Libraries Designed for Kids

Citation

Ellis‐Barrett, L. (2010), "Libraries Designed for Kids", Library Review, Vol. 59 No. 3, pp. 229-231. https://doi.org/10.1108/00242531011031214

Planning and designing a library for children or even teenagers is a real challenge. The library for a young audience needs to be different to that for a library for school pupils, college or university students and adults. When it comes to designing a library space appropriate for children's needs, it is essential to get it right from the outset. This is dependent on having a real vision of the service needed, its clientele, and on ensuring that the input of designers and architects is clearly focussed.

When thinking about planning and creating a library space for children and young adults, it could be a space within an existing library or it might be a brand new offering. So it is important to bear in mind the purpose of that space: a library is, above all, a place for promoting a lifelong love of reading and books, learning and curiosity. Once children and young people experience a library they could be customers for life so it is vitally important to give them the right sort of experience from the outset.

In order to support children and young adults in their love of books and information there is much that can and should be done by the library staff – but no one can expect library staff to be design experts. Experienced design consultants, therefore, such as Nolan Lushington, can help by providing an insight into creating the right sort of space and promoting it to their intended audience. That is exactly what he does in this book, and more.

With key topics including improving an existing service through design, looking at innovative models, assessing physical needs, planning and organising the area, making it age relevant, furnishing and some quick fixes for common mistakes, this book will provide the librarian, planner, architect and designer with a wealth of tried and tested ideas and information, case studies, supplier lists and links to further information.

Writing from the basis of many years of experience, Lushington provides a unique perspective on the process of planning a library for kids and implementing that plan. There are many books available that consider the best ways in which to offer a service to a young audience, but to be given the planning process, in detail, from start to finish is more unusual and particularly helpful even for those librarians whose task is to redesign an existing offering rather than set up an entirely new service.

Packed with case studies, pictures, diagrams and tables, this book is the perfect introduction to the planning stage and should ensure that librarians have a clear idea of exactly what is needed, and how it can be implemented before they approach a designer or architect. This is a hugely beneficial standpoint from which to begin, if they follow the advice of this book, they will have assessed the needs of their users and their community instead of making false assumptions about what is required, perhaps as a result of this lack of consultation.

Beginning with a consideration of why it is important to ensure libraries are improved through a process of design, and emphasising the point that they are repositories of knowledge, not just information, this book is as concerned with providing books for readers as it is with providing the latest available technology.

The first chapter begins with case studies of libraries that have made a specific effort to draw in a young audience. The Robin Hood Library has poetry excerpts adorning its walls whilst the Experience Library offers a variety of themed areas for children to visit. The main thrust of this chapter is to explain how school and public library service for children should and do differ.

Following on from this is a detailed overview of the processes involved in planning a new library. A brief outline of the planning process details the team members required as well as analysis and input requirements. The detailed insight into each of the stages and exploration of the process is particularly of use for anyone faced with the prospect of setting up a brand new library service but would also be of considerable use to those redesigning an existing service.

Assessing the physical needs of a library and the actual design of the internal space taking into account the clientele, form the focus of the next chapters – from how much space is required to how to cater for the development of the client. Moving on, Lushington changes his focus to look at the practical use of the space, from furniture to access for those with special needs. The logical progression from this is to more minor but equally important considerations such as the entrance to the library, displays, the use of graphics and even lighting. All these aspects of the library need to be powerful, with an immediate impact on the user but it is important that they are not overbearing – a difficult balance to achieve.

The next issue to consider is the service and its ability to meet the needs of a variety of users. The “Kids” of the title are not just pre‐schoolers with their parents, or teenagers with homework: they are young children, older children and young adults. Each group has its own specific needs from comfortable chairs to study desks, story books and audio materials, computer access and textbooks. The final considerations of ensuring there are areas for activities, staff and the correct furnishings leads to a conclusion which looks at some of the common mistakes made and simple solutions for them, as well as covering, briefly, the basics of display and lighting.

The appendices have a variety of useful case studies bringing to a close an excellent and concise book that provides librarians, designers and architects with the perfect introduction to building, creating and even redesigning library spaces for children and young people.