6 Tips to Surviving Library Construction
Wisdom from the library leaders who pulled off 12 renovations in seven months
By Peter Magnani & Anthony Romeo -- Library Journal, 5/15/2007
In 2006, 12 Queens, NY, libraries were closed, completely renovated with new technology, finishes, and furnishings, and reopened within seven months at a total cost of $8.8 million. Similar alterations will be extended to all Queens Library locations over the next three years. Queens Library has 62 community facilities, a central library, and six adult learning centers. It circulated more than 20 million items in FY06. Merely changing light bulbs in a system of that size creates shock waves. Renovations on this scale are awesome to consider.
We've learned a lot about surviving library construction. Careful, detailed planning and a team-based approach helped Queens Library navigate the daunting task with flying colors. Best of all, our library customers love the changes. The following practical, hands-on tips will help any library survive the ax (and the shovel and the nail gun).
A comprehensive plan
Queens Library made a strategic decision in FY03 to change the way it serves its customers by implementing as much self-service technology as possible, directing staff attention toward customer service and away from repetitive work. Originally, 3M Self-Check Units were deployed. In 2005, RFID-powered self-service kiosks were piloted in two libraries (Library by Design, Fall 2005). Following a successful test, we decided to roll them out to the entire system.
After evaluating the two pilot branches, more extensive refurbishing was added to the work plan. Along with refreshed collections of books and videos, brighter, more colorful décor greets customers, who immediately get the visual cue: “everything is different and better in this library now.” Other enhancements include huge plasma screens that advertise programs and services, work counters where customers can plug in their own laptops, and separate young adult areas where possible. Queens Library is simultaneously piloting 24/7 book drops and laptops-for-loan within the library.
In some instances, the construction was combined with other, previously scheduled work, such as replacement of HVAC equipment or roof repairs.
The renovation of 12 community libraries used a rolling schedule, with buildings remaining closed for an average of 14 weeks. Since the libraries were widely separated geographically, as many as nine were closed at one time. Limited interim service was provided by a bookmobile. On a parallel track, a dedicated “tag team” affixed RFID tags to the collection. The regular staff were reassigned to other locations, including an “apprenticeship” in a library that already had the RFID equipment installed so they could spend some time training in an active customer service environment. The libraries were then reopened in their turn with “soft” openings. Even without advertising or fanfare, libraries were mobbed immediately. Ceremonial reopenings were scheduled for later dates.
Queens Library “chunked” the planning process into five distinct phases: 1) Planning the library program and designing the facility (production of plans, bidding process—items with long lead times, such as furniture, were ordered during this phase). 2) Preconstruction (labeling and storing furniture and the collection; preparing a service and communications plan for when the library would be closed or partially closed). 3) Construction (site turned over to the contractors; staff received training during this period). 4) Postconstruction (installation of flooring and decorative details; cleaning of the site, wiring, and installing computers and telecommunications; reshelving materials). 5) Opening. Each phase has its own minutely detailed project plan. The team thinks through every step from the conceptual (“Which color scheme will be most welcoming to teens?”) to the pedestrian (“How many book boxes will we need to pack 178 linear feet of shelving?”). We've used this basic project plan as a model for all our construction projects, with modifications as needed.
Library construction is an ambitious undertaking. It is also one of the most long-lasting investments you can make on behalf of your patrons. With careful planning and teamwork, you will survive the construction. And the project will survive you.
1. Prepare your stakeholders for change
Establish goals
Communicate
Listen
You have clear goals for construction. The benefits may not be obvious to everyone, and having expressed them once doesn't mean the job is done. Communicate often how the construction will meet the goals to all your publics: politicians, staff, customers, community opinion leaders, the press, and the board. Let them know how it's going every step of the way.
Listen—really listen—to the naysayers. Hidden in the diatribe can be some surprisingly practical insight. Be wise enough to know that you don't know everything.
