A Tale of Two Spaces: Applying Lessons from a Large Construction Project to a Small Renovation Project

Date
2015-06-28
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
American Library Association
Abstract
Building a new library or renovating a facility is an exciting yet daunting experience. How will students interact with the new space? How do we want them to interact with the space? How will staff work within the new space? The University of Calgary opened the Taylor Family Digital Library (TFDL) in September 2011. This new collaborative learning space was unlike anything students, faculty and staff had experienced before and settling into the building was not without its challenges. Furniture had been selected for design elements and flexibility so that students could create their own learning environments. Behavior expectations around noise, work space, and food consumption previously understood in our old space were no longer respected in this new, more open facility. The last three years have been spent adjusting to our new space and shifting furniture as well as student and staff expectations. The renovation of the Gallagher Library, a small branch library, in 2014 was the perfect opportunity to reflect on what we had learned from the TFDL experience and to apply our new knowledge. Whether you are building a new library or renovating a smaller space, come benefit from the lessons we have learned.
Description
Poster presented at ALA conference June 25-30, 2015. San Francisco, CA.
Keywords
Library Spaces
Citation