Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Next Steps

I've come to the conclusion that posting on the blog is like exercising for me....best done in the morning or it's not done at all. Sorry that it's been so long since I last updated you on revitalization progress. There is still lots going on and we have had to scramble a bit to get everything updated after the big news of last Monday....not that we mind! Rudi, Terry Metcalf (as Board representative), Mike Hoogstra and I met yesterday to finalize the RFP that will be sent to the short-listed architects on Wednesday. Peter, Ruth, Rudi and I will be having a second meeting this week to formulate a communications plan to keep the public informed of our progress and to encourage further donations.

It is no secret that our library photographs (both of St. Thomas Public Library and others) are here, there and everywhere on the T:\ drive so Katelyn will be working to gather them all together and to organize them so that they will be useful to us. We'll have "before" and "after" shots on record.

Well, that's all for today. Don't forget to keep stuffing those suggestion boxes with ideas!

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Camera Happy

I'm reading a great book called "Countdown to a New Library" by Jeannette Woodward. In it, she encourages libraries who are embarking upon a renovation project to "make a scrapbook" of photographs. This includes the details of buildings other than libraries. As Woodward says, "it is sometimes even more helpful to look at other buildings because you won't be distracted by library functions, and you will be more likely to focus on architectural details and building materials". Katelyn and I would like to put together a scrapbook and really would love your help. As you are traveling around this summer, whether it be on vacation or running errands, please feel free to take photographs of flooring materials, stairways, doors, windows, signage, counters and all the other details that go into a modern building. We will try also to corral all of the photographs we can find of our visits to other libraries as well. If you happen to have some of these on your camera, we'd love to have you send them to us. We'll set up a folder just for this purpose.

A big thank you to Sydnie who sent me this link:

http://n.pr/9wWtfG

As she says, it's humorous and hopeful at the same time!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Relationships

Welcome to a new week. I wrote to you last week about our progress with the abbreviated functional area reports. Katelyn is now working on how the areas relate to one another, floor by floor. She is creating bubble diagrams indicating strong relationships (such as the elevator and Technical Services), tenuous relationships, minor adjacencies. She's noting areas that should have unobstructed sight lines to one another (like the Youth Library reference desk and the Teen Zone), ones that should be self contained (like the CEO's office), others that should be somewhat separate from public space but not self contained and areas that are adjoining (such as the study section within the Teen Zone). It's a rather confusing process but an important one to establish especially for the architect.

On a completely separate topic, some of you, especially at the Circulation Desk, noted that you were unable to directly access the blog link from the emails that I send. I'm going to try sending you a tiny url instead to see if that works. Please let me know one way or the other.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Hiring our Architect.....Next Steps

I know that you are likely wondering how we are progressing with the hiring of our architect so I will explain. Earlier in the year we (Mike Hoogstra, Paul Giza, Rudi and I) met to shortlist 5 architects. Rudi, Katelyn and I have been working feverishly this week preparing a "Library Building Plan" that will be included with the "Request for Proposal" that will be given to each of the shortlisted 5 after it is approved by the Library Board at a meeting next Thursday afternoon. Once they receive this RFP, the architects will be expected to come up with a draft design and a price for the work. We will then meet again and review the designs and the prices and choose one of the architects. A special Board meeting will be held in August to approve our decision.

I just want to reiterate that you are welcome to ask me questions anytime. Email me, phone me, catch me as I'm walking by....I want you to feel as informed about what is happening re revitalization as possible. Until next week....

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Staff Focus Groups and Functional Area Reports

Katelyn and I want to thank all staff who have participated in focus groups so far. We have gathered a great deal of information from you and appreciate hearing about your hopes, fears and dreams for the revitalization project. Adult services staff met on Monday afternoon. Administration staff gathered this morning. Circulation staff will have their session tomorrow afternoon and Children's and Teens' services next Friday afternoon.

Many of you may have noticed Rudi, Katelyn and I feverishly working on functional area reports the past few days. Our priority this week has been on determining the areas that we'd like to see in the revitalized library and writing a very brief synopsis on each that includes whether or not the space exists, how it will change if it does, the activities that are performed in the space, special requirements and occupancy at any one time. As you likely know, volunteer library school students and staff completed functional area reports for our present spaces last year.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Neglected Blog

My apologies for not posting yesterday. I remembered that I'd forgotten to do so about midnight but alas did not fling myself out of bed inspired to write.

