FEH Associates and

George Lawson Library Planning

Ames and Des Moines, Iowa

To: Board of Trustees, Foundation, Friends,

Director, and Staff of the Rapid City Public Library

From: George Lawson

Date: June 7, 2006

Topic: Library Planning Project

Denny Sharp, Michelle Brenneman, John Karrmann, and I are very pleased to have assisted you in crafting a dynamic re-invention of the spaces serving Rapid City Public Library’s adult services, circulation services, and, in part, youth services activities.

It has been a good partnership from the beginning. The Foundation, Friends, Trustees, Director, and library staff worked as full partners with our planning team in every step of the planning process. Early-on, all of the stakeholders helped to establish goals for the project. In developing the project program, the library team provided important insights into service issues and operational detail. Your discerning suggestions helped guide the design efforts during the interactive charette process. The administrative team provided very responsive suggestions regarding furnishings, finishes, and the project budget.

In the broadest sense, the project creates a more welcoming library. The new sweeping arterial path through the body of the library provides both an organizing unity and an energizing vitality. A new layout and orientation of the collection makes it easy for customers to find their way. Carpet patterning, appealing shelf end panels, new furnishings, and a revised color palette give the library a fresh and contemporary look. The fireplace seating area, a new use for the solarium, and seating groupings distributed among the collections allow customers a sense of personal space. The plan completely re-invents the adult wing of the library without costly modification of the building’s shell.

The resulting plan is amazing in the breadth of improvements and innovations that could be accomplished. A listing of macro level enhancements is lengthy but it is important that we take stock to understand the value (cost / benefit) inherent in the plan.

• Customer Service Points: The new service points for circulation, reference, and youth services are designed to bring staff closer to the customer, the collections, and services. The new service points are accessible, modular, and mobile.

• Self-Directed Customer Services:

o The circulation service points integrate staffed and self-service circulation stations, bringing staff support closer to customers and anticipate future service innovations.

o Self-serve reserve and recently returned service points improve customer convenience.

• Quiet Zones: A diversified layout of collections and furnishings create seating areas more conducive to reflective reading and study. The layout of the collections creates easy wayfinding for customers and a helpful link between collections and seating.

• Popular Materials: Engaging display shelving and a highly visible location were created for the new books, media collections, and topical display materials.

• Coffee Shop: A location and layout were developed for a private sector coffee shop in the heart of the library adjacent to periodicals, the Friends book sale, and new books. The location also takes advantage of the library’s existing infrastructure to keep down costs.

• Opening the Horizon: The project creates a more immediate connection between customers as they come into the lobby and the library’s collections and services by removing two walls of a small office. The space is also re-tasked as a customer seating area.

• Comfortable Furnishings: Attractive and durable furnishings were selected that encourage relaxation and quiet reading. The plan integrates the seating with the collections.

• Local History and Genealogy: The new location for local history and genealogical materials and services is visible, flexible, and integrated with other, complimentary resource collections.

• Public Computing: The plan creates a consolidated location with room for more computers, an instructional lab environment, and closer staff support.

• Digitization Lab: An existing office space was re-tasked to serve as a digitization lab for important community documents.

• Friends’ Book Sale: A new location offers expanded capacity and a highly visible location.

• Periodicals and the Solarium: Joining the solarium with the current magazine and newspaper collections creates a more vibrant venue for customer enjoyment.

• Staff Support: Efficient work space was created for staff on the public floor.

As you move forward to plan implementation, please accept our thanks for your willingness to be full partners in the planning process, to consider a range of alternatives, to help find solutions, and your ability to make informed decisions. The Rapid City Public Library is an exceptionally dynamic organization providing excellent service to its community.