Library Configuration Flashcards
_________-shaped rooms and buildings are preferred, because ________________________________________________________________ . The main exception is ______________ .
Rectangular. Rectangular rooms with straight walls fit books better than other shapes and have easily-understood acoustic properties. The exception can be reading rooms, which can be more easily fit with seating spaces and more attractive with curved walls and circular spaces.
In the Northern hemisphere, exterior entrances should be on the ____________ side of the building. Failing that, ____________ and __________ should be preferred. This is because ___________________________________________________.
Entrances on the South side of the building, or failing that, South-west or South-East. This is because the sun will melt the ice in winter, the angle will protect from typical wind directions, and there will be consistent light throughout the year.
While exterior entrances should be on the _____________ side of the building, a main drawback is _______________________________________ .
South side. In the winter, the low sun can cause a lot of glare.
Entrances to rectangular rooms should be on a ___________ side of the room, because ______________________________________________ .
A long side of the room. This is because it allows better staff supervision and a freer flow of traffic.
A library should aim to have ______ public entrance(s), because __________________________________________________________ . The two primary exceptions are ____________________________________________ .
A library should aim to have ONE public entrance, because more entrances require more staffing and security. The two primary exceptions are 1) older libraries with historic entrances that need a second, accessible entrance, and 2) libraries with a street entrance on one side and a parking lot entrance on another side.
Libraries should avoid ________________________ as structural supports because _______________________________.
Avoid load-bearing walls because they make it very difficult to modify the space in the future.
Libraries need to maintain ___________________ for ___________________________. This can be achieved through _____________________________________.
Libraries need to maintain good sight lines for supervision, security, and wayfinding. This can be achieved through glass walls and windows, minimal solid walls, and desk orientations that allow ease of supervision.
Wayfinding should be _________________________________. The two main factors in wayfinding in libraries are __________________________________.
As intuitive as possible. The main factors are layout and signage.
In terms of navigation, both the Adult and Children’s sections should be ______________________________________________.
Should be accessible from the main entrance without needing to enter the other section, and should be easy to find from the main area.
A ________________________ is rarely a good idea in a library, because __________________________________________________.
A basement, because of environmental control issues (temperature, humidity, mold, floods) that may damage books or other materials, and a lack of light that may damage staff mental health.
Spaces should be driven first by __________________________.
Functional needs.
Never construct a library that ______________________________.
Can’t be expanded.
Patrons need ________ routes through the building.
Simple.
Libraries should have _________ routes, which can be more ___________________ than _____________ routes.
Staff routes, which can be more complex than patron routes.
_______________ have their own routes through the building, and so their traffic must be considered.
Books.
