LIBRARY DESIGN Tillsonburg Branch

Oxford County Library

February 12, 2015

Tillsonburg Public Library

About the library

• Became the 14th branch of Oxford County Library on January 1, 2013

• In early 2012, I was asked: “Can the library operate effectively out of its present location? Should we invest money in fixing it up?”

• Reasons to answer “NO”:

• 8,800 sq. ft. too small for population served (approx. 16,000)

• No room to expand on site

More importantly…

• Reasons to answer “YES”:

• Great location in centre of town, pedestrian-friendly

• Plenty of free parking

In the heart of

downtown

Tillsonburg!

More importantly…

• Reasons to answer “YES”:

• Lots of natural light

• Spacious foyer allowing access to multipurpose room for external uses

• Separate staff entrance into workroom would allow easy access for van deliveries

• Renovations cheaper than building new

• As a branch, reduced need for staff space – limited administration and no cataloguing/processing – we could increase public space

• No attractive alternatives existed

Silver Tsunami

• Tillsonburg has the highest proportion of seniors of all Oxford municipalities – 23%

• Two large retirement “villages” in town

• Retirees settling in Tillsonburg from larger centres – used to “big city” services

Great Expectations

• Decision to join the County library system was not an easy one, and proved fractious

• Very political process

• It was made perfectly clear how important it was to make this work, and ensure that there would be no regrets

• So, we had one chance to make a big impact, and achieve a WOW reaction

Warts and all….

• 1974 construction – uninspiring architecture

• Concrete block interior, painted in pastel blue and salmon

• No insulation

• No accessible washroom

• All windows needed replacement

• Dated furnishings and fixtures

• 80+ inch shelving height in adult section

• High ceiling in adult section created a cavernous feel and poor acoustics

• Tired and dingy

• “Smokie” right outside the children’s area window – favourite smoke-break site for local business employees

Adult stacks So tall! (2007)

A few before shots

The circulation desk with stacks in the background

(1993 & 2007).

Imagine Sessions – community consultation

• Provided copies of floor plan available to pick up at branch

• Held two “Imagine Sessions” (open houses)

• 5 questions posed on large sheets of paper on walls:

• 1) Write down words or phrases that describe the library you imagine.

• 2) We should offer a larger selection of….

• 3) Tell us about the furniture and equipment that you imagine in your library.

• 4) What kinds of library programs would you like?

• 5) What would be the most important spots in the library to you?

We heard loud and clear….

•More computers! (there were only 4 PACs)

•Comfortable seating areas

•Quiet study/reading spaces

Inspiration

What elements should be reflected in Tillsonburg Public Library?

•Openness

•Modernity

•Colour

•Light

•Comfort

Design Process

• Who was responsible for library design?

• Lisa collaborated with Spriet Associates

• Considerations

• Smaller workroom

• Supervisor’s office moved upstairs

• Addition in southwest corner for LH and study rooms

• Lowered ceiling

• Mezzanine level?

• Dynamic children’s space

• Lots of “flexible” usable space

• Modular furniture

Early Floorplan

Inspiration

• Annual Institute on the Library as Place, Collingwood, July 2012

• Tour of Collingwood Public Library

• Naturemaker oak trees flanking entrance to Children’s Area

• Session 6: Creating Collaborative and Interactive Spaces. Architect Gerry Shoalts

• Inspired by slides of European, particularly Scandinavian, libraries – clean modern lines

Inspiration – radial shelving

Shoalts’ slide: BCI Eurobib Tillsonburg

Inspiration – radial shelving

Shoalts’ slide: BCI Eurobib Tillsonburg (Adult area)

Inspiration – children’s spaces

From Shoalts’ session

Inspiration – children’s spaces

From Shoalts’ session Tillsonburg BCI Shelving

Inspiration – study spaces

From Shoalts’ session Tillsonburg Library

2 study rooms Can accommodate up to 6 people comfortably in each space.

Inspiration – display spaces

From Shoalts’ session Tillsonburg “Hot Wall”

Inspiration – magazine storage

From Shoalts’ session Tillsonburg

Inspiration – seating

Tillsonburg Bretford

Inspiration – seating

Tillsonburg Bretford

Inspiration – desks

Tillsonburg Brodart

Inspiration – desks

Tillsonburg Brodart

Schoolhouse Products, Inc.: initial bird’s eye design

Closer to reality

Before & during construction

May 2013 - Story Pit Looking west Looking east

Facing east (kids area before window was raised)

Local History area before window was removed

Looking west… beautiful salmon and baby blue !

