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Architecture Library Staff Group

Doris Lewis Rare Book Room
June 14, 2002

Present: Susan Saunders Bellingham, Betty Graf, Michele Laing, Ruth Lamb, Sharon Lamont, Richard Pinnell, Linda Teather,

Guests: Jane Britton, Rick Haldenby

Rick spoke to the committee about the school of architecture and his comments are below:

He reviewed the fund raising projects and noted that endowments will fund all operating costs (income from a 6 million dollar endowment at 5% will be approximately $300,000/year).  Rick spoke about the Rare book collection and felt it was under used in its current location, and he is looking forward to more exposure and use.  A new requirement of 4B will be a final project, which will be a comprehensive building design; a demonstrated mastery of architecture, structure, codes, cost estimates, and aesthetics.  The master's of architecture program will have a final requirement that is unique with specialization and research - the structure is more flexible and the rare book material will be very helpful in this area.  Rick’s vision is that the architecture library will be a celebration of the rare book material.  “This resource should be celebrated, visible and grad students should be using it in the proper fashion.  It’s part of the whole historic thing, moving into a historic building into a historic town, this should be the centre of the whole thing.”

Slides - everything is going digital, the students are not using the slides - the slides are not an issue - if this creates huge problems, we can store them in a storage closet for now.  Digital projections are the way to go.  The School of architecture is not going to invest the money or time into the slides.  Digitizing the library's slides along with the school's slides is a separate project to be funded, which isn't really a library problem, but a school problem at some point.  I do not see a need for the library to have slides for students to browse.

Archives - Where are the archives going to be housed?  Increasingly the most successful architects in the country are UW grads.  He is looking forward to the prospect of receiving architecture papers from former students.  He would like to see at least the potential of archival material being housed at the Architecture library.  If there is archival material right now that is related, that is not really important.

The cultural property review board would have to be satisfied.  Physical requirements for obtaining a classified category "A" should be implemented into the facility now at the planning stage with the salary components worked out at a later date (i.e. having an archivist on-site). 

Brief to the Architect - the EMS brief to the architect was reviewed by Rick and he agreed that the outline/framework is correct.  Some detail of what the library expects to put in the space, should be in place before the end of June.  Part of the process will include a conversation as well as a brief outline of what the library expects to appear in this space (ie. how many offices, wireless networking for students etc.)

Staffing - anticipating growth is very important.  Rick's vision is for four full-time staff, two being funded from the endowment and two from the library.

Collaboration with Cambridge Public Library – The Cambridge Public Library is open to collaborations of whatever type that is reasonable and productive.  There is a huge level of interest and a great willingness to cooperate and relate.  Some examples:

  • The Cambridge gallery is putting a quality print-making studio in the School of Architecture.
  • The school gallery will be the same size as the Cambridge gallery with identical environment standards.
  • The Library could collaborate on collections development.
  • The public library has asked Rick for a list of subjects that the students would be interested.
  • Susan Brooke, who is in charge of the MacDougall cottage, will be teaching a graduate seminar in the school of architecture in which the output would be exhibits in the cottage.
  • The Cambridge archive is a great resource.
Architecture Task Group
rhpinnel@uwaterloo.ca
July 22, 2005