commARCH - March 2016

Page 15

FEATURE

public libraries

Ken’s V I E W

Anything 2.0 Is So Over I

f you’re keeping track of things destined for the dustbin

credit card, another business model much beloved by big

could find one of my e-readers, I could no doubt enumerate more faults, but I don’t know where the things have got to.

of history—hotel desks, hotel restaurants, and guestroom

companies. For families struggling to pay a mortgage or

light switches that work (just to single out a specific

recent college graduates struggling to eat, these insidiously

Libraries, of course, can’t pretend the digital revolution

industry)—you can add compact-fluorescent lamps (CFLs)

multiplying, out-of-mind, automatically renewed deductions

never happened or that it doesn’t appeal strongly to some

to the list of endangered stuff.

are a financial disaster waiting to happen.

people. Derek Jones of Perkins + Will related that while

First introduced in the 1980s, CFLs were hyped as

The good news is that libraries and books don’t seem

people are nostalgic about the serendipitous browsing of

Light Bulb 2.0, but like many 2.0 innovations, they’ve failed

to be following the same road to oblivion as CFLs. In fact,

library stacks and finding just the book one didn’t know one

miserably. They never caught on, perhaps because many

the demise of either is overstated. Sales of e-books are

needed, few of them actually do that any longer. Instead,

people hated them. General Electric recently announced it

leveling off or may be declining, although it’s difficult to find

they make discoveries online—which may lead them

will stop making the contorted light sources. CFLs account

agreement on that. Nevertheless, after bookstore chains

eventually to their public library—but browsing the stacks

for just 15% of sales in the U.S., the company says by way

such as Borders were decimated, some independent

is regrettably passé for most people.

of explanation.

booksellers say they’re doing well. The Washington Post

So that’s the mixed bag of good and bad news for this

Enter Lightbulb 3.0 or LEDs. Even though they initially

reports that some people who aren’t supposed to remember

month—save for one final, off-topic warning: Beware

cost a ton of money, LEDs persisted and prices have

what it’s like to read a book, in fact prefer print. A British

hoverboards—which don’t actually hover and are

dropped, not unlike the relative cost of smartphones,

trade publication says print is more popular than e-books

sometimes known as explosions waiting to happen. Some

computers, and other digital doohickeys. Beyond that, they

amongst readers aged 16 to 24.

say they were one of the hottest gifts of the recent holiday

can perform many more functions than incandescents and

Older readers predictably say they like the feel and

season, neglecting to say one reason for their hotness

CFLs ever dreamed of, opening new possibilities in lighting

smell of books. I’d take that sentiment a step further. Go

was they sometimes caught fire or exploded because of

design.

to any library or bookstore, and you’ll notice that no two

faulty lithium-ion batteries—which, in turn, is the reason

But LED’s won’t solve all of lighting’s dilemmas. LEDs

books look alike. Aside from the cover art, which surely

major airlines have banned the things from their flights.

are hard to recycle, just like electronics of any sort, reports

will be reproduced poorly in digital editions, each book

A blessing, I say, because aside from safety concerns,

the UK’s Guardian. But what if Wi-Fi were used to connect

has distinctive design elements, such as typeface, leading,

passengers already carry enough junk aboard.

lamps to a supplier that could then send a replacement

margins, paper stock, size, and weight.

Now an enterprising company is marketing fire-

notification and collect the old bulbs? That’s assuming

Considerable design thought has been given to books.

safe bags for the deadly toys, good to avoid burning the

users will not ignore the email or text. Millennials, I’m told,

Readers may not be consciously aware of book design, but

house down, it’s said. If you care to note my prediction,

don’t do email.

it influences the reading experience and even purchasing

hoverboards will go the way of CFLs—just sooner.

Worse, however, is a suggested service-versus-

decisions, just as architecture subtly influences reaction

But enough of this; I’m headed down to my local library,

ownership model. Users would rent bulbs instead of owning

to built environments. E-readers, on the other hand, have

which odds are will outlast CFLs, hoverboards, and similar

them. This is like the software model in which users pay

limited and dismal typefaces, poor leading and hyphenation,

“innovations.” There I’ll browse the stacks and hope to

an annual fee rather than outright purchase the software.

and awkward word spacing; they just aren’t particularly

avoid combustible playthings.

This usually entails an automatic deduction from one’s

attractive. One gets bored by their visual monotony. If I

— Kenneth W. Betz, Senior Editor

In other areas, stack height has dwindled in most li-

SPACE ALLOCATION

braries, dropping from 88 to 94 in. to 42 and even 36 in.,

Space allocation is another adjustment in contemporary

so there are clear sightlines. “People want to be able to

library design. Areas for storing books and periodicals

see and navigate the whole space and not have large vi-

are being condensed, for example. “The question librar-

sual obstructions,” Jones said.

ies are asking is, ‘Should I pay $X to store books, or

Want more information? The resources below are linked on our website at commercialarchitecturemagazine.com and our digital magazine at commercialarchitecturemagazine.com/ digital/mar2016.

“The biggest driver in utilities is cooling and electri-

pay half of $X for condensed storage of books and al-

cal,” Derek Jones added. “A lot of our clients told us that

low more space for study and collaboration areas?’ The

the duration of their patrons’ stay was highly deter-

latter often better supports community members who

Library Design Showcase

mined by the battery life of their computer, so if you

need the resources—or need to learn how to get them.

State of America’s Libraries

want people to stay longer you need access to power—

So we are also seeing more rooms with limited privacy

and the traditional library had only a few power points.

and perhaps a higher level of activity, although they of-

Now you see every table and every chair is connected

fer some privacy for groups and collaborative learning,”

21st Century Libraries: Changing Forms, Changing Futures

with power and USB; lockers have plugs in them so peo-

Carrier said.

Designing Better Libraries blog

ple can charge their devices while they’re off doing something else.”

In the final analysis, libraries are far from obsolete, even as their service model continues to evolve. CA

Better Public Libraries

Public Libraries In The United States Survey

commercialarchitecturemagazine.com

MARCH 2016

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