ALA 2010: How Successful Projects Happen: Be a BRAT Client
By Carrie Netzer Wajda Jun 27, 2010New buildings can be a daunting challenge, given the need to manage multiple high-profile stakeholders over several years and the high-takes of a multimillion-dollar project.
The advice of some veterans--librarians, architect, facilities manager--is to be a BRAT client, with BRAT being a handy acronym for the needed qualities: Better, Responsible, Adaptable, and Tough.
B is for Better
Architect Jeffrey Scherer of Minneapolis-based Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle, said that it can cost an architecture firm $10,000 to $60,000 to prepare a proposal.
It also takes more than 20 minutes to deliver a good pitch and articulate a vision for the library, so be prepared to invest adequate staff time to evaluate proposals and don't just go for the cheapest bid, he advised.
Getting the lines of authority clear from the start saves time and frustration on all sides. Scherer encourages project managers to ask complicated questions. "Ask to see the architect's library card," he added.
R is for Responsible
Phoenix Public Library City Librarian Toni Garvey (LJ's 2004 Librarian of the Year) advises project managers to design for function by keeping in mind the library's routine tasks and try to find efficiencies along the way.
How will a book get from the shelf to the checkout counter and back again? How will patrons sign up for computers? Select your team carefully to make sure you are getting feedback from the right sources, she said.
And remember that "something always happens," whether it's a flooded construction site or contaminated soil that needs to be replaced before a project can begin.
A for Adaptable
When the unexpected happens, figure out how to deal with it and move on, the audience was told.
To be good clients, librarians have to be "willing to make tough decisions when it matters," said Peter Magnani, Director, Capital Program Management/Facilities Planning, of Queens Public Library.
Whether building from the ground up or redesigning an existing space, keep in mind that you are designing for the next generation of library users, he advised. Flexibility ensures that spaces can be adapted to changing needs.
T is for Tough
"There are rewards for being 'BRAT-ty'" observed Adrianne Ralph, Public Services Facilities Design Coordinator of the King County Library System, Issaquah, WA. She cited beautiful buildings, sustainable design, and a satisfied community.
Panelists advised both trusting the architect and general contractor to carry out the vision while making sure things are written down. "What's on the contract is what you get, no matter what was said earlier," said Scherer.
If you expect the architect to be on site daily, get it in writing and negotiate the cost in advance. "Listening is more an art of filtering what you want to hear, rather than hearing what was actually said," Scherer observed.
To avoid misunderstandings, make expectations explicit in the contract at the outset.
Visit ALA Annual Conference News for ongoing coverage of the conference by the editors of Library Journal and School Library Journal. Find shots of various ALA 2010 conference happenings on LJ's Flickr page.
