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LIBR 578: PLANNING AND DESIGN OF LIBRARIES – COURSE SYLLABUS

 

Program: Master of Library and Information Studies
Year: Winter Session 2005-2006, term 2
Location: FNS 40
Instructor: Ann Curry
Office location: TEF3 - Room 322
Office phone: (604) 822-4250
Office hours: By appointment on Wednesday afternoons, or on other weekdays as arranged.
E-mail address: ann.curry@ubc.ca

Course Goals: The goal of this course is to provide students with the knowledge necessary to participate effectively in or to manage a library renovation project or a new building project. Emphasis will be placed on the development of skills which students need to evaluate personnel, systems, and services during a construction project so that the new or renovated library facility is cost-effective and appropriate to users’ needs. Students will gain a greater understanding of the architecture profession and the interdisciplinary nature of building projects.

Course Objectives:

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

  • Identify characteristics which make public spaces/public buildings more inviting and discuss the relevance of those characteristics to public, school, and academic libraries
  • Discuss the key elements in the history of library architecture from the Roman period to the present Explain the influence of monastic and church architecture and furniture on libraries today
  • Define various architectural styles such as modernism and post-modernism and identify libraries designed in those styles
  • Design a community needs assessment
  • Write a space needs program and a building program
  • Assess proposed building sites
  • Assess the qualifications of an architect or consultant
  • Participate effectively as a member of a building team
  • Recognize the various elements in a set of blueprints
  • Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of various exterior building materials
  • Plan the interior layout of a library
  • Operate library layout software with an introductory level of skill
  • Describe the impact of electronic technologies on library facilities and propose ways to integrate present and future technological operations into building plans
  • Evaluate types of library furniture appropriate for different library settings
  • Describe the effects of colour and lighting
  • Plan and implement a signage program
  • Discuss the ergonomic considerations in library operations and their impact on furniture selection
  • Compare and contrast different types of library theft and fire prevention security systems
  • Plan the moving of a library collection to new premises

Course Topics:

Topics are best explained within the objectives listed above

Prerequisites: LIBR 500, 540, and 560

Format of the course: Eight Fridays throughout the term. For dates and times, see course schedule below. Information will be delivered through videos, slide presentations, discussions, student presentations, and tours of libraries. If there are 20 or more students signed for the course, we will be renting a bus for the two full-day tours of libraries, as this is much safer and easier than arranging for car-pooling and mileage/gas payments. Distances traveled for both days will likely be over 100 kms. The rental cost will be reasonable (approximately $50 total) and will be shared amongst all students.

Required and Recommended Reading:

Required:

  • Book of custom course readings available at UBC Bookstore

 Recommended:  

  • Books placed on 1-day Reserve at Koerner Library:

a. Bazillion, Richard. Academic Libraries as High-tech Gateways

b. Brown, Carol. Interior Design for Libraries

c. Crosbie, Michael. When Change is Set in Stone

d. Edwards, Brian. Libraries and Learning Resource Centres

e. Leighton, Philip. Planning Academic and Research Library Buildings

f. Lushington, Nolan. Libraries Designed for Users

g. Taney, Kimberly Bolan. Teen Spaces

  • Books placed on 2-hr. Reserve at Koerner Library

a. Sannwald, William. Checklist of Library Building Design Considerations

Course Assignments, Due dates and Weighting:

 

Assignments

Due Dates

Weight

#1 Public spaces: Perceptions and Preferences –

informal 200 word email report to Ann

ann.curry@ubc.ca by noon, Jan. 11

Jan 11

(part of #7)

#2 Tour Report (groups of three/four) Ten to fifteen minute ppt. presentation, checklist template. Hand in a CD with presentation and checklist on it.

Mar 24 or Mar 31

15%

#3 Report and presentation on a famous architect (groups of four or five). Hand in a CD.

Feb. 3, Mar. 24, or Mar. 31

20%

#4 Personal selection of an architect. Informal 200 word email report sent to Ann by April 7.

April 7

(part of #7)

#5 Trying out computer design software installed in SLAIS Lab and submission of room “plan”

Anytime, last date of “plan” submission April 7

(part of #7)

#6 Designing Your Library: Brief Building Program, Library Floorplan, Colour Palette, and Furniture Selection – Groups of 2 or 3 (no special libraries for groups of 3)

April 1 – 9 a.m. (no extensions)

50%

#7 Attendance plus mini-assignments 1, 4, & 5.

 

 

15%

Course Schedule:

Topics subject to change due to guest speaker or AV availability.
All classes at SLAIS will be held from 9 – 4, with an hour break for lunch, unless otherwise noted. Because of travelling time, classes on tour days will start at 8:30 and extend beyond 4 p.m.