2. Build the team and use it
Define your team
Charge team members with responsibility
Share success
Keep an eye on the big picture
A team approach is critical to surviving construction. Responsibility for the project is not only with the contractors or architects; it is everyone's responsibility. Problems will not be the “fault” of one functional area or another. Ultimately, it will be everyone's success or everyone's failure. A coordinating team must meet often to keep the project on track and to resolve issues as they arise. No matter how well your project is planned, a certain amount of on-the-fly decision-making is necessary.
The members of the team must represent every area of the library's operations and all the key construction functions. They must all be first-line decision-makers empowered to act. Even small delays while decisions go up and down the bureaucratic ladder cost money.
At Queens Library, the coordinating team meets weekly. After some trial and error, we decided Monday is the best day so the team has the whole week to work on “deliverables.”
A note about “squeaky wheels” and “doubting Thomases” is useful. Every detail of a project contributes to its success. But they are not all of equal value. Some members of the team can become so vested in a pet project—preferred color, piece of furniture, or signage font—that they regard even minute changes or suggestions as a personal assault. Offline meetings may be necessary to address these issues one on one, to weed out discontent that can bring the team down. Keep the big picture in mind.
3. Assess the impact of the construction, and prioritize whose needs to meet first
Consider the community
Consider funders
Consider staff
Prioritizing is inevitably a balancing act. Ask yourself what the community needs, what the public or private funder needs, and what the staff needs.
In planning renovations in multiple locations, we made sure that only one library in a community was closed at a time so we could provide at least some library service. This is particularly critical when serving children after school. We know that some funders need to have their “photo op” by a specific date. Keeping public and private funders happy is to our advantage. We know that staff have to keep up with their regular workload and take restorative time off. They can handle only a finite amount of extra weeding, packing, logistics meetings, and training sessions. For the community's sake, we'd like to crunch the work into the shortest amount of time possible; stressing out staff hurts morale and productivity. We try to strike a reasonable compromise.
4. Keep it moving (a.k.a. “Crisis Management”)
Expect the unexpected
Know when to let go
Delivery delays, inclement weather, myriad problems beyond your control, and others that would have been in your control if you could have anticipated them—but they were unimaginable—are part of construction survival. What now?
Keep it moving. When it becomes apparent that a problem is developing, deal with it now. Don't waste precious time affixing blame. Decide what has to come next and do it. If one area of the project is stalled, do what you can to get ahead on the next phase. What resources will get you caught up on the part that's being delayed? Will putting on an evening shift or an outside consultant help? Do you need to cancel your original order and reorder from another source?
Your team has equity in the choices you've made (e.g., you diligently held focus groups with staff and customers on the color of the carpet, but after months of waiting, it is now unavailable). The decisions were made in good faith, but to survive construction, know when to let go of previous choices—even good ones.
5. Use all the talent available
Evaluate staff capabilities realistically
Consider the value a consultant's expertise may add
Your library has a wealth of talent and skill on staff, on your board, and in the community. Can your in-house staff save some precious money by packing and moving cases of books to storage during the construction? Probably. Can they do it and still provide an acceptable level of library service or in the time frame needed? Maybe not. Sometimes, spending more is the cheapest way to get the job done.
6. How you communicate will make a difference
Make a statement by example
Plan, plan, plan
Don't overpromise
You obviously believe that your library is indispensable. For that reason, a thorough and much-publicized interim service plan is critical. If you have to close part of your collection or shut down during certain hours to accommodate work being done, make sure you arrange for customers to access library services in other ways. Direct them to another nearby library. Deliver mobile service or disperse small “essentials-only” collections in alternate locations. You cannot ask your customers to limp along without, even during periods when traffic is slow. That sends the message that your library's service is optional.
You will inevitably get inquiries from the media and various publics about the state of your project, when you expect to be finished, and so on. Default to the worst-case scenario. Never make optimistic claims. “Pleasantly surprised” is always better than “disappointed.”
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| Author Information |
| Peter Magnani is Director, Capital and Facilities Management, and Anthony Romeo is Director, Capital Management, Queens Library, Jamaica, NY |
