Tech Library: A Model for Tomorrow
Major Tech Library Strengths and Weaknesses
Current Tech Library Design Strengths
The design of the building includes large and spacious windows, which let in much needed light during the day. High levels of sunlight provide a warm and comfortable atmosphere during daytime hours, which provides possibilities for energy conservation. Light is a motif throughout the library, from the moment one walks in the door.
Efficient Use of Space in Some Areas
The clusters of individual study carrels are spacious and provide ample study space. Moreover, they are designed so that four stand in a tight cluster with students’ seats positioned radially from the center. This setup maintains users’ privacy while taking up very little space. The compact bookshelves on the ground floor save a great deal of space and added stacks can help in creating more study and collaborative space for students.
Current Tech Library Design Weaknesses
The library closes too early to accommodate students’ study habits. Currently, Tech Library closes at midnight, whereas the Main Library has portions that remain open until 2:00 A.M. Sundays through Thursdays and for 24 hours a day during reading and finals weeks. Students often are kicked out of the library at midnight, which is inconvenient if in the middle of a group paper or problem set. Students from North Campus may choose to go to the Main Library because of its extended hours.
Public access computers in the library are scant, and it is not uncommon for every computer to be occupied, causing other potential users to wait or to leave. As student portable laptop computer use increases, the current setup does not offer enough places where students can hook up to the network, either directly via an ethernet cable or by wireless. In addition, wireless access is not fully available throughout the entire library. Meanwhile, electrical outlets are limited in number and poorly located.
The circulation desk and adjoining offices are poorly placed. The main circulation desk is located off center from the library entrance and exit, and there is an unutilized desk-like object currently occupying prime space in the area between. The self-checkout station is also located behind a pole, right next to the circulation desk. It is not surprising that the self-checkout station does not get much use.
Rotated Squares” architectural design
Tech Library is considered to be a predecessor of field theory, Netsch’s most famous architectural innovation. Field theory seeks to “break the box” of conventional architecture, according to Russ Clement, Art Department Head at Deering Library and curator of the Netsch exhibit. To accomplish this, Netsch rotated squares to create complex geometrical figures, “almost like snowflakes,” Clement said. The results are often striking; field theory-designed buildings, such as University Library, tend to radiate from cores and have multiple access points. However, not everyone admires the style. “Aesthetically, I wouldn’t describe it as exactly pleasing,” Communication junior Tim Lewandowski said. “It seems kind of arbitrary in the way it’s set up.” (The Daily Northwestern, 21 Feb. 2006)
Netsch’s “Rotated squares” design creates many space inefficiencies throughout the library, resulting in many unused corners of space. Stemming from this, the layout of the library is not intuitive. Netsch’s rotated square design is very visible on the main floor, namely near the elevator and in the copy room. There are many hidden areas which are underused because they are not in line-of-sight. In addition, the 45 degree angles jut out into usable space, subtracting lots of usable space for another pointed wall.
Staff office space is also triangular in nature, which leads to awkward angles and rooms. Moreover, they are grouped in two different sections of the library instead of being consolidated in one area, where staff members can conveniently interact and communicate with each other. For example, the circulation and life science offices are on the north side of the main floor while the rest of the staff offices are on the south side of the main floor. The “rotated squares” design greatly contributes to spatial inefficiency in the south office area.
Aesthetically, the library looks like a time capsule from the 1970’s (see Figure 5 below). A major student complaint was that the library feels out-of-date, lacking any major renovations since it was first built more than 30 years ago. Much of the furniture has not been updated and is a sore sight for students as they work. Study carrels are littered with grafitti in some areas and a few are even broken, reducing student study space. In addition, the carpet is filthy and the windows are grimy. Students have said that the aesthetics are “unbearable.” Though the many windows provide excellent ambient light during the daytime, the overall lighting is poor at night. These reasons cause some students to never even go to the library at all.
Group tables are too big and thus underutilized. Currently there are large, eight-person tables in the library (see Figure 5 below). Most of the time there are no more than one or two people sitting at each of the tables, with six or seven open seats. Individuals or small groups value personal space; hence people choose to sit at unoccupied tables even though there may be plenty of room to share a large table with the person(s) already sitting there. This causes tables with capacity for eight to be used by only one, a very inefficient use of space.
Figure 5: Tech Library
Back to Table of ContentsInadequate Number of Group Work Areas
Classes across all disciplines in McCormick are striving to utilize a more collaborative learning process and thus assign many group projects. Unfortunately, there are no group work rooms on the main floor of the library. There are four existing rooms are located on the ground and top floors and are oddly shaped thanks to rotated squares. They are small and claustrophobic, and have little to offer except bare walls, tables, chairs and a trash can. Oftentimes, these group rooms are utilized by single persons who wish to study in a quieter space and not by groups, as they are almost too small for group work.
At this time, there is no dedicated technical support person for the library computers. Library employees have to take time away from their daily tasks to assist users with computer problems, which is an inefficient use of their time.
The lobby immediately outside the front entrance of the library is poorly designed and can be improved greatly. It is barely used because the furniture is uncomfortable. Moreover, because the lobby doesn’t extend to the Cook Hall entrance/exit door, people have to walk outside to get from Cook Hall to the library, which can discourage potential library users during the long, cold winter months. In addition, the outside patio just to the west of the library is currently never used.
To see a detailed floor plan of the current state of Tech Library, see First Floor ( Appendix Q1), Second Floor (Appendix Q2 ), and Third Floor (Appendix Q3).
