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LIBRARY EXPANSION COMMITTEE INTERIOR SPACE SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT

GENERAL PHILOSOPHY

In line with the concept that "form follows function," the Interior Space Committee recommends that the Library Board have a clear sense of the library's function in the community before proceeding with more detailed planning for the interior space itself. Perhaps the library's mission statement should be reexamined, with an eye to how it affects the allocation of space in the new library.

Is maximum interaction with library patrons desirable? If so, staff offices scattered throughout the library, possibly with partial glass walls could be considered. Does the Board envision the library as a center for the arts? If so, a theater should be considered. Should it function as a home-away-from-home for young adults? If so, a cafeteria manned by a concessionaire can be considered. Should the library be the intellectual and continuing education center of Ossining? Enclosed meeting rooms of various capacities would facilitate this function.

In our visits to various Westchester Libraries, we have noticed that two overall plans predominate. One is an open space plan, which the present Ossining Library has, and the other has been called the "rabbit warren" approach. Each fosters different traffic movement and promotes different activities. We would particularly recommend that the Board visit the Chappaqua Library and speak with some of its staff to view and appreciate the advantages and disadvantages of an open plan. The Larchmont Library is designed as a rabbit warren, where a visit could acquaint the Board with its assets and deficits. Another very effective rabbit warren library is in Irvington. It is however, small, so less a model than Larchmont's library in planning for expansion.

REFERENCE DESK.

The committee feels that an Information Desk should be positioned just inside whichever entrance is to be considered the main entrance; this desk would be staffed by a clerk or volunteer who would be equipped to answer questions of a basic or directional nature.

The Reference Desk proper should be located further inside, but still clearly visible from the main entrance. Each Reference librarian position should have its own catalog/Internet terminal. If possible, each terminal should be equipped with a pair of displays, one facing the librarian, one facing the patron, so that the patron would be able to examine the set of records or titles that a librarian has called up without having to peer around the machine or stand behind the desk looking over the librarian's shoulder. Ample Ready Reference shelves should be situated behind the Reference Desk seats, as is the case now.

Internet and CD-ROM terminals for public use (10-12 positions in all?) should be placed nearby and split into two clusters, one on either side of the desk and each in a concave semi-circle for easy monitoring from the desk. Catalog terminals (not containing Internet access) may be dispersed throughout the open area for public use.

The duty librarians should have as clear a line of sight to as many parts of the room as possible, including most of the stack aisles and any area set aside for Young Adults.

A work area for the Reference staff should be positioned as close to the desk as possible; it should have ample ventilation.

A security guard station should be positioned in such a way as to command the same line of sight to many parts of the main floor - either alongside Reference or at some other optimum vantage point.

QUIET SPACES

We have visited libraries in Croton, Mt. Kisco, Mt. Pleasant, Chappaqua, and Irvington, and staff members have reported on their experiences in Shrub Oak, Eastchester, and Yonkers.

We have found that whether the libraries are built on an open space plan, similar to Ossining's, or on the rabbit warren plan, as described by the director of the Irvington library, where such is the layout, all are in agreement that patrons need some quiet space, which has been found lacking in libraries with a completely open plan.

Circulation, reference, fiction and non-fiction stacks, and audio-visual materials should probably be in a large room such as Ossining's present space, with visibility throughout for noise control, etc.

But quiet spaces, preferably separated by walls, but minimally by stacks, should be provided. In some cases they could be separated by glass walls where there is a need for supervision.

Quiet spaces should accommodate the following:

Reading space. This should be near the periodicals, or possibly enclosed with the periodicals. We point to the attractive space in our present library, where patrons can read and look out over our view of The Hollow. If the library is oriented to the southwest, we may be able to take advantage of the river view in that direction. We hope that the view will not be obscured by stacks.

Study. Ossining has a large number of teenagers who need space away from home to study. These spaces could be carrels, or they could be glass enclosed so they can be monitored and used only for study, and not become meeting places. Adults also can use these study spaces.

Research. This should be near the reference section.

Tutoring. Ossining has an active English as a Second Language program, which we should encourage, and the tutors generally meet their students at the library. These spaces should be large enough for two people and a table.

