PEOPLE PLACES: PUBLIC LIBRARY BUILDINGS FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM.

Outlines trends which are affecting use and perception of public library buildings. Drawing upon recent experience in New South Wales, described are planning and design issues which need to be addressed to help ensure that public library buildings will be able to meet the needs of their communities for many years to come

Early fears of the decline of public libraries and their supplanting by use of the interact from office and home have not been realised. The very opposite effect has been seen worldwide. The use of public library facilities grows steadily from year to year. Their role as the basis for an informed society, a skilled and educated workforce, a means of providing access and equity, a force in the world economy, a stimulated and thinking population and a happy and contented community has been restated and reaffirmed many times and needs no restating here.[1] We know that public libraries are the most frequently used and most warmly appreciated community service provided by local authorities in Australia.

Recently, emphasis has been given to the social capital value of public libraries, whether as a force in `building community identity' or as `a multidimensional place where people and information meet ... the modern day forum or agora'.[2] I share the belief that

   ... the library will continue to play an important role, at the heart of an
   actual community, and that the physical library will complement the virtual
   library in unique ways, rather than be replaced by it.[3]

This paper attempts to identify some of the implications for the planners and designers of public library buildings today and over the next few years. It draws upon recent experience of public library planning in Australia and upon the work carried out in 1999 and 2000 in reformulating the New South Wales guidelines for public library buildings.

People first

Meeting community needs was the motivation for the recent major review of guidelines for NSW public library buildings. The state government, through the Library Council of NSW, supports local public libraries by means of a subsidy, practical assistance through the State Library and its Public Libraries Branch, and by specific purpose grants. A number of library development grants have been awarded annually to assist local authorities with library building projects, including new buildings, refurbishing or reequipment, extension or adaptation of buildings originally designed for other purposes.

For many years, grant applications for buildings were assessed largely on their compliance with floorspace guidelines. These guidelines had their origins in the Library Association of Australia (now Australian Library and Information Association) 1972 publication Interim minimum standards for public libraries, and specified a certain number of square metres per 1,000 population.[4] A whole generation of public library buildings in Australia was constructed on this basis.

We resolved to test some of the assumptions under which we had been operating, and to assess their relevance for buildings for the new millennium. In this process we wanted to involve as many of the stakeholders in public libraries as possible: users and nonusers, local authority officers and elected members, library staff, key user groups and the population at large. We also wanted to take advantage of the skills of social and community planning professionals, and awarded the contract for the review to Heather Nesbitt, a town planner with a background in community consultation, in association with Bligh Voller Nield, an architectural practice. After an intensive round of focus groups and interviews, discussion papers and community feedback the resulting document, People places, was endorsed by the Library Council of NSW and published in 2000.[5]

People places is supplemented by a number of case studies which are on the State Library's website. These are intended to illustrate a range of planning and design solutions in NSW public libraries, rather than to be model developments to be replicated. New case studies will be added each year, including projects which have been successful in the competitive library development grant program.

Collaborative planning

Just as the preparation of People places resulted from extensive community consultation, so too the processes described in the document are dependent upon assessing community needs and a collaborative approach to planning. It delineates a complete methodology for local authorities planning new or extended library facilities, and can be used as a step by step guide.

The collaborative planning process involves all stakeholders in determining how to prepare an overall development plan for library services. The needs assessment planning method described utilises four tools

* Identified need The needs expressed by all stakeholders, including service providers, practitioners and consumers: qualitative information

* Normative need Statistical or quantitative information, including indicators about library use, provision per capita. This should be checked for consistency against qualitative information

* Comparative need Comparing service provision with other communities with similar sociodemographic characteristics. This tool needs to be applied judiciously, as good or best practice is sought

* Benchmark based need Benchmarks used in People places represent two different approaches, one based (like the preceding standards) on the target population (taking into account population projections and nonresident workforce use); the other based on collections and services to be provided to meet the needs of the population. A number of examples of calculations are provided in the publication

The resulting data, likely to indicate a range of provisions and required floor areas, are therefore based firmly on an understanding of the target community and its needs. This emphasis on community needs is carded forward into consideration of sites, the catchments served (based on accessibility and patterns of community activity), and the critical issue of choosing the right people, with the right people skills, to turn the identified needs into a successful building. Throughout the process there must be adequate consultation and engagement of the community.

