Does Circulation Mean Air Flow or Checkout? Defining Words PLA Ninth National Conference

1. Does Circulation Mean Air Flow or Checkout? Defining Words PLA Ninth National Conference Phoenix, Arizona Saturday March 16, 2002

2. Presenters: Margie Knoedel,Senior Librarian Hennepin County Library Wayzata, Minnesota Lois Langer, Coordinating Librarian Hennepin County Library Eden Prairie, Minnesota Jeffrey Scherer, Architect, FAIA Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle Ltd.. Minneapolis, Minnesota Moderator: Pamela Holt, Librarian Hennepin County Library Edina, Minnesota

3. “I’ve been drunk for about a week now, and I thought it might sober me up to sit in a library.” F. Scott Fitzgerald ATTRIBUTION: F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940), U.S. author. An unnamed guest at one of Gatsby’s parties, in The Great Gatsby, ch. 3 (1925). BIOGRAPHY: Columbia Encyclopedia.

5. Eden Prairie Library Groceries to information Opening March 2003 St. Louis Park Library Finding the prairie within Opened January 2002

6. Eden Prairie Library Groceries to information Opening March 2003 St. Louis Park Library Finding the prairie within Opened January 2002

7. Eden Prairie LibraryOpening March 2003 B E N T Z / T H O M P S O N / R I E T O W A R C H I T E C U R E - U R B A N D E S I G N www.btr-architects.com

8. Current Library Eden Prairie Library (2001) Reference staff: 6.5 people Open hours per week: 51 Information Contacts: 46,971 Total circulation: 710,916

9. Big Box Retail

10. Groceries to Information

11. Existing interior

12. Back of existing building

13. Changing the Landscape

14. St. Louis Park LibraryOpened January 2002 www.hcmarchitects.com

15. St. Louis Park Library St. Louis Park Library (2000) Reference staff: 3.5 people Open hours per week: 51 Information Contacts: 29,326 Total circulation: 327,398

16. Finding the prairie within

18. Defining Moments • Defining expectations • Defining roles • Defining language

19. Defining Expectations • Help stakeholders define their expectations • Community • Staff • Elected officials

20. Defining Roles • Librarians are experts in: • libraries • what the work is • Architects are experts in: • design • how to make things work

21. Defining Roles • Librarians • users of the final product • Architects • producers of the final product

22. Defining Roles • Librarians and Architects • Ask questions • Listen • Are realistic about limitations • Solve problems • Are non-adversarial

23. Defining Roles • Other Key Players • Library administration • Elected officials • Community • Other library staff • Others

24. Defining Language • Librarians and Architects (Avoid using words that can’t be defined:) • Beautiful • Usable • Friendly • Timeless • Cozy

25. Defining Language • Librarians and Architects (Define words together:) • Durable • Accessible • Functional

26. Defining Language • Architects • Lively • Adjacency • Daylighting • Circulation • Program design

28. Defining Language • Librarians • Circulation • Reserves • Reference

29. Summary • Work together • Have fun • Build a great library