Everybody's Reading Toolkit
KNOWSLEY
Changing Rooms at Page Moss Library
Aims
To redesign a library space and encourage use by 16-25yr olds
Where
Page Moss Library, Knowsley
Target groups
16-25yr olds
What took place
Page Moss library consisted of five rows of straight, unbroken, parallel shelving which ran the length of the branch from front to back. It was not very pleasing to look at or to browse among and gave a boring, regimented feel. The layout allowed no room for seating, tables or promotional display. Customers had to walk the length of each row to get to other sections of stock. A large proportion of the stock was old, 'dead' stock.
The reference area, a large room off the main library had shelving along three walls. One wall was almost completely taken by reference books, which were not well used, and one bay of teenage books at the end. One wall housed a bay of new books, and along the other wall was local studies and authors, basic skills information in cardboard magazine files and career information. The room was under used, the shelves cluttered and a large amount of floor space unused.
The change of layout was done based on Reader development principles and the retail principles of Paco Underhill (urban geographer and retail anthropologist) the founder of Envirosell, a research and consulting firm.
The first step in redesigning the layout of the main area was to take out the dead stock. Approximately 1000 fiction books were withdrawn which allowed for the removal of complete bays from two rows, creating walk- ways between the lines of shelving and exposed attractive wooden bay-ends where stock could be displayed using dumpbins. Twelve top shelves throughout where also left clear for face-out display.
One run of shelving consisted of five double-sided double bays. The first two bays were repositioned to form a right angle and the corner were the two bays met left a space for a dumpbin. The remaining three bays formed a u-shape which left two outer corners for dumpbins.
As can be seen from the floor plan, repositioning the shelving in this way created a lot of floor space, which could now be used for tables and seating areas. It also gave the library a spacious, light, airy feel and allowed for categories of stock to be separated.
Comments from customers include:
"Much better now, I'm finding books I didn't know were here"
"I like all the new nooks and crannies!"
"It's a bit of an adventure walking around now, you don't know what to expect around the corner"
"Redesigning the reference room meant relocating two thirds of the reference stock to other branches and taking out one bay of shelving to break the run along one wall. The first two bays are used for face out display and the remaining two bays used for the display of new books and local authors. A magazine spinner fills the space were shelving was removed. Basic skills stock are displayed on a dumpbin and called 'Quick reads' and are now being borrowed by mainly teenagers. Magazines are now displayed face-out were new books used to be. All shelving was removed from the other wall, and a double-sided double bay, which was removed from the main library, was placed adjacent to the wall, dividing the area into a small reference area with a table for quiet study one side, and a teenage area the other side, with face-out display shelves, more dumpbins and seating. There is also a t.v. & video in the room with plans for a listening post to be installed."
Customer comments include:
"I like the new place for teenage, it's cozier"
"It's like a different room"
"Nice private area to study in"
"It's like a bookshop!"
Staff comments:
"Very hard work, but well worth the effort"
"It's a much more welcoming atmosphere and the customers like it"
"Makes the whole library much more user-friendly and informal"
