Checklist of Library Building Design Considerations

With staff time at a premium, and library budgets that leave little room for overages, undertaking a successful library building or renovation project requires precision planning, effective communication, and focused coordination. Using a checklist approach that will ensure that no detail is overlooked, this new edition of Sannwald's classic guide will help you stay prepared and organized for every phase of your project from conception through the dedication ceremony. This planner covers crucial considerations like the impacts of COVID-19, such as air quality, proper ventilation, CDC recommendations, collaborative spaces, and designing with open space in mind; how the shift to digital affects library building design, completely new to this edition; Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) factors, structured to match the federal code; sustainable design features, including sensors that save energy and water, and other “healthy building” topics; designing makerspaces, digital media labds, or leased library enterprises; disaster and recovery planning; creating quiet spaces; storage requirements for collections and materials-handling efficiency; and important aspects of virtual services to bear in mind during physical space decisions.

Table of Contents:
Preface Building, Planning, and Architecture Indicators of Dissatisfaction with Existing Facilities Institutional Planning Team Determining Space Needs Joint Use Considerations Selecting a Library Building Consultant Choosing an Architect Client/Architect/Contractor Relationships Architectural Design Choosing a Contractor Building Construction Alternatives New Construction Considerations Building Addition Considerations Conversion of Existing Buildings for Library Use Preserving Existing Library Buildings Virtual Library Considerations Alternatives to Increasing Library Spaces Library Site Selection General Conditions Community Planning Issues Location Accessibility Size Environmental Issues Safety Issues Sustainable Design LEED Certification Sustainable Sites Water Efficiency Energy and Atmosphere Materials Indoor Environmental Air Quality Lighting and Daylighting Roofs Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning General Exterior Considerations Landscaping Parking Building Exterior Roof Bicycle Racks Flagpole Exterior Signage Loading Docks and Delivery Outdoor Trash Enclosures Outdoor Book and Media Returns and Curbside Pickups Interior Organization of Library Buildings Public Health Considerations Entrance Circulation Desk Facilities Reference Facilities Information Commons Collaborative Spaces Multimedia Facilities Media Production and Presentation Labs Special Collections, Rare Books, and Archives Reserve Book Room Faculty/Graduate Carrels and Study Rooms Group, Quiet, and Silent Study Spaces Literacy Center Young Adult Facilities Children’s Facilities Meeting and Seminar Rooms Convenience Facilities Displays Public Art Interior Signage Workroom and Offices Staff Lounge Friends of the Library Library Store Interior Storage Safe and Shelter Rooms Compliance with ADA Accessibility Standards Transportation, Parking Lots, Parking Signage, and Accessible Routes Ground and Floor Surfaces Curb Cuts Ramps Stairs Lifts and Elevators Doors Entrances Accessible Routes within the Building Drinking Fountains Toilet Rooms Toilet Stalls Water Closets Urinals Lavatories Handrails and Grab Bars Controls and Operating Mechanisms Alarms Signage Telephones Fixed or Built-in Seating and Tables Assembly Areas Building Assistance Facilities Service Animals Telecommunications, Electrical, and Miscellaneous Equipment Industry Standards General Considerations Entrance Facility Equipment Room Telecommunications Room Horizontal Pathways Cabling and Outlets Wireless Workstation Connections Workstation Equipment Telephone System Miscellaneous Electrical Equipment Electrical Power Interior Design and Finishes General Cleaning Protocols Service Desks Seating Tables Plus-Friendly Spaces Lighting Windows Flooring Walls Color Equipment List Behavioral Aspects of Space Entrepreneurial and Collaborative Spaces Makerspaces Coworking in the Library Technology Lending Library Musical Instrument Lending Library Tool Lending Library Seed Lending Library Open Educational Resources (OER) Materials Handling and Storage: Book Stacks and Shelving Conventional Stationary Stacks and Shelving Movable-Aisle Compact Shelving Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems Materials Handling Systems Remote Storage Storage and Distribution of Electronic Media Building Systems Acoustics HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning Systems) Electrical Systems Lighting Plumbing and Restrooms Elevators and Escalators Internet of Things to Monitor and Control Building Systems Safety, Security, and Public Health General External Security Internal Security Fire Safety Disaster Planning Public Safety Public Health Maintenance of Library Buildings and Property Regular Routine Maintenance Considerations Building Materials Graffiti and Security Building Systems Preventive Maintenance Building Cleaning Custodial Facilities Groundskeeper Facilities Trash Enclosures Betterments and Improvements Building Construction Process, Change Orders, Occupancy, and Post-Occupancy Evaluation Construction Site Meetings Change Orders Building Acceptance Certificate of Occupancy Getting Ready for Occupancy Moving Post-Occupancy Evaluation Groundbreaking and Dedication Ceremonies Planning Event Checklist Bibliography About the Author Index

About the Author :
William W. Sannwald is a full-time faculty member in the Fowler College of Business at San Diego State University and works as a library building and administrative consultant. He was an assistant to San Diego’s city manager and was the city’s manager of library design and development from 1997 to 2004. Prior to that, he was city librarian of the San Diego Public Library. He has worked in public libraries in Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, and California. Sannwald received his bachelor’s degree in economics from Beloit College in Wisconsin, an MBA degree from Loyola University in Chicago, and an MALS degree from Dominican University in Illinois. He has presented papers at national and international conferences and is the author of a number of books and articles on library architecture and management. The San Diego chapter of the American Institute of Architects presented him with their highest award, the Irving Gill Award, for his contributions to library architecture, and he received the San Diego design community’s Ruocco Award for his contributions to urban architecture. During his career, Sannwald has been involved in the construction of more than fifty library buildings as either a consultant or owner’s representative in the United States, Great Britain, Angola, Greece, and the United Arab Emirates. He was elected to the International Federation of Library Systems’ Standing Committee for Library Buildings and Equipment for 2007–2011. Sannwald teaches a variety of upper division undergraduate and MBA courses in the management department at San Diego State University’s Fowler School of Business. He was selected as the most influential management professor and received the Outstanding Faculty Award in the Business School. In 2017 he received the Teaching Excellence Award from his peers. In 2022, he was selected as the first Glazer Outstanding Lecturer Fellow, which includes a generous stipend funded through private gifts.