Trading Spaces

1
Trading Spaces

• How to transform a library like yours in nine
  months with the money you have right now.

2
Presented at TLA 4/13/07 byJoan Bernstein and
Kathy Schalk-Green

• What ideas will (or wont) be used at Edison High
  School.

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Reinvent Library Environments

• First impressions
• Create fun destinations or areas
• Adopt retail strategies
• Food and drink in the library

4
First Impressions

• Enter through a nice front door.
• Edisons summer construction project includes
  closing off the middle two of four sets of double
  doors. A new circulation area is to be located
  between the two remaining double doors.

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First Impressions Pt.2

• De-clutter your library.
• De-cluttering has been my life this year and
  probably will be next year as well. Demolition
  of a couple of the old areas will help.

6
First Impressions Pt. 3

• Create a WOW environment by using paint,
  accessories, area rugs, furniture, signage
  variety, etc.
• New signage is a cheap fix and they did have
  some cute ideas. More on furniture later. I
  have requested new paintwe shall see.

7
Create Fun Destinations or Areas

• Use comfortable furniture to create living
  rooms.
• I am using fine money from this and previous
  years to purchase area rugs and enough casual
  furniture to create two new reading areas.

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Create Fun Destinations or Areas Pt. 2

• Reconfigure shelves to create rooms.
• I mention this because some might want to give it
  a try. My shelving is not the moveable variety.

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Create Fun Destinations or Areas Pt. 3

• Create unique environments for unique customer
  needs.
• The computers are being moved from the middle of
  the room to an area designed for that purpose.
  WOW signage will help make this an area unto
  itself.

10
Adopt Retail Strategies

• Use slat wall end cap displays to highlight new
  and popular books.
• Not a new idea except for the end cap displays.
  I have never had those and figure they cant cost
  that much.

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Adopt Retail Strategies Pt. 2

• Keep shelves looking full by mixing spine out and
  face out presentation.
• About the only completely free idea they gave.
  This could help fill up the space made by all of
  our heavy weeding.

12
Adopt Retail Strategies Pt. 3

• Use marketplace gondolas.
• A more attractive answer to the old wire
  paperback racks. I havent checked out the cost
  just yet, but like the look.

13
Food and Drink in the Library

• Install snack and soda machines to create an
  eating area.
• I dont think so.

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Food and Drink in the Library Pt. 2

• Create an internet café near the computers and
  sell coffee, muffins, and such.
• I dont think so.

15
Food and Drink in the Library Pt. 3

• I dont think so!

16
Final Thoughts

• This was a good session. They gave statistics
  showing increased usage attributed to the
  changes. Of course their idea of a small budget
  does not match our idea of a small budget. Still
  I left feeling like it would be fun to try to
  make some changes. Marcy
  Bousum