Library design and education strategies enhance student success programs. Aaron Cohen Associates, LTD research insights guide college and universities. We leverage our understanding and measurements tools, ensuring that educational capital investments are effective. Making sense of the academic library is our business. Learning Commons As we make sense of the Learning Commons and its complexity, we learn a lot about what students need. We study the unique needs and aspirations of students and integrate them into our modern library programs and design support. For example, lately we have been noticing students opening up their laptops just about everywhere in the library, unlocking the potential of the study space. Yes, making…
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Future proofing libraries with adaptable design
How do you create library spaces that are welcoming, comfortable, and conducive to learning, research, and collaboration? Future proofing libraries with adaptable design are easy to develop with a library program. Note, this art can not be replaced by digital architectural tools – you need experience and guidance. Over the years, we have developed a library program method that enables the architect and librarian to build a vision, goals and objectives for the spaces, equipment and furnishings. Designing Library Spaces How do you design library spaces that can be easily adapted to accommodate a variety of activities and needs? Future proofing libraries with adaptable design is developed thorough a process.…
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Library Facilities Planning and Analysis
How is the planning budget related to the Library Function? Library facilities planning, involves the systematic processes of identification, clarification, and nomenclature of the building plan. Our planning steps are pivotal in refining the understanding of the desired functions and aesthetic elements of a library. Basically, we recognize that achieving effective library facilities planning requires a fundamental reassessment of the foundational components at play. Library facilities planning provides programming, service analysis and collection design. Heart of the Matter At the heart of the matter lies the library patron or student, driven by a desire for functionality. Their overarching goal is to use the library effectively. They want to experience satisfaction—either…
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Library Planning Another Voice
This year was worthy of note for our library consulting firm, librarians, academic provosts, city managers, academic colleagues, preservationists and building facility managers for good reasons and bad. It’s been a year in which many libraries have suffered from a lack of planning. Certainty, there have been governments that don’t understand the services libraries bring to the community (see guardian view on support for public libraries). They restrict economic activity and hamper efforts for small businesses to be nurtured. Its been a year of celebrations for rural libraries – In November, the FCC announced it will spend 1.5 Billion to be spent on schools and libraries. There were impressed by…
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Digital Nomads
Could increasing connectivity improve your community? According to Linkedin, connected There have been a few web sites devoted to digital nomads and the changing lifestyle of tech users. It is important to us because we see a need to redefine the library as a place for all. This means bringing in new customers who need the support of an office and networking activities to develop and maintain their business. In the Huffington Post article, “Succeeding from Anywhere: 5 Trailblazing Communities for Digital Nomads” – we noted that social media makes it possible for people who work in the digital world to use libraries in new ways. They are people who…
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Planning the Next Generation Public Library
Expanding the public library’s service model is a challenge for any community (see woodstock public library). We understand it is a challenge of our time, requiring new strategies for success. Public Libraries are poised to play a leading role in the 21st century workspace. Many libraries are already providing places for laptop campers; furniture vendors are also driving new ideas for collaboration and seating areas that are flexible. The Woodstock Public Library project is an example of the constant feedback required for a successful assessment and implementation of a library renovation project. We worked with the community for six months to help re-envision what is takes to create a modern…
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Library Master Planning
The first challenge for any Library Master Plan is changing the perception that it’s purely a space planning project. Yes, libraries are furniture and equipment intensive facilities. The interior design elements include flexible and hardwired furniture, equipment, people and material traffic patterns, workflow, lighting, acoustics and even color. The Library Master Plan studies each functional element and outlines solutions to improve the user learning environment. According to Humphrey Osmond, the design of a space impacts human interaction. Spaces can affect the ways we percieve the environment – is it a collaborative space or a space for individual focused work? Should it be square or round? – sociofugal or sociopetal space?…
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Why is a library consultant important?
Any library that works well integrates function, usability, and attractiveness to varying degrees. These are important elements to consider in planning any change of library service. But in order to do so, to make a library / learning space that really works, whether in the public space, academic, special, the office or at home, it is necessary to understand how humans feel about the space. Like our library building program, the specifications or plans for the library must always be kept up to date. Specifications are also service plans, marketing / communication plans and in the architectural world construction documents. It can be said that building, furniture and equipment are…
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Transforming Library Space and Services
Transforming the education experience requires design thinking strategies – a process that connects people, services, programs, and spaces — services that are available in person and online. Together with our clients, we analyze how to create learning spaces and services. We know that libraries encourage student success and improve research support. We also know that the modern library needs to justify its existence. Our process to uncover user needs, providing strategies to make the library more productive while making the buildings more efficient and user friendly is our mission. More than 600 colleges and universities have used our library programming services over the last 50 years. Each project helped answer…
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Analyze Your Current State
As you aim to create a new design concept for your library, you will undoubtedly think of people you who can provide information or advice. One of the biggest obstacles people face when determining how their community will receive a new library is answering the initial question: “How do I get started?.” Develop trusting teams to ensure that you have the broadest information possible. Find outside experts who can provide feedback to make sure your foundation is solid. Kick off the process with a library consultant; professionals who provide strategies for improvement. Strategies that help your stakeholders share their enthusiasm for the library will help you define your goals. Their…