People places rounds off with guidance on a range of `key design factors', again with the emphasis on people. How

* people use buildings

* they perceive them

* accessible the buildings are for people of varying mobility

* user needs must be respected when ecological sustainability is incorporated

* user characteristics must be considered when furniture is selected or designed or when shelving is set out

* safety and security issues will impact on people

So the planning process outlined in People places comes full circle. It begins with consideration and consultation with communities, in the context of major societal trends. It culminates in designs and plans which respect community needs and aspirations.

An assumption which People places makes is the perpetual web of change underlying any planning process. This paper looks in more detail at some of the threads in this web of change which have special significance for those of us involved in planning public library facilities. These threads or trends relate to people, technology, the economy and our expectations of a modern public library.

People trends

The population is changing, along with its needs and expectations, in number and in nature, in age and in geographical distribution. In Australia, over the next decades the proportion of elderly people will grow with greater life expectancy and a slowing birth rate. At the same time there will be a great deal of attention paid to children and young people, to equip them with all the skills they will need to thrive in a smarter world. The urban and rural environments in which the public library operates are changing significantly. There are already geographical differences in population distribution, with disproportionate growth in urban areas, and a trend towards urban consolidation and attempting to maintain economic and social infrastructure in rural and regional areas. These are the people trends, but what are the implications for our library buildings and services?

An ageing population

Very few, if any, communities are static. People grow older, or move away, or their household circumstances change. Overall trends show that the Australian population is ageing. People are living longer. The birth rate is not increasing. In the Australian Bureau of Statistics 1999 estimates, 12.3% of the population was aged 65 years or over. By 2021 it is forecast that this proportion will rise to 18.4%. The highest proportional increase is likely to be in the 85 years and over bracket.

Significant impacts on service demand must be expected. Elderly people are already heavy users of public library services. As well as collections and services geared to meet the needs of elderly people--for example housebound or home library services--there will be a special need to design appropriate spaces, fittings, furniture and environments, and to introduce targeted programs. This may mean

* in large libraries, consistent layout to aid orientation of people who may be confused by the unfamiliar or unexpected

* proper clearances eg space for walking frames, motorised chairs

* furniture which is easy for elderly people to get into and out of

* furniture, fittings and shelving with rounded corners to prevent minor injury

* furniture or equipment controls which are easy for people to understand and to adjust

* shelves which are not too close to the floor, nor too high

* light levels which are appropriate for people who no longer have 20/20 vision

* highly visible and accessible help points where staff can respond to calls for assistance

* a minimum number of floor levels

* floor surfaces which are even and slip resistant

* rooms or floor space for programs designed for elderly patrons

* space for volunteer helpers

There must be consideration of the needs of elderly people throughout the building, not just in designated areas. For example, grandparents may be bringing youngsters to storytelling, or teenagers may be showing elderly relatives how to find things on the internet.

It can be seen that the elderly will not be the sole beneficiaries of such measures. The public at large will benefit greatly. There is also considerable overlap with the needs of people with a disability and children.

People with a disability

Since the International Year of Disabled Persons there has been growing awareness of the needs of people with a temporary or permanent disability. The service needs of people with a disability are growing, both in line with the increasing proportion of ageing people, and with growing expectations, mobility and awareness of what is available. This will become even more pronounced as time goes on, with awareness stimulated by accessible websites, complementary programs and the already growing trends in lifelong learning.

There are many well documented external and internal issues to address, such as

* clear external signage and good signs and guide maps throughout the interior, including tactile signs or textural signals which may be part of the fabric of the building. Where there are changes in level or function, for example, this can be signalled by an appropriate change of floor texture

* handrail and balustrade design

* convenient access from designated parking bays located as close to the public entrance as is safe and practicable

* entries and doorways--automatic doors are essential for the major public entrances. Elsewhere, care should be taken with the springing of swing doors to ensure that they are convenient for people with a disability

* lift and stair design

* door furniture

* width of doorways, aisles, corridors and passageways

* furniture and equipment selection--the selection of every item to meet the needs of as wide a variety of users as possible. Increasingly there will be the routine installation of what is still often seen as specialised equipment--reading machines, talking terminals, print enlargers, audio loops

* shelving setout and design

* light levels

* emergency evacuation and fire precautions 

* acoustic design

* designs which are hospitable for staff with disabilities

To help us there is a wealth of information relating to accessible design, and in many countries this has been given statutory backing. In NSW, for example, there is the Disability services act, and we are also governed by the federal Disability discrimination act. There are Australian standards which set out best practice for access to and within buildings. There is the Building code of Australia with which all new buildings must comply.[6] There is little excuse nowadays for designing public library buildings with significant degrees of inaccessibility. We are obliged to take these issues seriously.

