Union County Library's Renovated Monroe Library "Wows" Community

Kimberly Bolan and Associate's latest renovation project is the Monroe Library, one of the branches of the Union County Public Library in North Carolina.  KBA began working with the library in 2016. KBA's role included community engagement, space planning, and all furniture selection and interior design. 

The new space opened earlier this month. One of the most noticeable changes happens as soon as you enter the building. The large circulation desk is gone and replaced by numerous small desks, giving staff more access to patrons and making it easier to walk around. “It’s so exciting because the building seems new and fresh and the patrons seem really excited about it,” Assistant Director Lindsey Shuford said. The reaction has been “pretty overwhelmingly positive,” Shuford said. “They’re really wowed by the difference."

Entrance into the renovated Monroe Branch of the Union Co. Public Library (NC)

Other changes include a relocated, enlarged, and zoned children’s area with spaces for the very young as well as older children. A new integrated storytime area is now on the floor instead of in a room, allowing more visibility.  A new computer area includes places for individual computing as well as collaborative use. Everything has lockable casters, allowing for mobility and flexibility to meet any group’s needs. 

A second phase for renovations is tentatively planned for next fall. It will include adding new lounge seating, small group study areas, a cafe, and a science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) room featuring virtual reality and other offerings.

Read more here.

Reading, relaxing at library's remodeled children's department

Kimberly Bolan and Associates (KBA) is excited to announce the opening of the newly remodeled children's space at the Anderson (IN) Public Library (APL). KBA has been working with APL's library teem for over a year to plan, design, and realize this colorful, nature-themed, highly engaging area for ages 0 - 12.

Photo: John B. Cleary, The Herald Bulletin

New features include an interactive early literacy area for ages 7 and under, read-to-me seating for parents and children, flip-through picture book shelving, a lounge area for older children, a pop-up programming space for ages 8 -12, study and tutoring areas, Mamava station for nursing mothers.

a revamped modular service point, and a

Read more about the space here.

Orion Township Public Library Renovation - Phase 1

I just received some photos from our client and friend Karen Knox, Director of the Orion Township (MI) Public Library. Kimberly Bolan and Associates has been partnering with Karen and her team over the past few years on both strategic planning and facilities planning.

Karen's compiled images showing the results of Phases 1 and 2 of their 3-phase space redesign project (on a budget). Phase 1 included a remodel of their lobby and implementation of a new service model (smaller service point, self-serve check-out and holds, and more).  Phase 2 involved a complete redesign of their children's area with collections, spaces, and interactive elements for ages 0 - 12.

Phase 3 begins this month with the revamping of the rest of the library. Stay tuned for more!

Flip-through Picture Book Shelving

Palmieri board book
browser bins used in the
Sachem Public Library's (NY)
Children's Room renovation.

Back in 2012 I posted a brief overview and resource guide on flip-through / face out shelving for children's books in libraries.  To date, it has been one of my post popular posts.  Because I continue to get emails and questions on a regular basis, I wanted to share an updated guide with you. Of course these are only a few options available in the marketplace, but it gives you a good starting point.

Note that several of these products have been used in Kimberly Bolan and Associates projects, so let me know if you have any further questions as you conduct your research and evaluation your options.

During the Plainfield Public Library's (IN) Children's Room renovation,
we replaced existing flat shelves with steel browser bins.
We also cut down their existing wood end panels to child size.
Note: Typically we remove the wood canopy tops when we do this,
but Plainfield chose to keep them and say it's working out well.

Updated, Interactive Children's Library in Plainfield, IN

Kimberly Bolan and Associates, in collaboration with Lehner Designs, recently planned and redesigned the 8,100 SF children's room of the Plainfield-Guilford Township Library in Plainfield, IN.

Entrance into the Renovated Children's Room

The overall goal was to create an updated, interactive, 21st century environment with broad appeal to children ages 0 through 12 as well as parents and caregivers.  The new space is "zoned" into various areas including an early literacy/toddler area, a social space for young school-aged children and pre-teens, a study area, and a creative center called the Imagination Hub and Art Zone. 

This budget-friendly redesign included minimal construction, the re-use of the library's existing steel shelving, the re-purposing of its large 1987 service desk, which now serves as part of the Imagination Hub, and the inclusion of interactive, hands-on activities, for all ages, throughout the room.  