CD listening. Carrels should be provided for this purpose, but do not need to be totally enclosed, merely shielded.

Meetings. The library should have several small meeting rooms that would accommodate a large table and 10 or 12 chairs for various community meetings.

YOUNG ADULT AREA

Young Adult books should be shelved in a clearly defined area (making use of bright colors and signs) near the main stacks. This should not be a separate room, and must be easily supervised from the Reference Desk (unless other librarians will be responsible for supervising it).

It should have its own seating - a combination of comfortable chairs for reading and tables with chairs for study. It should have a Young Adult Reference area, with copies of school textbooks, as well as one or more computer stations with access to the catalog and other internal reference materials, but without access to the Internet (at least for now). Provision should be made for possible Internet access in the future.

The Young Adult area should have lots of display space - both on the walls and tables (or shelves).

Listening stations with headphones would also be desirable (maybe to be shared with the adult collection).

CHILDREN'S AREA

As there is a separate Children's Committee, we will keep our remarks brief. Nevertheless, after our visits to a number of local libraries, the following general principles have emerged.

Many libraries consider the space allocated for a children's room to be inadequate: determining the maximum space needed and then increasing it by a substantial margin would seem to be a good working guideline.

A separate area, perhaps even a separate room, should be set aside for computers.

A separate room for story hour and other activities is crucial. These activities should not interfere with normal browsing.

MISCELLANEOUS POINTS
  1. Whether an open plan or "rabbit warren" design is chosen, the main floor of both old and new buildings should be on the same level, connected by a bridge if the two building do not abut. In addition to being most convenient for patrons, this might mean that no new elevator or separate disabled access would be required.
  2. The driveway leading to the expanded library should have a drop-off for the return of books. One committee member saw in a California library a drop-off equipped with a device for checking in the books by computer, which would be desirable.
  3. In addition to the permanently-installed computers, there should be wiring to allow users to connect their own compact computers to the Internet at several study areas.
  4. A soda and snack machine area might be desirable. We have been disturbed to realize that patrons are allowed to bring drinks and snacks into the reading room and reference section. Snacks are often greasy, and eating them while looking at books and magazines means soiling the printed material. We understand that young adults coming to the library after school are often hungry, but we feel that they should not eat and read at the same time, and instead could have a place where they can get refreshments, away from printed material. We realize there are eating-places in the neighborhood, but these are more expensive than snack machines, etc., and too commercial, and also are more suited for adults. If the Board concludes that a more elaborate caf would be desirable, we believe it should be a franchise or concession arrangement, so that the library staff does not have to supervise the place.
  5. At several of the libraries we visited, the issue of a courtyard came up, with mixed reviews. In Chappaqua, the staff said the two large courtyards are never used. Individuals don't go there on their own, and nobody schedules meetings there because of weather uncertainties. In Irvington, on the other hand, the staff liked the courtyard and said it was used for story hours and other events. So we would like the board to consider whether a small, inviting courtyard, with comfortable outdoor chairs and tables, might work for Ossining, or whether a grade level deck might work. (We suggest grade level on the theory that a higher deck might invite young people to toss things overboard.) We also suggest that the courtyard/deck not be placed in front of the building where it would be exposed to noise and fumes from traffic. Possibly it could take advantage of our western or southern views.
  6. We would like to recommend that careful consideration be given to the selection of an architect and, preferably one with library experience. In its recent renovation, Irvington found Stephen Tilley of Dobbs Ferry, NY, productive to work with. Although he knew little about libraries when he started, he grew in the job. It is possible that Irvington could be his training locale, with Ossining benefiting from it. It was also suggested to us that the Board would need to hire an independent project manager to keep track of details. This individual should not be a member of the Architect's or the Contractor's firm.
  7. The Village of Irvington allocated no money at all for the new library, which was financed through a fund drive conducted by the Board. The Finance Committee needs to explore this and come up with an estimate of how much could be raised through a fund drive.

Respectfully submitted,
The Interior Space Subcommittee
Doris Appleby
Betsy Brown
Cheryl Cohen
Natalee Fogel
John Hawkins
Charles Newman