We are also well advised to go even further than bare compliance with the legislation. It is prudent to anticipate even more stringent legislation and standards for access by people with a disability in the future. We have already seen laws specify ever shallower ramps and more effective toilet facilities. We may one day see even tougher rules on ramp design, fire egress, frameless glazed screens, hard floor finishes, acoustics, light levels, furniture design and balustrade height. In new public library buildings or when renovating existing buildings, we should try to anticipate stricter rules and try to design out future problems.

Young adults and children

Young adults and children are key user groups in most communities, with library managers seeking to retain the interest and patronage of young people virtually from the cradle, through childhood, into adolescence and adulthood. The library has many benefits to offer them as neutral ground, where they will not be moved on for just hanging around, and as a place which is perceived as a safe place to be.[7] Young adults and children have been bracketed, but they are very distinct library user groups and need to be planned for as such. Michael Dewe's book on this user group is an excellent resource and a good starting point.[8] They need

* distinctive, discrete areas--places of their own

* places with a human scale and a measure of informality

* access to audiovisual and information technology resources and equipment, which may require special acoustic treatment

* appropriate furniture, or lack of it

* children's areas which include seating and space for their carers, parents and grandparents

* places which offer safety and security

* areas which reinforce their position as part of the community, but in the case of young adult areas, are not mere extensions of the children's area

* client involvement in design, decoration and fitout

Other cultures

Designs must take account of significant cultural groups in the population, just as collections, skills of staff and service provision take account of different needs and preferences. In the Australian situation this means considering the needs of various communities, including people from a nonEnglish speaking background and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

There needs to be sensitivity to the feelings of minority groups. In relation to Australia's indigenous populations, there are recognised protocols to observe, and these refer to community input into planning and design processes and use of library buildings. The protocols seek inter alia to `encourage the use of the organisation's facilities as meeting places and resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' (3.6) and to `involve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the planning, design and layout of libraries, archives and information services to create welcoming and suitable environments'(3.7).[9]

Involvement of key groups in the planning, and where appropriate the design process, is essential, so that they have ownership of the project and commitment to it. There may also be the opportunity to integrate appropriate decorative elements or public art into a project, thereby recognising the contribution of various ethnic groups to the community. At Liverpool Public Library in NSW, for example, we included public and community art relating to many community groups and the original indigenous custodians of the land. The art and craft works were designed as the building was being designed, not added as afterthoughts.

In some localities new arrivals will increasingly benefit from areas tailored for their needs. For example, discreet spaces for language tutoring on a one to one basis, or computerised language programs in facilities with a degree of privacy. Demand for collections of resources in languages other than English will also grow. There are consequential space and design implications.

Rural and regional areas

The growth in population in the cities and urban areas is in stark contrast to what is happening in many inland localities. Many inland towns have experienced declining or static populations, with a decline in job opportunities and a consequent reduction in economic and social infrastructure. The provision of adequate library services to assist in the regeneration and future viability of such towns and rural areas will remain a challenge. Technology will assist and is touched upon later in this paper. Common threads running through facility planning in rural areas now and in years to come will be

* ensuring adequate space for equipment to access new services

* sharing infrastructure eg car parks, foyers, meeting facilities, exhibition space with other community facilities wherever possible

* exploring mutually beneficial links with educational and other institutions

* sharing buildings with other compatible public sector bodies or with commercial organisations, which may raise security issues eg if there is increased cash handling

* integrating other local authority services eg council one stop shops or customer service centres

Whatever physical links there are with other facilities, it is essential that the library have a distinct identity within a building or in a complex. The library should be considered a major attraction, just like an anchor tenant in a retail complex.

