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TRANSCRIPT
Planning and Designing
Academic Library Learning Spaces :
Expert Perspect ives of Archi tects , Librar ians , and
Library Consul tants
BY ALISON J. HEAD, PH.D. A PROJECT INFORMATION LITERACY RESEARCH REPORT
THE PRACTITIONER SERIES
DECEMBER 6, 2016
PROJECT INFORMATION LITERACY
http://projectinfolit.org
SPONSORED BY A STRATEGIC RESEARCH GRANT FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON INFORMATION SCHOOL
Best & Worst Practices
List
Project Information Literacy: Planning and Designing Academic Library Learning Spaces | Alison J. Head | December 6, 2016
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Best Practices
Orderedfrommosttoleastmentionedbestpracticesininterviewees’discussionsabouttheirprojects.N=49stakeholders,N=22academiclibrarylearningspaceprojects.SomeofthebestpracticeslistedmaybeadditionaltothethemesdiscussedintheDetailedFindingssectionofthisreport.
FIGURE11:BESTPRACTICESFORACADEMICLIBRARYLEARNINGSPACEPROJECTS
Asstatedbystakeholdersweinterviewed:
LIBRARIANS ARCHITECTS CONSULTANTS
1. Talktolibrarians,staff,student,andfacultysothedesignprocessis
inclusiveandthereisalargeamountofuserinput.
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2. Asklotsofquestionsduringdesigndiscussionstomakesuretheopportunityforgivinginputisnotmissed.
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3. Hireexpertstoadvisewherethereisalackofexpertiseonaproject(e.g.,projectmanagers,ITspecialists,libraryconsultants,civilengineers,andlandscapearchitects).
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4. Besuretodocumenttheplanninganddesignprocess,sothatdecisionsandoutcomescanberevisitedandverified.
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5. Developanddocumentthescopeforaprojectearlyon;onethathasgoalsthatarerealistic,affordable,andachievable.
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6. Ensurethereisasharedvisionforadesignacrossalllibraryunitsbeforerenovationorbuildingofanewstructurebegins.
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7. Holdfrequentcheck-inmeetingswithindividuallibraryunits(e.g.,circulationorreference)andalsobringeveryonetogetherinlibrary-wide meetings.
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8. Tourothercampuslibraries(andnewlearningspaces)tofindoutwhatdesignworkedwell,andwhatdidnot.
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9. Findchampionswithinthefacultytocommunicatethevalueofproject,sincefacultyoftenneedstobeconvincedhownewspaceswillimpacttheirresearchandteaching.
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10. Havecontinuouscommunicationwithcampusconstituentsabouttheproject’sprogress.Usedifferentchannels(e.g.,web,socialmedia,inpersonpresentationsgivenatrequestofdepartments).
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11. Trustthearchitecturaldesignprocess;it’sintentionallyslowsothereisagreatersenseofownershipforaprojectasitdevelops.
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12. Conductcontinualuserassessmentsofwhatneedsare(andarenot)beingmet.Modifydesigngoalstoresolveproblems.
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13. CreateandsignaMemoofUnderstanding(MOU)betweenthelibraryandlearningpartners,especiallywhenpartnersarecontributingfundsforspaceinthelibrary.
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14. Makesurethearchitecturalfirmandtheconstructioncompanyhasanintegratedprocessfortheconstructionphaseoflibraryspaces.
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15. Provideatranslationsessionbetweenlibrariansandarchitectstodefinearchitecturalvocabularytohelpmanageexpectations.
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16. Goodlightingandtheproperacoustictreatmentarenecessarytothesuccessoflibraryprojects.
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17. Anticipatechange10yearsfromnow,sothatspacescanexpandandcontractasneeded.Planforflexibledesigns.
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Project Information Literacy: Planning and Designing Academic Library Learning Spaces | Alison J. Head | December 6, 2016
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Worst Practices
Orderedfrommosttoleastmentionedworstpracticesininterviewees’discussionsabouttheirprojects.N=49stakeholders,N=22academiclibrarylearningspaceprojects.SomeoftheworstpracticeslistedmaybeadditionaltothethemesdiscussedintheDetailedFindingssectionofthisreport.
FIGURE12:WORSTPRACTICESFORACADEMICLIBRARYLEARNINGSPACEPROJECTS
Asstatedbystakeholdersweinterviewed:
LIBRARIANS ARCHITECTS CONSULTANTS
1. Workingasasmallinsulargroupthatcreatesaplananddesign
withoutincludinginputfromanyoneelseoncampus.
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2. Gettingembroiledinterritorialbattlesandclasheswithlibrarylearningspacepartnersoversharedspaceneedsandfurnishings.
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3. Havingpoorcommunicationwithfaculty(e.g.,whentryingtomakedecisionsaboutdownsizingthecollection,orvisioningactivelearningclassroomspaces).
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4. Losingsightofthe“bigpicture”foraprojectduetodrawnouttimelines,lackoffunding,orplanningbeforethemoneyissecured.
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5. Workingfromatimetablethatisunrealistic,suchasweedingofthecollectiongoestoofastandtheconstructiongoestooslow.
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6. Forgettingtopilottestnewservicesandarrangementswithnewpartnerspriortoconstructiontoseehow,andif,theywillwork.
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7. Leavingoutmaintenancestaffinearlydiscussionstofigureoutwhatisneededtomaintainspacesthatarebeingbuilt.
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8. Havingnotransparencywithstaffaboutthedesignprocess,especiallyaboutupperleveldecisionsmadewithoutstaffbuy-in.
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9. Beingatthewhimofaslowapprovalprocesswhenseekingadministrativelevelbuy-infordesignplans.
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10. Hiringarchitectsthatdonot“walkaspace”theyintendtodesign,butrelyondesigndiscussionstounderstandspaceusage.
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11. Hiringarchitectsthatassumetheyknowwhat'sbestforclients. ✔
12. Allowingstakeholderstoapproachaprojectwiththeirownagendasandresistancetocollaboration.
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13. Allowingoneselftobeseducedbytheorganizationalchartcanresultinlosingimportantinput–andthe“pulse”–fortheproject.
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14. Sufferingfromprojectfatigue,especiallyattheendofaproject,andnotdoingacontinualandcarefulreviewofdesignandsolicitfinalreviewsbymultiplestakeholders.
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15. Notlimitingtheformationof“toolarge”designcommittees,whichresultinsomepeopleshowingupatonemeeting,andnotthenext,which,intheend,makesconsensusnearlyimpossible.
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16. Choosingbuilt-infurniturethatcan'tbeeasilychanged,orlettingarchitectsdictatecustom-madefurniturethatisnoteasilyreplaced.
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17. Ignoring,ornotlisteningto,whatclientswantandneedfromlibrarylearningspacedesignattheinitialinformation-gatheringstage.
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