Major Goals for the Function or Area
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- Quiet,, noise controlled (as many seniors have hearing aids and cannot distinguish background noise from conversation)
- Comfortable–with lots of soft chairs with sturdy arms for ease of exit from the chairs
- Reading areas for long time use. Some seniors spend hours in the library
- Adult, senior materials need to be very accessible, preferably with all materials on the same floor and near each other
- No shelves below waist level. Use underneath areas for storage. Older people may not be able to bend over to see materials on bottom shelves in typical configuration of today
- Lots of natural light via skylights and windows
- Additional reading light at reading level, not just from the ceiling
- Try to avoid fluorescent tube light. It can trigger vertigo and epilepsy depending on type and person. It is also very hard on the eyes for anyone who is trying to read for long periods of time.
- Parking as close to the adult section as possible
- Lots of handicapped parking planned from the beginning -planned area for installation of low vision reading machines. These are fairly large, specialized machines which need power and need to be on a table at a comfortable reading level (material is laid on a screen and appears on a monitor highly magnified). Any paper printed material can be used with them from newspapers to books
- Elevators OK, stairs not OK, one and two step level changes to be totally avoided
- Lots of room for large print books
- Also for books on CD/DVD/tape
- Easy access to restrooms
- Complete outdoor lighting for nighttime visits
- Meeting rooms furnished as above for senior use
- Floor contrast in color or material if there is a grade change
- Easy access to outdoor reading, courtyard areas
Critical Needs (must have):
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- Low vision machines
- Sturdy, comfortable chairs with arms
- No low shelves
- Good sound system in any meeting room that will use microphones, or piped sound
- Light-natural and lamps, lights
- Crisp, clear signs in large print
- Adult areas separate from children
Less-Critical (would like to have):
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- Areas to preview CDs, books on CD or DVD, possibly with headsets
- Outdoor cellphone area for all library users
Design Considerations:
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- Single level inside for most adult, senior materials. Elevators for floor changes
- Minimize stairs
- Use ramps for small grade changes
- Lots of exterior lighting–even and bright
- Reading areas for long term visits natural light as much as possible supplemented with appropriate reading light, not general overhead light
- Planned area for low vision machines near large print books and newspapers,magazines
- Parking near an appropriate entrance for adult areas to minimize walking with walkers, wheelchairs
- Easy access to outdoor reading areas,courtyards
<back to 2003 Library Project>