Urban consolidation

Urban consolidation has had a considerable impact in recent years. High and medium density development has been encouraged where there is adequate existing infrastructure, particularly near major public transport facilities. Former industrial land has been remediated and developed for residential, recreational or natural heritage purposes. Increased population means increased demand for services of all kinds, including library services.

In high and medium density areas, smaller dwellings mean more demand for study space in libraries. We have noticed an increased demand for study space generally in New South Wales, and it has been most pronounced in suburbs where the proportion of apartments or town houses has grown.

Scarcity of larger sites for community facilities may also mean buildings on more than one level, or libraries which are not on the ground floor. This raises issues of accessibility, efficiency and identity. There will be increasing pressure to share a site or a building with other community or even commercial facilities. Already there are many examples of libraries which are part of a residential or mixed development. There will be more and more such developments, which have a mutual benefit for developers and the community, if the arrangements entered into are equitable and sustainable. Wherever the library is located, it is essential that it maintains a distinct identity, and is not swallowed up by a host development.

In situations where public libraries are part of a commercial development, a different attitude to the fabric of the building and to the timescale in which it will operate may be necessary. Just as retail premises revamp themselves on a regular basis to continue to attract custom, so too with a library in such a location. It will have to be very responsive to changing needs, perhaps relocating within a shopping centre or from one mall to another as demographics change in particular localities.

It is worth noting that the build quality of a library within a shopping centre or residential development is likely to be inferior to that in a facility which the local authority might build for itself. This is unless there is the strictest specification of quality and the closest possible monitoring of construction and fitout.

Economic trends

The economic environment is affecting

* priorities of local authorities

* the capital cost of new buildings, extensions or adaptations

* the cost of sites

* the running costs of buildings

* the staff required to service them

Staffing costs

The efficient use of staff time will be a major factor in a successful design. In the future, efficient buildings will be more necessary than ever before. Spaces must be easy to supervise and labour efficient to run. Many routine library services and procedures are already being modified to limit staff intervention and to facilitate self service. Where the volume of transactions is high, this will be aided by self service loans and returns procedures and equipment. Items which are intrinsically valuable, fragile or vulnerable will be progressively digitised and made available to users, thereby reducing the need for staff intervention but requiring, of course, space for this to occur. Other issues affecting space requirements and design will be

* the impact of outsourcing of technical and other services

* wider cooperative purchasing--this may mean less space is needed locally, but perhaps more space in a regional facility

* multiskilling and the breakdown of compartmentalisation in employment, with a reduction in individual offices and a predominance of uniform workspaces for flexible workflows

Building costs

An emphasis on getting the best value for money is not new, but is becoming more of an issue as capital funds become hard to find. There is likely to be more detailed briefing and specification, the use of specialist consultants, and even closer scrutiny of designs. Already there is increasing use of value management in library building projects in order to find the most appropriate design to meet community needs at the most effective cost.

There will be increasing emphasis also on the long term costs of library buildings--their running costs and replacement costs--with the adoption of a total lifecycle approach. This involves stepping away from the capital costs of construction and fitout alone, and requires a combination of skills from architects, engineers, cost consultants, clients and building managers.

Already, more than lip service is being paid to ecologically sustainable development (ESD) in library projects. Geothermal systems are being explored, solar panels installed and passive solar design adopted. Controlled daylighting, the use of rainwater and grey water, and opportunities for natural ventilation are being put into practice in various projects.

Cost constraints, as well as the rural and urban changes mentioned earlier, also mean that opportunities for joint facilities are increasingly being canvassed, with schools, technical and further education institutions and universities being the most frequent partners. Some local authorities have sought to integrate customer service centres into local libraries, where the community may benefit from more convenient hours of opening.

There are, of course, many other ways of sharing infrastructure and therefore costs. These include sharing car parking, environmental plant, meeting space, roads and footpaths, and public facilities such as toilets and baby change rooms.

Other cost driven issues

Consideration of employer liabilities will grow in importance. The management of building related risks will influence building design and fitout, as well as services and practices within public libraries. In particular, security and occupational health and safety issues will be the subject of scrutiny by risk managers, often because of a review of insurance premiums. Some of the issues involved are

* workplace design and the liability of employers for employee and client safety

* security of property and people

* more efficient and safer materials handling 

Safety and security must not be afterthoughts. They must be integral to the design process.[10]

Technological trends

Information technology will permeate every aspect of the services, resources and activities of the library. The building must provide every opportunity to facilitate this, otherwise it will be impossible to take full advantage of what is offered.

