[Web4lib] Some results from a survey of academic library renovation plans

[primarydat at aol.com]

Primary Research Group has published Academic Library Building Renovation 

Benchmarks, ISBN # 157440-110-6.  The report presents detailed data from 65 academic libraries about their completed, current, or planned library renovation projects.  The study includes detailed data on capital spending, library redesign budgets, and spending on computer labs & infocommons, in-library classrooms, artwork, library furniture, carpeting and other flooring, and other elements of academic library renovations or new construction. 

 

Details construction preferences for architectural features such as atriums, landscaping, better access to restrooms and building entrances/exits, installation or expansion of library cafes, development of group work areas, better use of natural light, better soundproofing and other design features often sought in new academic library construction or renovation. Also explores the use of various renovation and building 

features designed to save energy.  

 

Other areas covered include student satisfaction with the library redesign, its impact on the use of library services, and governance issues over what campus groups guide and control the redesign.  Data is broken out by size and type of library, and by libraries that have experienced recent renovation projects vs those that have not. 

 

Just a few of the findings in the 150+ page report are detailed below.

 

•           For more than a third of the libraries in the sample, their capital
 budget increased over the past three years, while for less than 19% it decreased.

 

•           The libraries in the sample spent (or will spend) a mean of $10.76 million on library re-design over the past three years, or on current or approved projects for the near future, and a median of $4.5 million.

 

•           The libraries in the sample spent a mean of $293,000 to develop or equip or upgrade their centers, but the median was just $22,000. One college spent $10 million.  

 

•           36.51% of the libraries in the sample have used the services of an architect in the last three years. 

 

•           36.51% of the libraries in the sample plan over the next two years to develop, expand or remodel an “information commons.”  

 

•           19% of the libraries in the sample have made an investment in the past three years to improve the use of natural light in the library.  Private colleges were much more likely than public colleges to have done this. 

 

•           Only about 8% of the libraries in the sample have made an investment in improved soundproofing over the past three years.  

 

 

•         
  Close to half of the libraries in the sample have made an investment to allow for more couches, easy chairs and other comfortable furniture in the library.

 

•           17.46% of the libraries sampled said that their current or planned redesigns included plans for the installation or improvement of a garden

 

•           23.64% of the libraries in the sample have within the past five years shut down the library entirely, or shut down significant individual buildings, floors or other major library units in order to facilitate some form of redesign.

 

For further information view our website at www.PrimaryResearch.com.