Across Two Eras

BHA brings perspective to a dream to link neighboring buildings

By Rebecca Miller -- Library Journal, 5/15/2007

Sometimes, having too much is both boon and bane for a library. Such is the case for the South Orange Public Library (SOPL), NJ, which must figure out how to exploit an unexpected opportunity to connect two buildings from different eras.

The current library, serving a population of around 17,000 at almost $59 per capita, occupies a rapidly aging 1968 cinder block box faced with brick, with 16,900 square feet of flexible space. Nearby, an 8000 square foot 1895 building, with lovely small rooms, woodwork, and more, serves as both home to a nonprofit organization and as storage for the library and the local historical society. Now it’s at the library’s disposal, especially for programming.

The library’s initial instinct, Director Melissa Kopecky explained, was to connect the two buildings somehow across the 60' span. But a big obstacle remains: a well-appreciated 80'-tall dawn redwood tree occupies the boundary zone. “That’s your new children’s room,” quipped Lithgow PL’s Elizabeth Pohl.

Those in the room quickly endorsed a walkway acknowledging the tree, but BHA’s Todd Harvey warned against going into a planning process “with one plan in mind.”

Instead, he challenged Kopecky to think about the benefits of keeping both buildings. Would it be better to tear down one to create a more desirable building? Taking the opportunity to think out the options is a good idea given the nascent stage of this plan for SOPL; both the goal and the fundraising to reach it remain in the future.

The older building poses its own challenges, with a leaky tile roof and other critical repairs needed. Participant Tom Witt of Garden City PL pointed out that SOPL would “need to upgrade the old building to code.” SOPL considered seeking a historic designation but balked after recognizing that the cost of restoring the building post-designation would be prohibitive.

However, the building retains many original fixtures and old skylights (even if they are blocked by drop ceilings). Also, Kopecky thinks the warren of rooms can offer the smaller meeting spaces the community needs.

Harvey tossed out the idea of a vestibule or closed walkway between the buildings. It could serve as a centerpiece and new entrance to both buildings; uses across the two buildings could be divided by daytime vs. evening programming to manage staffing. He then asked, “How do you look at each building and determine its best use?” Another participant suggested that a greenhouse link the structures.

A new entrance, of course, would have to respond to how patrons approach the building. The current parking lot slopes away from the buildings from the back. Thus, it would make sense to orient the building in that direction but without compromising the potential approach from the street, since it is walkable within the town’s business district. Harvey also noted the opportunity to address all the old building’s accessibility with the connecting structure. That structure, noted consultant Dodie Ownes, also would extend the library’s public space.

The brainstorm sent Kopecky home with plenty to think about. “This spring is being devoted to putting a new roof and HVAC equipment on the 1968 building to deal with its aging process,” she recently reported. “Also, during this year we are planning to do a needs assessment on the 1895 building.”

SOPL has also started investigating what the community needs. A survey of children’s activities in South Orange and neighboring Maplewood, which SOPL covers, is a good start, as is a strategic planning process underway by the library board. Kopecky also noted they are working to understand the offerings of other community entities “to support them and avoid overlap.”

The Design Institute, she said, gave her “a very wide and freer perspective to move forward on giving shape to our project.” That vision, however, requires her to pass through a useful if painful stage: “letting go of our preconceived notions of how this building will look or where that desk will go” she said, “even letting go of preconceived notions of the definition of a public library.”

Must a library be quiet? “In an era of quickly dwindling noncommercial public space, can’t we also provide loud spaces?” she mused. “But—this is the really fun part of envisioning physical spaces—is there really any difference between a loud place and a quiet one? They are both spaces that are sound-isolated from the day-to-day volume (pun intended, sorry) of business.” She envisions multiple-use spaces of different sizes. A small recording booth, for instance, also could be used for such activities as individual study, local history interviews, or podcasting.

“Maybe by looking at our space over time we can provide different services at the times they are needed by creating overlapping spaces,” Kopecky said. “Of course, we are looking at all of the libraries that are innovating and getting inspiration from them,” such as services for nontraditional users and new services online. A mutable space, she mused, could work as long as they “make the library so welcoming or homelike that the differences aren’t disconcerting.”

Where SOPL will end up with the two buildings is anyone’s guess, but the process is now at work and with that critical eye on users. “The most exciting part of this process,” says Kopecky, “is analyzing and defining the kinds of public space that are needed in the community.”