A presence on the web draws attention to the services and resources of libraries, both virtual and physical, so that the library building itself will remain important. It has been noted that heavy internet users are frequently also heavy library users. It has been noted, too, that telecommuters working from home become very reliant on local community facilities, including their library resources.

Providing equity of access to information resources, irrespective of format, will be a continuing role of the public library, and a continuing mason to provide appropriate space for the community, with a variety of software and hardware, the right IT infrastructure and the necessary technical know how.

In many cases this means a widening role for the library as the access point to information and services previously obtained from a variety of sources. In some cases services may not have been accessible at all, or accessible only at a high cost. This may pose challenges for local authorities, particularly in remote areas. Technology is helping to improve this situation. In New South Wales, for example, NSW.net is being rolled out. This is an electronic information network linking councils and public libraries throughout the state, providing councils and their communities with access to the internet and selected databases, and a private networking and email facility.[11]

Promoting information literacy will remain a key role of the library, directed especially at those members of the community who, because of their age group or background, have not been exposed to any form of training in the use of new information technologies. Informal and formal training space will be required.

The vision of the local public library, in the foreseeable future at least, is of a hybrid library with physical and virtual services and resources. Power and data cabling and the provision of an appropriate working environment will remain important practical issues. In some ways, technology is progressively making life a little easier for planners. For example, wireless local area networks can reduce the extent of data cabling and increase the potential flexibility of buildings. This is good news, as in future the need for flexible and adaptable buildings will be greater than ever before.

User expectations

User expectations of library services will also grow, with high expectations of quality and extent of service, quality of resources, and quality of working environment. A critical expectation is access to staff, so that users can contact and interact with real people. This is labour intensive, but is a very rewarding experience for most users. It may seem contradictory to promote labour saving devices and self service at one point and to stress here the importance of human contact. However the object is to remove much of the drudgery of the routine or directional so that staff-client interaction can concentrate on more substantial issues.

A community hub

Permeating all recent public library developments in Australia and in comparable countries overseas is the expanding role of the public library as a hub of community activity. The public library as a community focus, a place of social contact and of individual and group learning has a distinct and valued role in the communities of the future. The library may even have a role in the regeneration of depressed or underutilised areas, with complementary facilities bringing people back into a cohesive community with an identifiable heart.

As a community hub the library is many things to different people. Expectations will be varied. Some will seek a haven, a safe place to go. Others require a quiet oasis. Facilities to be integrated or linked may include exhibition space, multipurpose space for functions, meeting space for lifelong learning, independent or self directed learning centres, computer training rooms or refreshment areas. Contiguous spaces may be required for activities which are closely identified with the library, including book and technology launches, meet the author sessions and literature awards. Integrated spaces may be required as a focus for the historical resources of the region, for example by a local studies exhibit, expanded local studies resources, archival storage, and networked digital copies.

The physical presence, the character and personality of the building will still be vitally important. Quality space will be required which is appropriate to community expectations, and which will perhaps surpass them. Image is important. People need places of which they will feel proud.

Increasing demand

Demand can be expected to increase. Already onsite users may outnumber borrowers in many Australian public libraries. They may be using electronic resources and equipment, copying facilities, printed reference and information sources, recreational and informational newspapers and periodicals, or simply using the library as a meeting place. Increases will also occur in offsite services, including services via the library's web pages, and focused services for particular target groups, such as home library services.

There may be enhanced opportunities to provide innovative services. In some special situations space may be required for entrepreneurial opportunities which may arise, including services for the business community or timesaver services for busy people.

All of these issues have space and design implications which must be assessed as part of the investigation of user needs.

Conclusion

Even though resources, means of access and user needs will change markedly during the life of any building, the successful public library building will be able to cope. This requires that we are alert to trends in society at large and to the needs of our communities, and have designed our spaces accordingly.

