Memorial Library Staff Information

The Memorial Library will display a variety of art and textiles which are cared for by the Martha Berry Museum. Judy and Michael have been taking digital photographs and obtaining descriptions and measurements of various pieces of art which will be reviewed for placement in the Library. The art will be displayed on a rotating basis in conjunction with the Museum. Rachel Taylor, a student worker at the Museum, will take care of displaying (cleaning, hanging, and labeling) and also re-hanging existing art in the Library.

Additional pieces to be displayed comes from a donation of 2 pieces of photographic art from Dr. Carrie Baker and art acquired as part of the Memorial Library Purchase Prize from the Annual Student Honors Art Exhibition.

Oak Hill Museum photos

          password: oakhill

Oak Hill storage photos

           password: oakhill

Alumni Center photos

           password: oakhill

Feb. 2012 - Update

An art inventory is being created (with accompanying photos) to facilitate future placement and tracking of art objects. The inventory includes: (Museum) accession numbers, title/description, height & width (inches), area (square inches), and digital photo number.

Whit Whitaker (President's Office) and Tim Brown (Museum Director) will be in the process of reviewing and determining which paintings could be used for display in the Library. The project is on hold pending an evaluation of paintings conducted by the President's Office and the Museum.

Major changes in Memorial Library’s physical environment must be informed by the work of the Academic Commons Task Force.This does not, however, preclude undertaking smaller, relatively inexpensive projects that either address urgent needs or allow us to experiment with the types of initiatives we imaging incorporating into a comprehensive renovation. The Space & Environment Group:

• Conducts an assessment of the Library’s immediate needs for space and environmental improvements.

• Develops recommendations for strategies to address these needs and coordinates a collaborative process for setting priorities and selecting projects.

• Ensures that projects focus on creating a more dynamic and functional physical environment, that seeks either to actively engage users with resources and services, or to create a productive and collaborative work environment for Library staff.

• Develops and disseminates knowledge about current thinking in the design of effective learning spaces.

• Library Lab: The furniture plan is to have the three big wooden tables re-surfaced; new black task chairs for those table are here awaiting Physical Plant to put them together; other new furniture to wait until remaining equipment (3D printer, plotter, possibly 3D scanner, charging station) are in place & they can observe & collaborate with others to determine needs; discuss needs for the service desk with others in Public Services.
• Plants: Proceed with developing a proposal for adding plants in the public areas, including a plan for care; consult with the Berry greenhouse folks to see if their plant service is a viable option.
• Signage/Wayfinding: We will be adding some wall signage similar to the lettering on the service desk & counter connections for key locations; the space committee will take on consideration of other signage/wayfinding needs, including range labels & banners at the service desk (if those are still desired) – of course, lots of collaboration needed here.
• Java City area: What can we do to add to the coffee shop feel? One idea is to consolidate current periodicals (more like the popular titles are now), allowing more shelving to come down & furniture to be added. There may be other ideas, as well. Again, collaboration needed.
• Art: Hanging of student art & labeling of existing pieces is in process. Are there other ideas to bring in more visual elements? We talked about the possibility of collaborating with the art gallery & developing a gallery space in the library. The possibility of collaborating with the Museum initially seemed promising, but the art they offered us at the time wasn’t appealing. Should this possibility be revisited or dropped? Stay tuned for more.
• Patio furniture: Do we want to revisit? We discussed but reached few conclusions.
• Stairwell light fixture: We await installation in the front stairwell of a fixture that matches the lobby ones, possibly during fall break – it will add light to this very dim stairwell, be easier for Physical Plant to maintain, and (depending on your aesthetic preferences ;-) add visual appeal.
• Front doors: We discussed the possibility of proposing a reconfiguration of the front doors that would restore the look of the building. This would be a summer project buy if we wanted to pursue it we would need to start now.

