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Experience | Needs Assessment | Building Programs | Workshops | Service Planning | Research

Aaron Cohen Associates, LTD has planned a large number of library buildings. We have librarians, interior designers and programing specialists that focus on library space planning and service design. Over the years, our space planning guidelines have been used to define service needs (user seating, staff and collections) for different types of libraries. The library programs and planning guidelines have been updated and improved many times to include new library technology and research.

To build a program for your library, our consultants conduct a series of workshops. These data gathering exercises help us gather information about the services and conditions. We conduct open community forums, focus groups and visual assessments. We do cost analysis, building budget and FF&E for building projects. We align strategic planning efforts, five-year planning efforts and community surveys. We conduct interviews with stakeholders to incorporate their voices. The result is a library building program that reflects the future needs of the community.

ACA's research of library behavior

Our team can complete a long and short range facility plan for your library. We can transform services by providing management with achievable goals in timeframes that are achievable. We work with librarians and build leadership positions so that new building projects reflect changes in service priorities.

We provide an unbiased voice that can relate goals and objectives with local and national governments.

Our Library planning and consulting team can detail all types of furniture, shelving, computer networks, cabling, power and security.  We utilize 2D CAD (computer aided-design drafting), 3D AUTOCAD and computer-animated walkthroughs to share our findings.  

We can provide compact storage designs, preservation and collection layouts. We design collaborative spaces, interactive classrooms and meeting rooms, group study and tutoring areas. Our team can design all types of learning spaces for higher education. We can determine the collection needs and deliver preservation guidelines. We can develop mobile service desks, information commons and media spaces.

Our associates know that change is an emotional process.  That is why our library consultants are experts in long and short range planning.

Library Research
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What is the perception of your library?  Traditional? Old? Innovative? New? Contact Us

We have been consulting and planning international library buildings for over 20 years. We started working for the National Library of Singapore in the 1990's and helped transform it into one of the best library services in the world. It is a system of buildings that includes collaborative library seating, digital literacy and cultural program spaces. 

Our latest design projects include master planning, building programs and cost estimates for LVCCLD, NYPL, BPL, NATO, FDA, U of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, LIU, UCO, SELU, U of Califoria and Stanford.  We provided long and short term action plans that helped these libraries grow and expand their services.
 

public library site planning

For Public Libraries:

  • Life-long learning centers
  • Popular reading and literacy areas
  • Reference areas
  • Access to collaborative technology
  • Periodicals and lounge seating
  • Children's areas
  • Teen zones
  • Small business support 
  • Genealogy services

For Academic and Special Libraries:

  • Technology enhanced environments.
  • Conversions from print journal resources to blended resources.
  • Scholarly activities such as specialized workstations
  • Mobile reference
  • Reference / Service desks
  • High tech access for distance learning
  • Cafes & meeting places
  • Digital access requirements
  • Print archives and preservation centers
  • Compact storage
  • Media convergence zones