Date

Topics and Readings

Assignment Due

Jan. 6

 

 

1. Public Spaces

2. History of Library Buildings

Ancient Greeks and Romans

Monasteries and Churches

Monumentalism

Influence of Carnegie

Modular Buildings Modernism

Post-Modernism

Excerpts from various videos on architectural history

Seattle Public Library - DVD

3. Evaluating Building Styles

4. Reading blueprints

 

#1 – Due Jan. 11

 

 

 

Jan. 13

**Class at VPL - Central

1. Welcome by Paul Whitney – Libraries of the future

2. History of VPL Bldgs – Special Collections Staff-Andrew Martin

3. Overview of the Planning Process

3. Needs Assessment

4. The Building Program

5. Space Planning Guidelines

6. Requests for Proposals

7. Architectural tours of VPL – Joan Lyndon, Shelagh Flaherty

 

Feb. 3

1. Selecting and Working with an Architect

Video – Design Wars (9-10)

2. Gerry Collver – NVDPL Bldg Project ( 10:30-12)

3. Three architect presentations (1-2)

4. Architectural prizes and pratfalls – Selections from Ann’s slides (2-3)

5. Visit to UBC School of Architecture (3-4)

#3 Architect presentations

 

 

Feb. 10

Tours of New/Controversial Libraries

 

 

Feb. 24

Tours of New/Controversial Libraries

New Developments – Planning college libraries – Talk at

Kwantlen College

 

Mar. 24

1. Reports on aspects of libraries toured, led by student groups

Topics 1-4 (9-10:30)

2. Planning for a university ASRS (Automated Storage & Retrieval

System). Tour of UBC ASRS (11-12)

3. Four architect presentations (1-2:30)

4. Special libraries – planning and design (3-4)

#2 – Tour Reports

 

#3 Architect presentations

 

March 31

9-2

1. Reports on aspects of libraries toured, led by student groups Topics 5-8 (9-10:30)

2. Occupying a New Bldg. : The post-occupancy evaluation -

Jean McKendry ( 10:30-11:30)

3. Two architect presentations (12-1)

4. Architectural prizes and pratfalls – Ann’s Slides (1-2)

#2 – Tour Reports

 

#3 Architect presentations

 

#6 – Due no later than 9 a.m. April 1

April 7

9-11

(Ann’s house)

Return of assignments and discussion

Arthur (Eriksen) Awards Brunch

 

#4 – Personal choice of archiect

#5 – Software venture

Course Policies :

Attendance : The calendar states: “Regular attendance is expected of students in all their classes (including lectures, laboratories, tutorials, seminars, etc.). Students who neglect their academic work and assignments may be excluded from the final examinations. Students who are unavoidably absent because of illness or disability should report to their instructors on return to classes.”

Regular on-time attendance in class is an important and required part of this course. I will provide copies of all handouts distributed during sessions you miss, but it is your responsibility to obtain notes from one of the other class members.

I recognize that sudden unexpected problems arise for everyone (including myself), but I expect you to attend and be on time for class. Repeated absences or tardiness will result in a lower course mark or in a request from me that you drop the course. The size of an attendance-related course mark penalty will be determined by the instructor. Because of the full-day scheduling nature of this class, missing more than one of the eight classes will likely result in failure. If you ARE late for class (for whatever reason) please come into the classroom rather than waiting for the break.

Consumption of beverages is okay during class time, and occasional consumption of food is fine. I’d rather you were alert in class rather than fainting from hunger because of a missed breakfast or lunch!

Evaluation : Assignments will not be accepted late unless prior arrangements are made with me. Consideration will be given to legitimate emergencies. If an extension is granted, a late penalty may be imposed at my discretion; this will be discussed when you request an extension.

All assignments will be awarded letter grades using the evaluative criteria given on the SLAIS web site.

Please do not hand in assignments with each sheet of paper encased in plastic – it is impossible to put comments (good and bad!) on these sheets

Course Discussion List:

Each of you must sign-up for the class internet discussion list. From whatever email account you wish to use, send the following [leave the Subject lineblank]:

address-- To: majordomo@interchange.ubc.ca
message-- subscribe l-578
end

This is the mechanism that I will use to make announcements to you outside class. You are also welcome to post comments/questions to the list if relevant to other students. For particular problems or questions you should e-mail me directly at ann.curry@ubc.ca, see me in my office, or call me.

Written & Spoken English Requirement : Written and spoken work may receive a lower mark if it is, in the opinion of the instructor, deficient in English.