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Davis Centre Information Commons Project

Area Data Sheets – Provisional (January 23, 2003)

Area data sheets document the needs of different areas in the Davis Library based on the following criteria:

  1. Function - what is the purpose; main activities etc.
  2. Space or special requirements - square feet; spceial doors etc
  3. Relationship to other areas - does it need to be close to another are; specific location in the library?
  4. Furniture/ equipment needs
  5. Staff - number ot be accomodated

The following areas were investigated:

Group Study Rooms

  1. Function:
    • Meeting and working space for small (4-6 people) groups in a more private library location for an extended period of time.
  2. Space/Special Requirements:
    • 160 sq.ft. per room; 10 rooms min.
    • Glazed wall/door for safety
  3. Furnishings:
    • Table; chairs; whiteboard, wireless with desktop power outlet.
  4. Spatial Relationships:
    • Away from quiet study; both floors

Group Study Tables
  1. Function:
    • Tables for small groups (4 people) to work together for an extended period of time.
  2. Space/Special Requirements:
    • More tables than present if possible
    • Size:
    • Baffle sound throughout study table zone(s)
  3. Furnishings:
    • Table; chairs; wireless with desktop power outlet,
  4. Spatial Relationships:
    • Away from quiet study

Loading Dock NOT PART OF PROJECT

  1. Function:
    • Receive mail and furniture; staging area for equipment, renovation and construction material.
  2. Space Requirements:
    • Larger than presently available
  3. Furnishings:
    • Storage cabinet, work surface
  4. Spatial Relationships:
    • Adjacent to loading dock; close to staff work areas

Photocopiers

  1. Function:
    • Provide public photocopying
  2. Space Requirements:
    • ?
  3. Furnishings:
    • Photocopy equipment; shelving and tables for used materials; supplies storage.
  4. Spatial Relationships:
    • Could be located in enclosed areas to reduce noise or scattered throughout library for patron convenience.
    • Away from quiet study

Library Office NOT PART OF PROJECT

  1. Function:
    • Provide a physical reception area for library visitors. Provide administrative support services.
  2. Space Requirements:
    • Private offices for support staff; reception area for visitors; space for and proximity to general library equipment; storage areas for supplies
  3. Furnishings:
    • Office furnishings for staff; visitor seating; general use library equipment
  4. Spatial Relationships:
    • Proximity, and preferably in line of sight, to Library main entrance.

Reference/Information Desk

  1. Function
    • First place users come for assistance in library services and information resources use or general campus information.
    • Answer questions in person and on telephone.
    • Provide one-to-one instruction which may be brief or lengthy.
    • Wide variety of formats/sizes of information may be consulted.
    • Monitor and instruct users at nearby workstations.
  2. Special Considerations
    • Acoustically dampen noise from reference discussions.
    • Must be flexible and easy to change or move desk since reference functions are rapidly evolving these days.
    • Easy to move from desk to workstations or reference collection
    • Slow times – allow users to sit during reference interaction; busy times – stand-up assistance.
  3. Relation to Other Areas
    • Close to and clearly visible from entrance
    • Visible from some public workstations
    • Close to reference collection. Quick Reference?
    • In line of sight with Circulation functions. Library Office?
    • Line of sight with Instruction and meeting rooms.
    • Able to see down stack aisles.
  4. Equipment/Furniture Needs
    • Desk –2 heights or variable height options; knee room for users and staff.
    • Ergonomic mobile chairs
    • Moveable, lockable filing cabinet, drawers.
    • Hands free portable phone.
    • 2 hardwired workstations; 1 – 2 laptops
  5. Staffing
    • Space for 2 + staff with workstations

Instructional Lab (aka FLEXLab)

  1. Function
    • Teaching and learning environment for students, faculty and staff.
    • Access to online catalog, databases, Internet, CD-ROM, course management software and full text files.
    • Word processing and other Office productivity functions and electronic mail access. Ability to store search results and access later.
    • May be used as meeting space.
  2. Special Considerations
    • Special attention to lighting and temperature controls.
    • Can be interior room.
  3. Relation to Other Areas
    • Convenient access from main entrance to library.
    • Close to other meeting rooms if these will also support instruction.
  4. Equipment/Furniture Needs
    • 20 Workstations – e.g. wireless laptops and lockable storage cart
    • Room for 30-35 students by doubling up.
    • Networked printer
    • Scanner
    • Instructor station in front of room (smart fixed? teaching station; adjustable height).
    • Ceiling-mounted projection. Screen; white boards etc.
    • Lockable storage closet.
    • Tables with adjustable height and mobile chairs
  5. Staffing
    • Variable