Transformed!

Looking west

Local History (window removed)

Kids area after windows raised

Looking east

Transformed!

Program Room

Reduced in size from original space. New

storage areas

Café Area • Near the kids area • Hard-wired into

plumbing

Transformed!

Children’s Area

Transformed!

View of mural from teen space

The custom divider in the teen space

A clean, welcoming service desk

Teen space

Public computers

Our plan (again)

Successes

Success #1: Overall circulation and attendance • Patrons have adjusted well to joining the

County system (though there was a learning curve)

• Significant increase in attendance and circulation numbers • Joining the County was the right choice! • Circulation 46.8% (2013-2014) • Attendance 57.66% (2013-2014)

Successes Success #2: Computers • Computer usage (in branch) has increased a great

deal • Up 55% (2013-2014) • 9 adult PAC’s + 1 fifteen-minute quick station • 2 children’s homework stations • 4 children’s literacy stations • Microfilm computer • Ancestry/Local History Computer

Successes Success #3: Hot Wall

• The “Hot Wall” houses recent arrivals and themed displays

• Near DVDs, on the way to adult collection; lots of foot traffic and visually appealing!

• Biggest browsed area, results in many checkouts

• Hard to keep stocked!

Successes Success #4: Program Room Rental

• Program room is in demand despite being much

smaller than before. • Rented at least once per week by outside groups

(usually more). • Constantly in use as multi-purpose space (birthday

parties, Mom-to-Mom Sales, club meetings). • Additional source of revenue for branch.

Challenges Challenge #1: Staff Workroom • The library receives at minimum 10 bins (usually closer

to 20 bins, or 800-1000 items) twice per week. • Not enough space! • Lack of storage results in over-reliance on book trucks

as additional storage in workroom (home delivery materials, etc.).

• Positioning of computers is not ideal; lots of twisting when receiving materials (not ergonomic).

• Opportunity for changes!

Challenges Challenge #1: Staff Workroom

Challenges Challenge #2: Supervisor’s office

• Prior to renovation, librarian’s office on main floor near

workroom • Renovated first floor created additional public space

• Now modular computer desks in the area • Supervisor’s office now on second floor

• Pros & cons of being upstairs

Changes Opportunity for enhancement #1: Local History/Study Area

• Originally designed to be used primarily as space

for genealogy research • Not used for research as much as hoped • Will remove 2 computers, add study carrels to

maximize space/usage • Patrons desire quiet study spaces

Changes Opportunity for enhancement #2: Digital media lab • Would like to designate one of the study rooms as

a “pop-up” digital media lab • Opportunities for grants and additional

funding • Green screen technology, computers, cameras

and production equipment, crafting, Lego, Makey-Makey, Squishy Circuits… the sky’s the limit

Changes Opportunity for enhancement #3: Children’s area • The children’s area is well-used and needs to

continue as a functional and fun space! • Some programming held in the space. • Possible changes:

• Some changes already made (e.g. addition of older kids literacy stations)

• Additional décor for walls • Structures (e.g. Millennium Falcon, planets) • Always thinking about how space can be used

more effectively! What draws the kids?

Sources Schoolhouse Products, Inc. www.schoolhouseproducts.com BCI Eurobib 60/30 Steel Radius cantilevered shelving (Plack Pearl) BCI Slimline wood & steel shelving, BCI Softline Space BCI Ordrup Magazine Display Shelving (Black Pearl) Brodart wood shelving (Monticello Maple) Brodart 2Be computer tables Bretford workstations Epoch computer tables Bretford Motiv seating Shrooms FCI freestanding wall system

Sources Facility Resources, Inc., London, ON www.facilityresources.ca SitOnIt seating: Anytime side chairs, stacking chairs, task chairs Herman Miller Everywhere tables, with power and modesty panel KI Canada Duralite tables Peter Pepper Products newspaper holders and freestanding literature rack Gressco Ltd. www.gressco.com Two Station Adjustable Computer Table Rebello Sofa and Armchairs Adventure Cave Cloudy Sofa Bistro Tables and chairs

Sources Art & Function Design, Eric Skinner, Tavistock, ON

artfunction@rogers.com

Interior collection and directional signage

Hotel Fun 4 Kids, Port Perry, ON

www.hotelfun4kids.com

Naturemaker Steel Art Trees, Carlsbad, CA

www.naturemaker.com