HIT: library on 2 floors

[Susan Henderson <SHenderson@SHSCHOOLS.ORG>]

Thank you to everyone (and there were lots!) who responded in all sorts of
ways to my request for opinions about a 2-story library.  Here is a digest
of the advice I received.

1.  Although no one said they would chose a 2-story facility, there were,
surprisingly, some people who felt they offered some advantages.
Separation of functions, separation of teaching spaces, and separation of
the quiet from the less quiet were all mentioned as gains in this
arrangement.

2.  The issue of staffing is primary. The committment must be permanent.
Several well-staffed libraries actually seemed to thrive in a two-story
environment. Where there was not enough professional staff, the students
suffered. They also suffered when non-library staff were assigned to
"proctor" an area. "Enough" staff might be more than you think. It is
important to pay attention to how many distinct spaces are being created.
Although two floors are often perceived as being two spaces to supervise,
they may in fact be three or more.  One librarian found it "tricky" to
adequately cover his two floors with 6 full time staff and student help.

3. Lacking staff, as most of us do, other workable options were to put
conference rooms, mail and sorting rooms, storage rooms, AV viewing rooms,
and other non-public or semi-public functions on the secondary floor.
Other options that were said to work were to put fiction, periodicals, and
computer terminals, on the secondary floor. These options, however, all
required additional supervision in some form or another. Most did not
consider it desireable to separate reference from circulating books, as in
a college library.  Several found this arrangement particularly unworkable
in the high school setting, no matter what the staffing level might be.


4.  Legends of balconies and mezzanines abound.  "Don't do them!" was the
overwhelming cry.  It is amazing that the architects of these are still in
business, but they are. There seems to be an illusion that a balcony or
mezzanine is not "really" a separate floor, and thus can be supervised from
below. They have no advantages unless, of course, you collect old sandwiches.

5.  Access to the secondary floor should be inside the library, not
outside. There absolutely must be an elevator or at least a dumb waiter to
connect the two floors.  Even if all the books are on one floor, lots of
things will end up on the other floor. Pay attention to the traffic pattern
you will follow in using the elevator, also.  It should be where it is
convenient for you, the staff.

6.  Outside access should be well-planned and suited to the particular
environment.  Some people wanted access on both floors, to minimize
traffic; others wanted access on one only, to maximize security.

Thank you one and all.  We are going to keep our second floor accessible to
students only when accompanied by an adult, and we are going to hold out
for that dumb waiter.  I am told an elevator costs $500,000 in the San
Francisco area!

Susan Henderson

Director of Library and Media Services
Sacred Heart Preparatory
150 Valparaiso Avenue
Atherton, CA  94027

Phone   650 - 473-4019
FAX     650 - 322-7151

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