This is the second space redesign project KBA has done with Plainfield-Guilford Library. Visit my Flickr site for photos of the children's space and more.

Sachem (NY) Public Library's Revamped Children's Library - In Progress

This is one of my latest children's space projects in progress at the Sachem Public Library, NY. The video shows the Burgeon Group interactive wall installation.  Our team planned and designed their entire new children's area to open soon!  Thanks to Lehner Designs, Marisa Amara, and Burgeon Group for an awesome collaboration.  Stay tuned for more.

Face Out Shelving for Children

It's not a secret that I'm a huge fan of face out or "flip-through" shelving for children's libraries.  Face out collections engage users and increase circulation.  If you want kids to connect to collections you need to show them what you have and make materials easily accessible.  Excite them and encourage them to interact with the collection by showing them the colorful and interesting cover designs.  Don't bore them or discourage them with rows and rows of spines.

I know that many in our profession are scared by this idea because they say 1) staff and adults won't be able to find things and/or 2) things will be out of order.  My response to this....

Many may think that spine out display is easier for staff and adults, but it's definitely not easier for or appealing to kids and, to me, the #1 goal for children's libraries is to connect kids to the collection.  And, according to several libraries who have implemented face out, flip-through shelving, it can be easily accessible to adults too.  The key is to think about the system you set up, how you process the materials, etc.

Over the past several months I've been doing a great deal of research on and analysis of picture book and other children's collections.  I've found that with some weeding (sometimes some pretty significant weeding) and transitioning to flip-through shelving, circulation of materials is going up anywhere from 20 - 40%.  If you're looking for some good examples to share with decision makers, the Indian Prairie Public Library in Darien, IL has had great success.  See their YouTube video for more information.  The Frankfort Public Library District in Frankfort, IL has also reported significant increases in circulation.  Several of my clients are also in the process of transitioning.  A few have already, in a few short months, seen the positive results of both weeding and flip-though display.

When looking for flip-through / face out / bin shelving, there are many products on the market to choose from.  LFI's Biblomodel shelving is one of many good options.  Both Indian Prairie and Frankfort use this type of shelving.

If you're viewing this post, please refer to my 9/24/14 post with the updated resource guide.

ALSC National Conference 2012

Boy, what a day in Indianapolis, IN!  This morning I presented "What's Hot in Children's Spaces" at the ALSC National Institute 2012 and I couldn't have asked for 1) a more gorgeous Saturday morning and 2) a more terrific audience.  I absolutely thrive on presentations where the audience asks questions and offers ideas based on their own experiences.  Thanks to all of you who participated!

So, as I promised, here is a copy of the presentation and a few of the bonus materials I mentioned, so you don't have to reinvent the wheel.  Again, don't hesitate to email or call if you need anything else.

Thanks again everyone!

What's Hot in Children's Spaces

Flip Through Shelving Spreadsheet

Collection Turnover Spreadsheet

ALA 2012, Anaheim, CA

For those of you who have emailed me (and for those of you who haven't) for information about my presentations at the ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim (CA), here are the links to my slides:

Rethink and Re-envison: Dynamic Redesigns of Existing Spaces

Where the Wild Things Are: Children's Discovery & Learning Spaces  
(Note: My section of this was titled, "Zoning in on Children's Space: Engaging Your Youngest Visitors")

Please feel free to contact me directly for additional information or with questions.

"Refreshovations" and More

Since Rob and I have been talking so much about reinventing libraries and our concept of "refreshovating" (rethinking, restructuring and rejuvenating), I thought it would be fun to post a few good examples of both new spaces and "refreshovated" ones for everyone to check out. Thanks to Library Furniture International, we had the opportunity to visit several great Chicago-area public libraries at the end of February. As always, we learned a lot and took away a ton of great and forward-thinking ideas. And, of course, I just needed to share with you.

And, a special thanks to all the terrific library staff who toured us through their buildings!

Barrington Area Library - "Refreshovated" their library by incorporating a supported self-service area, wonderful merchandising with terrific bookstore-like shelving units and fantastic signage, a digital media lab (that once was a small meeting room), interactive children's space and much more. Stay tuned because they're just getting started!

Ela Area Public Library - Revamped and "refreshovated" entrance and first floor with new streamlined service points, supported self-serve, a cafe area, great bookstore-like shelving, and a new teen area.

