This 235 page report gives extensive data and commentary from a survey of the space redesign efforts of 70 North American public libraries. The study helps its readers to answer questions such as: what are the priorities for space redesign and/or new construction for public libraries? How much do libraries spend for redesign and what are they doing? Are they adding new fixed workstations? Expanding or contracting space for children? What are they doing in the area of energy conservation? What is happening to capital equipment budgets, growing, declining, remaining the same? What has been the impact of the growth of mobile computing on library space use? What is happening to storage space, exhibit space, collection space, and classroom space? What are the goals of most public library redesigns? What are the consequences for the public and for long term library support?
Just a few of the many findings of this extensive survey are that:
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Libraries with the highest budgets and those serving larger populations were the most optimistic that they would continue to see their capital budgets increase.
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86.76% of libraries surveyed have a bin, slit or other aperture or device that enables patrons to return materials without having to enter the building.
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The libraries sampled had spent in the past 3 years a mean of about $11,000 to develop new library instructional centers, or re-equip or upgrade existing ones with new computers, workstations, or other technology.
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27% of the libraries sampled expect to increase their use of space for audio-visual collections within the next three years.