In this process we need to go beyond what can be called the `mechanics of library planning', the basic precepts of sound design. We cannot ignore these, of course, but we need to go much further into the heart of each community--each distinct in its own way. There is no `one size fits all' solution. There are vastly different community profiles, in terms of household income, ethnicity, computer ownership, size of residence, level of education and age distribution. Each project will have its range of solutions and approaches, drawing on the expressed needs of the community, on the collective experience of the project team, on knowledge of other people's buildings, on what we have seen in the literature and on published guidelines and manuals. From this array of resources we will draw our ideas and inspiration in our quest for excellence in library design, for the people places for our communities.

Acknowledgements Many of the ideas explored in this paper were stimulated by the People places project. The valuable work on this by consultants Heather Nesbitt and Bligh Voller Nield is gratefully acknowledged. Helpful comments on a draft of this article were also made by Kathleen Bresnahan, Cameron Morley, Paul Scully, Murray Spriggs and Chris Williams of the State Library of NSW.

This article is based on a presentation at the Library development in the millennium seminar, Hong Kong Central Library 19 May 2001. Views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the State Library nor of the Library Council of NSW.

References

[1] See, for example, Poustie, K.A knowledge centre for the community: a new role for the public library Gutersloh, Bertelsmann Foundation 1999 <www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/INPL>

[2] Ang, C, Das, H, Dobbie, A and Kent, S The public library--idea, cyberplace, physical presence Gutersloh, Bertelsmann Foundation 2001 p6 <www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/INPL>

[3] ibid p19

[4] Library Association of Australia Interim minimum standards for public libraries Sydney, Library Association of Australia 1972

[5] People places: a guide for public library buildings in New South Wales prepared by Heather Nesbitt in association with Bligh Voller Nield for the Library Council of NSW, Sydney, Library Council of NSW 2000 Full version at <www.slnsw.gov.au/plb/policies/build/guide.pdf>

[6] Among standards relating to accessibility of buildings is Australian Standard AS 1428, Design for access and mobility. Sections of the uniform national Building code of Australia deal with accessibility. Owners of new buildings are liable to legal action under the Federal Disability discrimination act if they do not meet certain minimum standards of accessibility. The text of this act is available at the Australasian Legal Information Institute <www.austlii.edu.au/au/ legis/cth/consol_act>. Helpful Advisory notes on access to premises have been issued by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission <www.hreoc.gov.au/disability_rights/standards/Access_to premises/premises_advisory.html>

[7] This image of the public library as a welcoming and a secure place for members of the community is widespread, as evidenced by extensive research. A recent study, commissioned by the Public Libraries Branch of the State Library of NSW is Cox, E. A safe place to go Sydney, University of Technology, Sydney and the State Library of NSW 2000 <www.slnsw.gov.au/plb/ publish/safe.pdf>

[8] Dewe, M Planning and designing libraries for children and young people London, Library Association Publishing 1995

[9] Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander protocols for libraries, archives and information services Canberra, Australian Library and Information Association for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Library and Information Resource Network 1996 <www.ntu.edu.au/library/ protocol.html>

[10] See, for example, Jones, D and Larkin, G Securing a good design: a library building consultant and an architect consider library security Australasian public libraries and information services 6(4) Dec 1993 p 164-168

[11] The NSW.net project allows NSW public libraries and their local authorities to connect to the internet, and to each other. There are three main aspects to NSW.net (1) a permanent high bandwidth connection to the internet for a set per annum cost (2) the establishment of NSW.net as a consortium for the bulk purchase of information and other products and services (3) the development of web applications for members and the community. NSW.net is being project managed by the State Library of NSW in consultation with the Public Libraries Consultative Committee <www.nswnet.net>

Dr David J Jones MA(Oxon) DipLib(NSW) PhD(NSW) AALIA JP studied modern languages at Oxford University and librarianship at the University of NSW, where he presented his doctoral thesis on the development of library services in Australia. He has worked at the State Library of NSW since 1970, holding senior positions in the Mitchell Library and the State Reference Library before coordinating the Library's new building and refurbishing project between 1983 and 1988. In 1989 David established the library's commercial consultancy service, the Building and Planning Advisory Service. Since then he has consulted on over two hundred library projects in Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia. Address: State Library of NSW Macquarie Street Sydney NSW 2000 tel[phone] fax[phone] [e-mail]