There has always been movement in the library.

‘Repurposing the Library’ is today’s term for “That Flexibility Thing Libraries Have Always Done’. Librarians are experts about the subject of ‘Movement’ whether it is movement of people or the movement of relationships and adaptations between spaces to account for new ways people need to use existing spaces. It is so vexing to a librarian who is documenting the needs of her or his library to be able to forecast what the space requirements for the library will be in 10 or 20 years. But librarians have always met the challenge.

Flexibility that is built in to your design will help you, as the leader of your library design project, to cope with planning for the future of your library.

When you know your needs based on your plan to supply your community with what they need, you can lead your designer to solutions that you may have not imagined. The article gives you some examples of what flexible storage is available on the market today. With a well prepared architectural program and a clear budget, you and your designer can together make the library for your community's future.

Screen shot from Spacesaver site ref.

I like the INFO SHEET: THE REPURPOSED LIBRARY found as a freee download on the right column on this Spacesaver Link, because it is clear and short and it's about storage spaces, real concepts that people can easily grasp.  It emphasizes what we have been telling librarians, that you need a plan (a Strategic Plan to begin) that takes into account your community's needs and you need to gather data about what you have now to plan for what you need in the future. You need this information to establish a Budget and you and you staff are the most experienced and well placed persons to gather that information.

Related articles

Future Proof | Library by Design

30 Vintage Photos of People in Libraries

http://www.trendhunter.com/slideshow/newage-libraries

When we talk to librarians about building new, renovating their spaces or moving collections, the first thing we stress is WEEDING THE COLLECTION. 

Having just helped restock shelves in a lovely, beautifully designed library I know the pain of placing hundreds of pieces of materials on to new shelves when they haven't yet been weeded!

Take a look at this little article in GOOD by Liz Dwyer to reinforce your commitment to making space for new materials in your library.

copy and paste to see blog post in GOOD on line   http://www.good.is/post/when-renovating-a-library-means-ditching-books/

Communities benefit when someone can help explain to us how different gerations can work together.  Understanding the make up and demands of a multigenerational community makes libraries stronger, valued members of our communities.

Who knew?  I found this piece on TreeHugger. I am a keen furniture design enthusiast; always on the loolout for furniture for new spaces in libraries.What Is The Future Of The Office? Can Boomers and Millenials Mix?

What's the connection between a presentation by Ginny Baxter,who works in Herman Miller's Applied Knowledge team, and your interests as a librarian?  Seats on chairs and users at libraries - that's what.  Merging Generations in the Workplace

Certainly, this article was inspired by chair design however, demographics research by Herman Miller can help us better serve our communities even if only to rerinforce that what we inuititively 'know' is based in fact. 

This is the link to Ms. Baxter's presentation.

Ginny Baxter of Herman Miller on Demographics from Lloyd Alter on Vimeo.

Illustration: Ginny Baxter, Herman Miller.

This book shelf design would be great for a children's area or Teen Space.