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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