Table of Contents

2. Program Overview

a. Specific Design Considerations

b. Space and Seating Summary

c. Spatial Relationships

d. Collection Size and Capacity Summary

e. Shelving and Display Schedule

3. Functional Area Descriptions

Parking and Exterior Site Features
Entry / Vestibule / Lobby
Restrooms
Café (Program Alternate)
Meeting Room (Includes Pre-Assembly/Gallery Program Alternate)
Circulation Desk Area and Workroom
Popular Materials
Technology Commons
Reference Services
Local History/Genealogy
General Adult Print Collections
Children’s Collections, Services, and Program Room
Conference Room
General Staff Workroom and Offices
Staff Room Area
Building Services
Storeroom
Yard Room

4. General Design Considerations

Guide to the Building Program

The building program document is a description in words and numbers of the service and operational requirements for the proposed library building. The program serves as the library’s written instructions to the architect in beginning the design process. The program is concerned with how the building is to function rather than how it will look.

The architect will want to review the program with the library and consultant to insure a complete understanding of project requirements. Revisions may arise from that review. It is also possible that the library will revise its program requirements during the course of schematic design based on additional information, budget considerations, and/or new understandings resulting from the graphical representation of spaces. It is important that any revisions to the program be explicitly approved by the Library Board.

The estimated space requirements of the building program will be tested by the architect. The preparation of schematic plans including furnishing layouts should be the final arbiter of space requirements for the building.

The building program includes numerous sections grouped in three broad divisions:

Program Divisions

Program Sections

1. Program Overview

These sections provide overarching issues for the project and summary data. The Space and Seating Summary offers a quick summary of all space allocations.

Sample Sections:

Specific Design Considerations

Space and Seating Summary

Collection Size and Capacity Summary

Shelving and Display Schedule

Spatial Relationships

2. Functional Area Descriptions

These sections provide the detailed description and requirements for each functional area of the building.

Sample Sections:

Entry/Vestibule/Lobby

Meeting Room(s)

Popular Materials

Reference Services

Youth Services

3. General Design Considerations

These are common library design requirements that should be considered in any library building project.

Sample Sections:

Landscaping

Exterior Materials

Design Structure

Lighting

Materials/Finishes/Colors

Program Overview

Specific Design Considerations

In researching the program document a group of issues that affect the project across programmatic lines was identified. For this reason these issues are called to the planning team's specific attention.

Alternates – The program identifies and describes two alternates. These are spaces the Library Board would like to include in the project but it is not known whether they can be supported by the project budget. The two alternates are a café and a pre-assembly/gallery space.

Collection Size – The building program provides shelving capacity to grow the library’s collections from their existing size of 119,018 items to 139,370 items. The Needs Assessment prepared in 2001 identified a need for a collection of 164,598 items to serve the community through 2025.

The reduced collection capacity included in the building program reflects the library’s decision to plan a building with a total of 42,000 square feet instead of the 50,321 square feet recommended by the Needs Assessment. Additional collection capacity may be achieved in the future by subsequent building expansion.

Expandability - The architect shall prepare a scheme to allow for a future expansion for both the public and staff work spaces of the facility.

Wired Environment - All public study tables are to include access to power receptacles. The architects and their consultants are to plan for both data and telephone wireless applications. Planning should minimize interference from structural steel, electrical systems, and other potential sources of interference.

Ergonomics - The staff have expressed an interest in ergonomic issues including furnishings and millwork that allow for comfortably situated keyboards, monitors, and accessories that adjust to different users; floor treatments at public service desks that respond to staff spending many hours on their feet; light sources that reduce monitor glare. Another concern is that millwork and furniture corners should be rounded to help reduce bruising. The architect is requested to consider people friendly solutions in selecting furnishings, fixtures, and finishes.

Circulation Control and Security – The library wishes to allow for the future implementation of RFID technology. The design and configuration of building exits, the circulation desk, check-in stations, return chutes, and future selfcheck station locations should all anticipate future implementation of this system.

Furnishings - Moveable furniture is preferred in every instance over fixed counters and cabinets. The only exceptions are major public service desks and counters with sinks.

Doors - Doors to the staff workrooms, exterior book returns, custodial closets, and storage rooms are to be generously sized with kick-plates or other hardware to limit abuse to the door.

Storm Shelter - One area of the building should be designed to provide appropriate shelter for building occupants in high wind events.

