communities,” with different needs, she said. Still, Sweeney recommended that one effective message is, “We are building you the library you deserve,” framing it around the patrons instead of the library and as an economic generator rather than a social service. Continuing the theme of economic impact, Davis said that when addressing elected officials especially, presenting “almost academic studies” such as those conducted by Pew or the Urban Libraries Council can be very important. Studies were also named as key to convincing stakeholders on site selection. During the open forum, Baleiko suggested citing studies that show impact on downtown cores. Davis advocated for an article called “Meet Me at the Library” (originally published in Shopping Center Business) that shows how developers use library branches as anchors.
Davis also urged getting influencers on board early. “Get prominent members included right away,” he said. “When the mayor invites top folks to breakfast, they all come and want to engage.”
Humphries meanwhile made the case for outcomes measurement in libraries as an advocacy as well as service development tool. “The most successful messages come from users,” he said. It “illustrates impact from those who understand and receive the benefits.”
Future-ready
As what communities need and expect from their libraries continue to evolve, one key aspect for any library considering construction is what will be the future trends in space use. While it is of course impossible to predict the future, a panel of experts extrapolated from the present to see where things might be going and how to prepare a library that can change to meet the trends we didn’t foresee.
It’s not news, of course, that Maker spaces are one of the hottest things around. But John Szabo, city librarian, Los Angeles Public Library, told attendees that what that means is itself changing. “Ideas about Maker spaces [are] expanding…. It’s across ages, not just 3-D printers,” he said. The process of creation doesn’t stop when the project is finished, he added. Libraries “need to document what gets created there and what [the] outcome” is. Baleiko pointed out that Maker spaces need human support to make them accessible, particularly in their higher tech manifestations. She’d seen libraries have great success with teen mentors in that role, since it engages the teens with the library as well as extends the library’s capacity. Trina Goodwin of Noll & Tam Architects agreed: “Having a room with a bunch of equipment in it that doesn’t get used is wasteful,” she said. “Keeping an active growing program is everything.”
Maker equipment may even become part of the library’s case-making for renovation: during the open forum, several architects spoke about the power of 3-D-printed library designs to convey the possibilities to voters and donors alike.
Baleiko situated Making as part of a broader movement. “Maker is hip because we have called it something,” she said, but really, “making and discovering are all part of the evolution of the library as a forum.”
Taking that broader focus to the next level, moderator Misty N. Jones, director, San Diego Public Library, asked the panel what’s beyond Maker for library spaces. Szabo hypothesized that libraries can identify trends poised to follow a similar trajectory to Making by asking what interstitial phenomenon in the culture “is going to evolve to a certain point where the library can give it a home?”
Goodwin suggested coworking as an example of one such emerging sensation for public libraries. It “is really trending,” she said. For example, “one library is eying a room used for back issues of periodicals…for an entrepreneurial space.” In academic libraries, Baleiko named a parallel trend “the one-stop facility,” combining many services, including some that were traditionally library provided and others that weren’t, into a single environment.
Kidding around
Another model that has become nearly universal in public library design has been separating out a distinct teen space; some libraries are even experimenting with still another separate space for tweens. Yet as Baleiko pointed out, though teens want a unique place, they really don’t just stay in it. “When you look at stats you see [teens] are some if the biggest users of nonfiction, because they are doing homework. They get to using more and more of the entire library.”
Betty Waznis, director, Chula Vista Public Library, CA, bucks the trend. “We have teen and adult services side by side, a multigenerational culture,” she said. “We do not have discrete spaces. We rely on rolling programs…. If you are there at 10 a.m., it’s the kids space; at 3 p.m., it is homework help.” The library uses sound mitigation to help keep the space welcoming to all simultaneously. As for visual design elements, she said, “everyone likes Starbucks—it doesn’t say kid or not.”
As Baleiko noted, “Kids usually come with an adult…,” not alone. So one question is how do you design for dual experiences in a single space, “not siloed but overlapping” and using the space in parallel?
Design for change
Said Waznis, “The key word is flexible, because we don’t know what’s coming next,” and Szabo specifically called for spaces that could be adjusted every two years. As a keyword, flexibility is nearly ubiquitous in library design today. But how is it achieved? Goodwin highlighted dividable spaces and glass-enclosed areas that you can see through, while Waznis called for movable fixtures. And vendors are ready to deliver: during the vendor panel, Schutmaat said, “Now we can add casters, and signage and lighting are built right into the shelves. Bases used to be structural. Casters give you the ultimate flexibility.” Janet Nelson, director of library engagement, Demco, extended this approach beyond shelving. Today’s desks are mobile, she said, and “gaming stations are also collaborative work spaces and mobile.”
Focusing on the foundation underlying the flexibility, Baleiko said, “Designing for the longer term (100 years) ensures that the basics are very good so they can flex.” Goodwin harkened back 100 years for her own model, saying, “Go back to Carnegie—something people really love, quality materials, natural light, and [something that Carnegie may not have considered] power everywhere.”
Of course, when designing for the next century, environmental sustainability is a crucial part of the equation. While Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certification has become commonplace, during the open forum, architects urged taking the next step, rather than resting on our laurels. “Libraries need to take the lead on this,” said Noll, given its high educational value and the tie to the core library mission. Noll predicted net zero energy and water as the next targets, and Davis proposed that libraries take on the Living Building Challenge. Concluded Baleiko, “We need to get this show on the road to make the change happen faster.”
The Sponsors
Special thanks to our sponsors for their generous support of and participation in LJ’s Design Institute
ARCHITECTS
Architectural Nexus
Jeff Davis, Principal
jdavis@archnexus.com; 801-924-5000
www.archnexus.com
Group 4 Architecture, Research + Planning, Inc.
David Schnee, Principal
dshnee@g4arch.com; 650-871-0709
www.g4arch.com
Humphries Poli Architects
Dennis Humphries, Principal
dhumphries@hparch.com; 303-607-0040
www.hparch.com
The Miller Hull Partnership
Ruth Baleiko. Partner
rbaleiko@millerhull.com; 206-682-6837
www.millerhull.com
Noll & Tam Architects and Planners
Annika Dukes
annika.dukes@nollandtam.com; 510-542-2218
www.nollandtam.com
VENDORS
Biblomodel
Javier Arreola, CEO
jarreola@escato.com; 01 (52) 5661 1222, x1801
www.biblomodel.com
Brodart Contract Furniture
Amanda Anderson, Product Marketing Specialist
amanda.anderson@brodart.com; 570-325-2461, x6170
www.brodartfurniture.com
DEMCO Interiors
Janet Nelson, Director, Business Development
janetn@demco.com; 608-241-8568
www.demco.com
Tech Logic
Jessica Evans, Sales Support Manager
jevans@tech-logic.com; 651-389-4992
www.tech-logic.com
PARTNERS
San Diego Public Library
Misty N. Jones, Director
weblibrary@sandiego.gov; 619-236-5800
www.sandiego.gov/public-library
San Diego County Library
José Aponte, Director
jose.aponte@sdcounty.ca.gov; 858-694-3900
www.sdcl.org