Public libraries have been very innovative in their approach to library space design. Perhaps it stems from the fact that they have a level of connection with the community that doesn’t happen in academic libraries.

I am particularly interested in the Ideas Stores in the UK.  They taken the retail paradigm and applied to libraries. I am particularly taken by the boldness and colour in these spaces. I believe that there are elements that we could use in an academic environment.

They way we engage our community is by creating spaces more conducive to learning. How to we create libraries that a seemless with Faculty? What would such a library look like? I am trying to visualise such a library now.

Watch this space…

This chapter describes work done at University of Rochester where librarians designed a library and then they got students to do the same exercise. Essentially our assumptions about what students want is often wrong and getting their input need not be too onerous.

Check out the article here: http://docushare.lib.rochester.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-27280/chapter_four.pdf