Recycling – Provide white paper recycling bins in each major work area, at all public copiers, and in each major public seating area.

Space and User Seating/Technology Summary

Programmatic Area	Square Feet	Study Seating	Casual Seating	Public Technology Stations	Other Seating
Entry/Vestibule/Lobby	Unassigned				2 benches
Restrooms	Unassigned
Meeting Room	1,560				100 meeting room
Circulation Desk Area	1,230			2 future selfchecks
Popular Materials	3,771	18	9	3 catalog stations 2 computer stations 5 listening stations	3 benches
Technology Commons	1,020			24 computer stations
Reference	1,478	24		2 catalog stations
Local History/Genealogy	2,346	12		1 catalog station 2 computer stations 5 microform R/P
General Adult Print	7,050	24	6	4 catalog stations	6 benches
Children’s Services	6,122	18	13	4 catalog stations 4 computer stations 2 listening stations	35 storytime room 6 tables storytime room 3 activity tables
Conference Room	360				18 conference room
General Staff Workroom and Office	2,272
Staff Room Area	360
Building Services	630
Storeroom	600
Yard Room	340
Net Program	29,139
Unassigned Space 30% of Gross	12,488
Core Program Gross Space Requirement	41,627	96	28	14 catalog stations 32 computer stations 7 listening stations 5 microform R/P 2 future selfchecks	100 meeting room 35 storytime room 6 tables storytime rm 3 activity tables 18 conference room 11 benches
Alternates: Café Pre-Assembly Space/Gallery Unassigned Space Gross Space Requirement	800 800 685 2,285

Relationship of Library Spaces

As a guide, the following core relationships are provided. Relationships within the individual spaces are described in the body of the narrative descriptions.

Building Area	Primary Relationship	Secondary Relationship
Exterior Book/Media Returns	Circulation Check-in Area
Entrance/Vestibule/Lobby	Café, Meeting Room, Circulation	Children’s, Popular Materials
Restrooms Public Family Staff	Meeting Room, Lobby, Café Children’s Service Desk Staff Room, General Staff Workroom
Café (Alternate)	Entrance/Lobby Meeting Room, Popular Materials	Circulation Desk
Meeting Room (Core Program) and Pre-Assembly Space/Gallery (Alternate)	Lobby, Restrooms, Café	Children’s
Circulation Desk Area	Lobby, Popular Materials, Technology Commons, Children’s	Restrooms, Café
Popular Materials	Lobby, Café	Circulation, Children’s
Technology Commons	Circulation, Reference	Popular Materials
Reference	General Adult Collections Technology Commons	Popular Materials, Circulation, Local History/Genealogy
Genealogy / Local History	Reference
General Adult Print Collections	Reference	Popular Materials
Children’s Services	Circulation Desk, Popular Materials, Young Adult	Meeting Room
Conference Room	General Staff Workroom
General Staff Workroom / Offices	Circulation, Conference Room	Staff Room
Staff Room	Staff Entry, General Staff Workroom
Building Services	Storeroom
Storeroom	None
Yard Room	Building Services

Collection Size and Shelving Capacities

Collections	Existing Holdings	Projected Holdings in Volumes	Percent of Items on Shelf	Projected Number of Items to Shelve	Shelving Capacity

Popular Materials

New Books/Topical Display/Paperbacks
New Books	2,059	2,059	74	1,524	1,600
Paperbacks	3,183	3,660	87	3,184	3,300
Literacy	267	307	99	304	360
Subtotal	5,509	6,026		5,012	5,260

Young Adult
Fiction	1,874	2,155	92	1,983	2,040
Nonfiction	394	453	96	435	480
Graphic Novels	93	250	93	232	360
Recorded Books	74	103	68	70	120
Current Magazines	4 titles	12 titles	100	12 Titles	12 Titles
Back Issue Magazines	3 year	3 years	100	3 years

Popular Materials

4. General Design Considerations

1. Program Overview

2. Functional Area Descriptions

3. General Design Considerations

Doors - Doors to the staff workrooms, exterior book returns, custodial closets, and storage rooms are to be generously sized with kick-plates or other hardware to limit abuse to the door.

Storm Shelter - One area of the building should be designed to provide appropriate shelter for building occupants in high wind events.

Space and User Seating/Technology Summary

General Adult Print Collections

Collection Size and Shelving Capacities

Shelving

Capacity