Micro Materials Area

  1. Function:
    • Provides special storage cabinets for the library’s collections of microfilm and microfiche.
    • Houses the special equipment and seating area necessary for viewing this material.
    • This is an area in which patrons can freely browse the collection.
  2. Space and/or special requirements:
    • Lighting is optimized for the comfortable use of the materials at the microfilm and fiche reading stations.
    • Area should be quiet through location or separate walled area.
  3. Spatial relationships:
    • Reading equipment and collections should be in close proximity.
    • Area should be easily accessible by all patrons and for assistance by library staff.
    • Access to public workstations nearby.
    • Equipment is noisy. Location or noise abatement measures need consideration.
  4. Reader/staff spaces, equipment, furnishings:
    • 1 reader/printers
    • 1 reader only of film
    • 1 reader for fiche
    • 5 film cabinets and room for the addition of one more.
    • 3 fiche cabinet.
    • Appropriate seating and tables
    • Kurzweil reader
Book Stacks Area: Monographs
  1. Function:
    • Provides shelving for library’s collections of catalogued books.
    • This is an area in which patrons can freely browse the shelves in well-lit conditions.
    • Items are arranged in logically flowing call number order.
  2. Space and/or special requirements:
    • Stacks should all run in the same direction.
    • Books more than 16 inches in height should be shelved flat, in the oversize stacks
    • Length of each range should not exceed 30 feet, without a break.
    • Aisles between ranges should be no less than 36 inches in width.
    • Low shelving units in some areas to provide surface area for consulting material.
    • Includes space for public computer workstations.
  3. Spatial relationships:
    • Close proximity to reader seating at tables. These tables may be located between the stacks.
    • Close to photocopy room.
    • Efficient pathway(s) for returning library materials to the stacks from the public services desk and the staff workroom is essential.
  4. Reader/staff spaces, equipment, furnishings:
    • 492 double-faced section equivalents with 6 shelves per section for Monographs.
    • Bookends, with cork or rubber bottoms, 1 bookend per shelf
    • Tables or surfaces public computer workstations
    • Public computer workstations (networked); workstations provide access to public printing.
Book Stacks Area: Government Publications
  1. Function:
    • Provides shelving for library’s collections of catalogued books.
    • This is an area in which patrons can freely browse the shelves in well-lit conditions.
    • Items are arranged in logically flowing call number order.
  2. Space and/or special requirements:
    • Stacks should all run in the same direction.
    • Books more than 16 inches in height should be shelved flat, in the oversize stacks
    • Length of each range should not exceed 30 feet, without a break.
    • Aisles between ranges should be no less than 36 inches in width.
    • Low shelving units in some areas to provide surface area for consulting material.
    • Includes space for public computer workstations.
  3. Spatial relationships:
    • Close proximity to reader seating at tables. These tables may be located between the stacks.
    • Close to photocopy room.
    • Efficient pathway(s) for returning library materials to the stacks from the public services desk and the staff workroom is essential.
  4. Reader/staff spaces, equipment, furnishings:
    • 74 double-faced section equivalents with 6 shelves per section for Government Publications.
    • Bookends, with cork or rubber bottoms, 1 bookend per shelf
    • Tables or surfaces public computer workstations
    • Public computer workstations (networked); workstations provide access to public printing.
Book Stacks Area: Reference and Abstracts
  1. Function:
    • Provides shelving for library’s collections of catalogued books.
    • This is an area in which patrons can freely browse the shelves in well-lit conditions.
    • Items are arranged in logically flowing call number order.
  2. Space and/or special requirements:
    • Stacks should all run in the same direction.
    • Books more than 16 inches in height should be shelved flat, in the oversize stacks
    • Length of each range should not exceed 30 feet, without a break.
    • Aisles between ranges should be no less than 36 inches in width.
    • Low shelving units in some areas to provide surface area for consulting material.
    • Includes space for public computer workstations.
  3. Spatial relationships:
    • Close proximity to reader seating at tables. These tables may be located between the stacks.
    • Close to photocopy room.
    • Efficient pathway(s) for returning library materials to the stacks from the public services desk and the staff workroom is essential.
  4. Reader/staff spaces, equipment, furnishings:
    • 64 double-faced section equivalents with 6 shelves per section for Reference.
    • 6 single-faced sections with 6 shelves per section for Reference.
    • 6 double-faced section equivalents with 6 shelves per section for Abstracts.
    • 6 single-faced sections with 6 shelves per section for Reference.
    • Bookends, with cork or rubber bottoms, 1 bookend per shelf
    • Tables or surfaces public computer workstations
    • Public computer workstations (networked); workstations provide access to public printing.