I thought I'd begin this week with a report on the garage/bake sale. Approximately 6 teens and Alicia greeted potential buyers during the 4 hour sale which raised $448.30 for goods and $101.50 for books. A big thank you to Chris for all of his efforts in carrying off the leftovers and delivering them to "Keepers" and to each and every one of you who hauled in your wares and donated them to our cause.

I know that the smell of baking was cruel punishment especially to those in Administration but we found the baking part of the event to be very beneficial for a number of reasons. Some teens had never baked before and were unable to read a recipe. This gave them an opportunity to learn in a non-threatening environment. All of the teens felt a sense of ownership in the sale and were afforded the opportunity to actually work in the basement where their new lounge will be located.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Library Visitors

Katelyn just sent Rudi and I a list of current demographics and highlights compiled from her research to date and I thought I'd share one of the interesting tidbits with you dealing with ages of people who visit the library most frequently. This is her finding:

· Surprisingly, our research shows that the second largest population who visit the library currently is people aged 19 to 29. While not surprising, our research also demonstrates that people aged 70 and older consist of the largest population who visit the library currently.

I'll share more of her findings next week. I'm off tomorrow so blog posts will resume on Monday. Have a wonderful weekend and thank you again for your generous donations to our garage sale.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Teen Focus Group

Thank you all for enduring the smell of baking the last two days and for all of your donations for our garage sale on Saturday. Katelyn joined the Teen Advisory Board members at their last meeting to conduct a focus group session. She asked the group questions to determine their vision for a revitalized teen lounge. Needless to say, they did not hesitate in giving their opinions.

This is how they envision the overall look and feel of their revitalized lounge:

· Bright, warm colours

· Relaxing and comfortable atmosphere – created by a fireplace, food to eat, temperature control, ability to play music at the computers, spaces to be alone, curl up and read/work.

· Artwork and visual appeal – the youth liked the possibility of having their own artwork displayed.

· Do not like the idea of having bland colours, shapes and layout. They would prefer to see what one youth referred to as “personality” in the teen space. This personality would involve having odd shapes (i.e. the wave-like shape of picture number 6), a variety of colours and textures, different chairs and workspaces for different types of learners, and lastly more natural scenery (windows, and plants).

· A creative atmosphere – sparked by expression walls, artwork and flexible furnishings.

What struck me was the importance they placed on the visual appeal and creative look of the space....the lines, the colours, the textures.

Katelyn had also found photographs of teens spaces and showed them photographs of particular elements such as seating or group work space. They voted on which "look" they liked the best. You can read the whole report on the T:\ drive under "Children's", "Revitalization Data", "Library Revitalization Project", "Teen Advisory Board Focus Group"....or just ask me and I'll send it to you as an attachment.




Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Libraries are Life-Changing

I don't know if you've had a chance to actually read the answers to the questions posed at the "Philosopher's Cafe" a few weeks ago. I know that the audience was only three strong that evening (4 if you include Katelyn) but it is amazing to me that when the participants were asked if the library had ever been life changing to them, these were the replies:

Question: Have you ever had a life-changing experience in a public library? Was it due to the world of books?

“Thanks to the public library I have become a passionate musician and a lover of classical music. The only access that I had as a child to classical music was through the collection at the public library. I would recommend that we expand the music collection at the library.”

“I read a book that helped me learn different perspectives. This helped me to choose a direction in life.”

“Reading shows me that I am not alone and that others are having hard times. The Public library saved my life.”

“Reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis taught me to be fearless, to be strong and to have courage. It also showed me the thin line between good and evil”

Wow, imagine if the room had been filled to capacity?

Monday, July 5, 2010

I'm Back!

I've returned from vacation but unfortunately Katelyn is away today with a nasty cold. She's attributing it to working in our department....can you imagine? I'll reconnect with her when she is back on her feet as I know she's been busy working on the functional area reports.

In the meantime, check out this presentation:

http://www.slideshare.net/tlanders/trends-in-public-libraries-overview

Rudi found it and it made me feel as though we are definitely on the right track in our thinking about the revitalized library. There are also some terrific photos of libraries in the slides.

I hope that you are filling the boxes with ideas and suggestions that you have. It is important that you have a "say" in the planning process.

Until tomorrow.....