In the fourth & final installment of our Stacks Removal Series, we interview an expert in the design field, Director of Library Architecture at Dewberry, Denelle Wrightson. During a time of tight budgets and limited staff, navigating the design process yourself is vital to the success of your project when your budget won't allow you to hire an interior architect. Wrightson offers her advice for librarians and decision makers doubling as designers, detailing the importance of clear goals, metrics, and the confidence to take chances.

1. Library Stacks Removal Series – Part IV

2. In the fourth & final installment of
our Stacks Removal Series, we
interview an expert in the design field,
Director of Library Architecture at
Dewberry, Denelle Wrightson.
During a time of tight budgets and
limited staff, navigating the design
process yourself is vital to the
success of your project when your
budget won't allow you to hire an
interior architect.
Wrightson offers her advice for
librarians and decision makers
doubling as designers, detailing the
importance of clear goals, metrics,
and the confidence to take chances.
Advice from Denelle Wrightson:
Library Design, without an Interior Designer

3. Starting from the Drawing Board
When Wrightson begins a project, she asks librarians to describe their specific goals for the space.
Having a clear idea of the library's goals helps Denelle and her team understand what would be
considered a successful result: Do you want the “wow” factor? Is there a certain demographic you're
trying to engage? Do you want to provide a specific service to patrons? This goal becomes a
benchmark for the entire project.

4. Midland Centennial Library in Midland, Texas had a
clear goal in mind, wanting to become "...A lynchpin,
corner stone of the community, a destination," according
to Midland Director of Libraries John Trischitti.

5. Metrics, Metrics, Metrics...
When starting your project, Wrightson says
community and staff support are vital, and their
involvement will improve the project as a whole.
This diverse support will also help librarians
engage and measure their metrics, which are
also important for the resulting design.
Wrightson suggests comparing your local library
metrics to state and national libraries to
understand larger trends across the country.
Some of these key metrics include square
footage, staffing, programming, and collections
turnover rate. Wrightson finds the usefulness of
metrics one of the most underestimated
components of library projects.
Kennesaw State Sturgis Library

6. Understanding and presenting library usage metrics was also key to gaining continued support from the
community, as discussed in a previous blog with Dr. David Evans, Dean of Libraries at Kennesaw State
University, and Annette Armstrong, Library Director at Green Hills Public Library. Both Dr. Evans and
Armstrong utilized their library's metrics to influence their renovation designs to create more
technologies space and remove under-circulated material, for example.

7. Plenty of Questions
Wrightson receives plenty of questions from librarians, but some concerns are more frequent than
others. One concern she encounters is librarian and staff difficulty understanding space plans and
drawings. She says the key to helping others understand your library redesign plans is to use
objects and measurements in the existing space.
Another concern librarians
often have is staff space.
Wrightson says librarians tend
to cut too much staff space in
favor of public space, which
becomes an issue when the
staff grows. By ensuring there
is enough break space and
back room storage in the
design, you will avoid
headaches in the future when
your staff expands.

8. On the flip side, there's also major concern about public meeting space: size, type, quantity of
rooms, etc. Wrightson says a good rule of thumb is to envision the space with an increased number
of patrons, since attendance tends to increase after a library renovation. By preparing for more
visitors, you save the time of adding on after the finished project.

9. Leaving Room to Grow!
Adaptability is a key element of any library design. To ensure adaptability,
Wrightson suggests working with mobile elements in the center of the space that
can be moved according to the specific space needs.
Mobile walls and furniture can be great additions to your space, similar to the Teen
Place at the Schaumburg Township District Library. By utilizing mobile elements,
patrons can create privacy as it becomes necessary. The same can be applied to
maker spaces, ensuring that they’re adaptable and not overly specialized prevents
a surplus of single-use spaces.

10. Trends to Avoid
There are plenty of trends in library design,
especially in technology. One of the main things
Wrightson advises against is DVD dispensing
machines. Many view their entertainment on
streaming devices, and just as VHS has become
virtually obsolete, what will happen if you purchase
an expensive DVD dispensing machine and DVDs
are no longer manufactured?
This also applies to other equipment, such as self
checkout stations and monitors. If you’re
considering placing a niche in a wall for a specific
piece of equipment, Wrightson says to ensure that
the space can be used for other machines or items
in the future.
Kennesaw State Sturgis Library [Before and After]

11. Planning for the Future!
Wrightson agrees that technology is rapidly changing
the design of contemporary library interiors, but people are in danger of becoming over-programmed. She
says that because of this over-programming, there is a social need that must be fulfilled, whether it be in a
bookstore, coffee shop, or a library. She says the atmosphere becomes important for this reason.
In a similar manner, Teri Switzer and her
staff at University of Colorado at
Colorado Spring Kraemer Family
Library chose to increase student study
space by removing underutilized journal
stacks. To alleviate study room
congestion, the space where the stacks
once stood evolved into prime real
estate for group collaboration,
socializing, and library programming.
Libraries are a 3rd place destination,
and this will only become more relevant
in the future. Libraries also take on a
strong role in early literacy, parents and
children coming together to learn and
bond within these spaces. By fostering
a social atmosphere, libraries will
continue to thrive.
UCCS Kraemer Family Library

12. One Last Thing…
There are 3 things Wrightson hopes librarians will
remember when taking on the task of designers:
1. Have Fun
2. Be Flexible and Open to New Ideas
3. Dream: Take Risks and Push the Envelope
Wrightson hopes that by keeping a clear goal in
mind and staying flexible, librarians will
accomplish their design tasks with confidence. As
well, involving your community is vital in all
aspects, from the drawing board to the ribbon
cutting. Without them, after all, libraries wouldn’t
exist. Even though it’s a huge responsibility to
take on, the design process and the end result will
surely be worth it.

13. This is part 4 , the final installment
of AGATI's four part Library
"Stacks Removal" Series. We
hope you enjoyed it and welcome
your feedback!
We invite you to join the AGATI
community for occasional updates
with our quarterly newsletter.
Join the conversation
on our blog!

14. Choose AGATI for:
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• Highest quality furniture standards
• Furniture that adapts to todays technology
• Design, engineering, and customization consultation
• Commitment to long term service for the life of the furniture

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