Arlington Heights Memorial Library's Kids' World - Opened January 2011. This "refreshovated" children's area is an exciting and colorful space. Several interactive elements for the very young have been incorporated including an "I Can Read" area which attracts beginning readers with fun activities and preschool literacy computers to help build skills.

Gail Borden Public Library District, Rakow Branch - Opened August 2009. Features a popular collection, gardens, an external 24/7 DVD and video game dispenser, and is an environmentally friendly LEED registered building.

Gail Borden Public Library District's Studio 270 Teen Area - Opened January 2011. This teen area features a small meeting room with white board wall, highly merchandised popular collection, computers and technology, a slew of soft seating options, and a variety of interactive spaces such as a craft area, small stage and more.

New Blog in Town

My friend and colleague Rolf Erikson just started a school library design blog. Rolf is great and has done terrific things for school libraries. We love to work together too. ;-) Please check out his blog. He has terrific ideas.

ALA 2010

As promised, here are copies of my two presentations from this year's ALA conference: Teen Space: Design with Economy and Top Library Building Trends.

Thanks to @librarian_cyn who tweeted about me -- "Great library space is more than furniture and architecture: service plan must come first!"

Among other things, I know a few of you had specific questions about digital creativity and content creation. I've been working on developing planning tools on this topic and have several colleagues throughout the U.S. who have collaborated with me on this type of thing. See too my 6/21/10 post on the Transformation Lab and the Aarhus Library in Denmark.

If you have further questions or need additional assistance in this area (or in any other facilities planning area), don't hesitate to contact me.

Also, many of you asked for copies of Supporting the Next Generation of Public Computing, the LITA Public Library Technology Interest Group presentation Rob and I coordinated. Just click on the presenters name to access each presentation. Thanks again to Chuck McClure, David Leonard and Rob Caluori for being on the panel.

Music and Video Production Spaces on a Budget

A friend and colleague Kent Barnard, currently working on his MLIS (focusing on youth and children's services) at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, recently shared some great tips with me for libraries who are interested in creating a music and video production space on a budget. Here's what he has to say:

- Depending on the budget, there are lots of ways to do this inexpensively. The most important element is to be able to eliminate background noise for the audio. In this respect, it would be best to have a separate room, or a way to separate the area from noise. In many instances, a meeting room could double as this space.

- In order to use a green screen for video production, the subject needs to be at least 4' in front, and there needs to be room for lighting. One solution for lighting, if an area is under construction, would be to install a couple of sets of track lighting spots, one to illuminate the green screen, and one set to illuminate the subject. If only one track is used, it should be to light the green screen, to prevent shadows.

- Another way to illuminate is through simple work lights (the kind on stands at any hardware store). Inexpensive cloth can be used to soften the light, but these have the advantage of being portable, and only about $40 apiece.

- For the green screen itself, there are several inexpensive ways to do it. The important thing to remember is that the green (or blue) needs to be a flat color, it cannot be glossy. Dark Lime green is the color of choice.
Here are some options:
1. special chroma key paint @$30 gallon
2. special chroma key fabrics (lots of choices, lots of websites)
3. green bed sheets
4. green flat paint
5. a pull down, or portable screen can be purchased or made

Other components:
- A computer (Mac would probably be the best choice, but a PC can be used with the right software. A laptop set up with the right software could also be used elsewhere in the library.)

- A microphone (USB is the new technology)

- A video camera (If you get one with a microphone, that much the better for video production.)

- Software (There are a lot. Adobe may already be available in the library.)

Feel free to contact Kent with questions. Visit him at Large Librarian-at-Large. Thanks, Kent!

Prince Aha Stools

Several of you have inquired about the funky stools you've seen in several of my photos. They are the Prince Aha Stools and are manufacturered by Kartell. They can be purchased from Design Within Reach. They're a very durable product according to several sources. Another vendor option is Hive.

Side note: An interior designer friend of mine said another stool she purchased from Hive called La Boheme 3 had some issues and didn't hold up well. She'd avoid La Boheme, but highly recommends Prince Aha. You might want to check out the Hive website for other ideas.

New Building News

The Marshalltown (IA) Public Library had a great post on their blog today. As part of their "New Building News" they included photos of the design boards for both their youth and teen spaces. What a great way to keep their community informed and excited about their project. Thanks for the great example, Marshalltown!