Presentation to OLA's 2014 Annual Institute Library As Place about the importance of facility planning for public library systems, and highlighting the debate of provision standards in the digital environment.

1. Books and Mortar
Making the Overall Fit “Sexier”

2. The Planner
Jim Morgenstern

3. The Librarian
Rebecca Jones
Thanks Darlene Fichter

4. Facilities planning?

5. Let’s get to designing!

6. Space
require-
ments
Facility
models
Building
design
Library
as
Place
andyet…

7. Ourfocus
Good facilities start with comprehensive planning
Two key planning issues:
Provision standards & Facility models
Group debates

8. Good facilities start
with good planning

9. What type
of plan are
you asking
for?
RFP
Strategic Master Plan
Master Strategic Plan
Comprehensive Master
Plan
Community Based
Strategic Plan
Strategic Assessment
and Business Plan
Management Plan
Strategic Facility Review
& Feasibility Study
Facilities Needs
Assessment Strategy

10. Three planning questions
What Do We
Need To
Provide to
Accomplish
Our Vision?
Why Are We
Providing
Library
Services?
How Will We
Provide
Facilities &
Services to
Meet Our
Vision?

11. Three questions, three plans
What Do We Need To
Provide to Accomplish
Our Vision?
• Library Master Plans
• Feasibility Studies
• Technology Plans
How Will We Provide
Facilities/Services to
Meet Our Vision?
• Marketing Plans
• Organizational Reviews
• Operational Reviews
• Policy Analysis
Why Are We Providing
Library Services?
Vision, Goals,
Strategic
Directions/
Action Plans
Strategic Plan
Management PlansMaster Plan

12. Community Wide Perspective
Long term – Focused on
growth and/or fit with
other City Plans
Determines Overall Space
Requirements
Determines a Facility
Hierarchy and Model
Building/Project Specific
Short term – detailed
implementation strategy
Defines Functional Space
Program
Addresses Capital and
Operating Costs
Master Plans Feasibility Studies

13. Comprehensive Planning Process
Vision
Strategic Plan
Strategic Direction:
Infrastructure
Strategic Direction:
Service Delivery
Strategic Direction:
Promotion
Strategic Direction:
TBD
• Master Plan
• Feasibility Study
• Tecnology Plan
Financial Strategy / Fiscal Plan
Partnership Assessment
Operational Review
• Marketing Strategy
• Organizational
Audit
• Policy Review
Why?
What?
Did We
Succeed /
How Can
We
Improve?
Implementation
Monitoring & Evaluation
• Program Evaluation
• Cost / Benefit
• Performance Measures
How

14. A public
organization’s
focus
Why do we exist
for our
community today
& into the future?
What services
will best
underpin our
community’s
aspirations?
How do we best
provide those
services today – and
tomorrow – to
realize the vision?
Aspirations

15. The Strategic Plan
Captures what decision- makers have learned from
several sources (insights, experiences, data, market
research, etc.) and then synthesized into a vision of the
direction the organization should pursue.
Adapted from Henry Mintzberg’s work
In response to a changing environment, it is fundamental
decisions & actions that shape & guide what an
organization is, who it serves, what it does, & why it does
it, with a focus on the future. It articulates not only where
an organization is going & the actions needed to make
progress, but also how it will know if it is successful.
Adapted from the Balanced Scorecard Institute’s work

16. What drives the plans?
StrategicPlan
Master Plan
Facilities Plan
Strategic Assessment
and Business Plan
Operating Plan
Organizational Review
Municipal Strategies &
Master Plans

17. Being
known &
respected
at the table

18. Official Plan
Secondary Plans
Urban Design Standards
Master Plans of Related
Departments (Recreation;
Culture)
Development Charges
Bylaw
Municipal Strategic Plan

19. Visions of Place

20. Two key planning issues:
Provision standards
Facility models

21. Provision Guidelines
0.6-1.0 sq ft/capita
Various provincial and state library organizations
1.0 sq. ft/capita
Ontario Public Library Guidelines
0.96 – 1.50 sq. ft./capita
(communities of 15-35,000 population)
SOLS: Making the Case for Your Library Building Project

22. Trends Affecting Standards of
Provision
New Roles for the
Library
Accessibility
Legislation
Enhanced Design
Less Print
Mobile and Personal
Devices
Full Service Digital
Branches
Higher Provision Lower Provision

23. • Strategic Plan – Your Vision for the Library
• Key Factors Addressed in Your Master Plan, including:
- Community Needs/Level of Interest
- Your Facility Model
- Partnerships and Shared Service Delivery
• Resources - Community and Political Support
Community-Specific Provision
Standards
http://greatex.org/blog/community-partners/

24. Facility Model:
Ensures facilities
are functional
Maximizes use of
available capital
and operating
resources
Guides long-
range planning
A community specific description of :
• Number & types of branches in your system
• Functional relationship among branches
• Desired service standards

25. Facility Model: Number, Type and
Functional Relationships
dmA Planning & Management Services
Community Branches (Level 3)
Community Branches (Level 2)
Community Branches (Level 1)
DISTRICT BRANCHES
CENTRAL LIBRARY
• 33 Branches
• Mobile & Outreach Services
• Virtual Services
Virtual Library Service Delivery Channels

26. What are the Functional Relationships
and Key Characteristics
Hours of
OperationSize
Collection Circulation
Working/Reading Space
Program Space Population
Served

27. Generic Library Facility Model
Characteristic
Types of Libraries
Central District Community Neighbourhood Satellite
Size (sq. ft.) 70,000 20-30,000 10-15,000 4-5,000 1-1,500
Population Served 100-150,000 25-35,000 15-20,000 4-5,000 n/a
Hours of Operation per
week
70 60 45 30 10-15
Collection (items) 225-300,000 100-150,000 75-100,000 28-33,000 5-10,000
Program Space (sq. ft.) 2-2,500 750-1,000 300-350 none none
Computer Workstations 35-50 17-24 10-14 3-4 1-2
Reading / Working Space 175 70 40 20 5

28. The Facility Model Balance
• Acceptable
Access
• Community
Preference
• Cost
• Level of
Service

29. • Master Plan to Investigate Service, Cost and especially
Access
• The Library’s Place in Community Planning
- Place making
- “Third” Place
- Community Hub
- Civic Identity
• Community Pressure and Political Support
Community-Specific Facility Model
http://greatex.org/blog/community-partners/

30. Keymessages Good buildings are based on good plans
& good relationships
Two key planning issues open to debate:
Provision standards:
• weak evidence
• strong vision
• influential relationships
Facility models:
• Balance of cost, service & access
• Based on heavy-duty research & analysis

32. Let the debates begin!
Opinion &
Rationale
#1
Opinion &
Rationale
#2

33. Be it resolved that:
1. It’s unrealistic for Public Library Systems to have a
comprehensive plan prior to building or renovating
branches.
2. No public library should build a stand-alone library.
3. In the future of digital “everything” the Library simply
won’t need as much physical space. Consequently the
appropriate provision standard should be reduced to 0.4
sq ft per capita.
4. Public library facility models will not include
neighbourhood branches (size 5000 gsf for rural
systems & 10,000 gsf for urban systems).
Debate positions for each table

34. Thank
You!
Jim Morgenstern
jmorgenstern@dmaconsulting.com
Rebecca Jones
rebecca@dysartjones.com