Quiet Study Areas

  1. Function
    • Individual study
    • Quiet area, no disruptions
  2. Space or Special Requirements
    • Sheltered from disruptions, such as noise (talking, mechanical), diffusing from other areas
    • Low pedestrian traffic – no through traffic
    • Restricted lines of sight for privacy
  3. Relationship to other Areas
    • Segregated as much as possible, while maintaining personal safety considerations
    • Corners are good locations
  4. Furniture/Equipment Needs
    • Individual study carrels
    • Noise baffling – partitions, walls (movable), suspended baffles?
    • Reading lights
    • ‘Comfortable’ seating? Might promote lounging & chatting rather than quiet study. On the other hand, would be appropriate for prolonged study sessions
  5. Staffing
    • Noise patrol- User Services, Information Desk staff, student assistants
ISR Staff Workrooms NOT PART OF PROJECT
  1. Function
    • Librarian & support staff offices
      Exterior (west facing C2) - 11 offices Interior (east facing library)– 5 offices
      1 – 2 Library assistants
      2 – Support staff
      2– OCUL Librarians
      6 – ISR Librarians
      		 2 - ISR Librarians
      1 – Library Assistant
      1 – 2 Support staff
      1 – ILL workroom, FIMS Co-op student
    • ILL work area
    • FIMS Co-op student office?
    • Collection development staging area
  2. Space or Special Requirements
    • Most staff require some privacy for liaison responsibilities. (However, consider open layout for Porter Librarians)
    • Natural light in work spaces a concern along interior corridor
  3. Relationship to other Areas
    • Access to Library office – Rose, mailboxes, printers
    • Ready access to other ISR staff
    • Access to staff photocopier
  4. Furniture/Equipment Needs
    • Varies depending on responsibilities
    • Desks & computer terminals, shelving & cabinets
    • Ariel scanner & computer for ILL work
    • Shared scanner workstation (Library Office?)
    • FAX machine (Library Office?)

Entrance/Exit

  1. Function
    • Provide access and secure egress from the library (24 hours/day)
    • Display the library to incoming users
    • External book return
  2. Space or Special Requirements
    • Adhere to fire and safety regulations
    • Information displays
    • High traffic areas – noise containment measures
  3. Relationship to other Areas
    • Near staffed circulation desk
    • Clear sightlines to information desk
  4. Furniture/Equipment Needs
    • security equipment
    • 2 self-charge workstations
  5. Staffing
    • 1 person (security)

Circulation Desk

  1. Function
    • Service point for circulation services
    • Stacks for items for pickup, such as holds, ILL, etc
    • Houses controlled access
  2. Space or Special Requirements
    • Good sightlines, visibility
    • Security of collections and workspace
  3. Relationship to other Areas
    • Makes sense to have reserves processing convenient to the desk
    • Beneficial to have additional room for weekend/evening supervisors
  4. Furniture/Equipment Needs
    • 4 computer workstations for staff at desk
    • 2 computer workstations for self-check (well signed)
    • 2 full workstations with some privacy
    • xx bays of shelving (holds, ILL, sorting, reserves)
    • low shelving unit for phone, sign-in, supplies, etc
    • typewriter and table
  5. Staffing
    • 1-3 people scheduled at desk, with additional staff as required
User Services Staff Areas NOT PART OF PROJECT
  1. Function:
    • Administration
      • 2 offices
      • 2 workstations enclosed by privacy panels
      • 1 full workstation
    • Annex processing (currently receiving area)
      • 1 workstation
      • 2 bays of shelving
    • Binding
      • 3 full workstations
      • 4 bays of shelving
    • Book return (currently receiving area)
      • 1 workstation
      • 2 bays of shelving
    • Reserves processing area
      • 2 workstations
      • scanner
      • 4 bays of shelving for processing
    • TUGbars
      • 1 full workstation
        - table for casual staff
  2. Space or Special Requirements
    • Natural light in work spaces is generally highly desirable
    • Functions that require truck movement should be located near receiving area
  3. Relationship to other Areas
    • Access to mail
    • Access to staff photocopier
    • Access to fax machine
    • Desirable to have binding, annex processing, and book return near receiving area
  4. Furniture/Equipment Needs
    • Varies depending on responsibilities
    • workstations & computer terminals
    • shelving & cabinets
    • lockers
Current Periodical Reading Area
  1. Function
    • display shelves for currently received periodical issues
    • comfortable seating and end/coffee tables for readers
  2. Space or Special Requirements
    • display shelves must be accessible so that shelving trucks and staff do not interfere with people reading
  3. Relationship to other Areas
    • near back-issue periodical stacks
    • quiet area
  4. Furniture/Equipment Needs
    • 23 bays of display shelves
    • comfortable seats (area presently has 18 bucket chairs)
    • tables (area presently has 7 end/coffee tables & 1 study table that accommodates 4 regular chairs)

Information Commons home

Anne Fullerton, Project Chair

August 10, 2005