I attended a consultation meeting about the new library building on Spring Garden Road, a wonderful opportunity to have an input onto a building which could, with vision and opportunity, have a transforming and revitalizing role for Halifax.
This was reflected in me holding back and only making 526 suggestions on how to create an amazing library building. I was still excited about it when I got home, so I thought I'd blog up a few notes on my favorite libraries, buildings and features......
Creating Somewhere SpecialWhen I attended the OLA Conference last year I attended a talk by
Glenn MurrayIt was an inspiring session on libraries as cultural leaders with the ability to turn 'anyplace' into 'somewhere special', using cultural mapping and imaginative town planning to rejuvenate areas, viewing libraries as a key economic assets in community development - a very powerful message for future development and survival which I think is very relevant to the new library building and its possible vision, and therefore Halifax's.
Contemporary design : which needn't be out of this world - the use of steel and glass in the mezzanine and stairway of the RSA Library (where I used to work) provides a wow factor without visitors having to question the design and match it to their own taste. The use of lighting completely transforms this space situated under street level.
Artist collaborationsCreating whole environments.....
Waterloo Sunset Pavilion at The Hayward Art gallery, created by artist
Dan Graham - a viewing gallery, installation artwork and program space all at the same time.
Integrated decorative features....
Chris Ofili's designs for Folkestone Library (
facilitated by the "RSA Art for Architecture" scheme at my previous workplace)There's a HRM public art policy in development at the moment which can be
read about here, with a proposed "
percent for art" scheme which see developments putting one percent of costs towards inclusion of integral artworks.
Why have art in and around buildings? It contributes to identity, acts as a marker of cultural activity and dynamism for the building and the city, creates attractive surroundings and showcases interesting work outside of gallery spaces to a high number of people. Artworks can strongly tie in with a local community and its stories rather than exist above them, as with the rich and wonderful
North is Freedom at Halifax North Branch.
Exhibition Space can be more than a glorified village hall, with the use of a curator with a range of gallery and community experience and a clear remit for working with community, creative communities and interested groups and embracing excitement!Imaginative design : which can sometimes be out of this world - Will Alsop's Peckham Library.This
South London branch library has an uncompromising look which hasn't deterred locals from completely embracing it.
The programming rooms (in the pods) are a beautiful use of natural materials employed in an unusual way.
Teen Spaces with VisionSome of the teen spaces I read about seem to be defined by having some bean bags and a video-game machine and an enthused staff - very much based on a traditional library furniture, display, service and collection model. New looks at shelving, lighting,
fresh collections, seating layouts, atmosphere and flexibility are especially important for creating teen spaces. New teen spaces should avoid being centered around what is easily available but more around what is possible, and filling in the gaps for local youth - while retaining a clear sense of library purpose.
I enjoyed reading about the
Knowasis Teen Learning Center at Scottsdale Arizona, as it has space, subtlety and style as well as great flexibility, different zoning and a re-invigorated collection all created in consultation with youth. I like the way it would be attractive to anyone, while still remaining relevant to the audience, and doesn't see the need to over-enthusiastically label it as "teen" or overloading a conception of teen identity.
The Imaginon Center in Charlotte is a
mixed use facility with a
Tech Central space for youth engagement, creativity and production using multimedia on a drop in basis, with specialized staff.
Learning from retailLibraries can learn a lot from retail spaces, as happened in
this Pickering Public Library project to improve user friendliness, in-line with other service providers in the retail sector. Part of the results, following public consultation was to rearrange the collection under broad headings for high interest areas, as in a large bookshop.
In a much broader way, I think that retail spaces offer a high responsiveness to user needs in terms of arranging their stock and services that could be useful in maximising circulation in libraries.
In terms of having an actual retail space, many public buildings such as galleries, museums and visitor centers have raised a large amount of capital by creating attractive and inspiring retail areas that have a sense of identity - creating ranges of items in partnerships with artists and designers, along with buying in selective materials that reflect the image and brand of the organization.
Tate Art Gallery ShopsWindsor Great ParkBaltic Art GalleryCertainly I don't believe the library necessarily needs to have a retail space, but if it does, it should be as exciting as the rest of the building, in what it sells and how it looks.
Pro-active on DisabilityThere are lots of useful resources such as
disability awareness kits and
accessibility checklists for public library buildings.
Inclusion throughout the design of building, reached through continued consultation,
can be extended to provide specific staff and services to pro-actively promote full accessibility to stock and services, so that in the same way that the new building may well declare it's environmental credentials, it can also boast of excellence in its equality in terms of provision for people with a spectrum of differing abilities, which involves much more than catering for wheelchair access, for example. Some areas (Ontario, England amongst others) have made this a legal requirement - any future plans would be wise to be proactive and integrate service standards now.
Toronto Public Library Centre for DisabilitiesOntario Library Association Session on
Serving Patrons with Developmental Disabilitiesand last but by no means least......- in partnership with HRM parks, a
tropical conservatory on the top floor which makes up for Halifax Public Gardens being closed in the winter. While I am not really expecting this to happen, I will happily lend my name to it when it is built, or even just spend the entire winter there.
While it seems to be a ridiculous suggestion, it doesn't seem that way when you visit it at London's Barbican Centre, which contains a spectacularly good Public Library amongst other things...... it raises capital by being hired out for events and is used occasionally for programming.
Details of the public consultation meeting for the Central Library are here