Based on what we’ve learned about how patrons use the Library and what they say they would like to be able to do, as well as our goal of cultivating a physical environment that is “welcoming, conducive to learning and social interaction, and responsive to the changing needs of the student and the college,” I’d like for the Space & Environment Committee to take a look at how we can best use our existing furniture (including the items Jenny obtained from the Krannert renovation), and develop a plan for any changes you think we should make. Judy, as co-chair you may need to get started without Michael, as he has some vacation days planned this week & next week.

The plan should be specific – “take this table & chairs from here & put it over there.” There won’t be much time for consultation with the rest of the staff, so for the most part I’m giving you all the go-ahead to implement anything you think won’t be too controversial.

I do not think we should make changes in the furniture arrangement in the area directly under the chandeliers, and I think we should renew our quest for outdoor furniture as a separate activity, but any other location is on the table, so to speak. I think we should incorporate one or two mobile whiteboards, which will be new (and more expensive than you think they should be, but my experience is they need to be very good, large ones for students to feel free moving them around). We might be able to buy a few other small things – lamps, laptop tables, stuff like that – but the main idea is to use what we already have more effectively.

Also: 

• Draft at least one more staff member to work on the project. Let me know no later than  July 13 who will join the group.
• Schedule a meeting of the group & me asap, no later than July 15.
• Work with Jenny to coordinate moving, storage of furniture to be taken out of use, etc.
• Develop a space study similar to the one you conducted in fall 2010 that can be conducted by my student team during fall 2011
• Review the committee’s charge and recommend any changes 

Ideal target for completion is Sunday, August 21 – in time for the beginning of classes on August 22 – with the realization that some changes may take longer. Assign priorities if you think it won’t be possible to do everything by Aug. 22.  If there are areas that you want to take more time with – what we should do with the “lofts”, for example – let me know asap.  I can answer questions at the meeting.

SH 7/7/2011

·         The committee discussed a shelving proposal which would add bookshelves on the 2^nd floor across from the group study rooms to increase the collections space for printed materials

Jan. 10, 2012

Agenda - Library Utilization of 11 Classroom Computers*

*Other factors include: access to power supply, data & printers, and installation costs.

The Space Committee presented the following suggestions for computer placement (for a library staff mtg. on Jan. 17, 2012):

   Collection Services = 1

   Archives = 1

   Classroom Instructor Workstations = 2

   Loft Study Area = 2

   Mezzanine Area Carrels = 1

   Microforms Room = 2

   Near Study Rooms (2nd fl.) = 1

   Outside the Civil Defense Room (2nd fl. - carrel) = 1

Feb. 2012 Update

The Classroom computers have been re-distributed as follows:

   Collection Services = 1

   Archives = 1

   Loft Study Area = 4

   Microforms Room = 4

   Near Study Rooms (2nd fl.) = 1

·         Discussed Sherre’s charge to the committee to design and conduct a space use study, with student involvement, to determine how the new furniture arrangement is being used

·         Discussed a project idea that would display artwork in the Library – see notes re: Displaying Art in the Memorial Library Project

·         Summer 2011 Project (see notes from Sherre, July 7) – the committee has enlisted the assistance of Elizabeth Andrejasich and two students from Technical Services, Drew Mears and Charlie Bates

·         Reviewed vendor listing/quote from AuthenTeak – determine future placement of outdoor furniture including dining tables, armchairs, and stools at the front of the building – Does the furniture crowd the entrance? Does the furniture enhance the traffic flow into the Library?

·         The Dean of Students Office may be able to contribute $1,000-$2,000 towards the purchase of outdoor furniture

·         Arrange tables and chairs obtained from Krannert for placement in areas throughout the Library

·         Furniture “gliders” were placed on chair legs to facilitate movement on carpet

·         Reviewed and discussed charge from the Academic Commons Task Force

·         Reviewed and discussed Space & Environment Committee meeting minutes from April 9 and 14, 2009

·         Met with Sherre and Jeremy and discussed the idea of creating new learning spaces in the Library that would incorporate group and quiet study spaces to inform the work of the Academic Commons Task Force