Rachel Fleming Collection Development Librarian, Geisler Library, Central College Confronting the Gathering “Cloud” Philosophical Foundations and Future Directions of Library Architecture Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud” Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference

Library Architecture and Epistemology History of Library Buildings and the messages they send about knowledge and knowing Brief assessment of current (and future?) ideas about knowledge and knowing Brief overview of library building trends What are our goals? Our institutions’ goals? How are we communicating these through our buildings? Beyond buildings… Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud”

This talk has only more questions. Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud” “To be effective, practitioners should be reflexive, should examine and questions what we do, how we do it, and why we make the choices we do.” -John Budd “To be effective, practitioners should be reflexive, should examine and questions what we do, how we do it, and why we make the choices we do.” -John Budd

Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud” “The academic library exists to make manifest and tangible the products of social processes aimed at putting us on the path to knowledge.” -John Budd “The academic library exists to make manifest and tangible the products of social processes aimed at putting us on the path to knowledge.” -John Budd “We must look at all buildings as evidence of social processes” -Abigail Van Slyck “We must look at all buildings as evidence of social processes” -Abigail Van Slyck

Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud” Library of the Benedictine Monastery of Admont, Austria

Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud”

Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud”

Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud” The Aptly Named “Wall System” of Shelving Real Gabinete Portugues De Leitura Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud” The equally apt “Alcove System” Trinity College,Dublin Memory devices

Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud” PANOPTICON

Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud” British Museum Reading Room, Built

Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud” Andrew Carnegie Pierpont Morgan Library Not Unlike Colonel Anderson’s

Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud” Iowa City Public Library Dubuque Public Library Grinnell College “The main consideration should be to help those who will help themselves.” Andrew Carnegie

Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud” Carnegie Library Floor Plans Suggested by James Bertram

Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud”

Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud”

Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud”

Modernism & Brutalism Grand Scale Mechanical Futuristic Freedom Open space Transparency Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud” Le Corbusier’s five points for contemporary construction 1)the pillar, to be left free to rise through the open space of the house 2)the functional independence of skeleton and wall, not only of outer walls but of inner partitions 3)the free plan, composing interior space with nonbearing interior walls to create free flow of space and also interpenetration of interior and exterior space 4)the free facade, the completely flexible and variable wall which is merely a nonsupporting skin or sheath 5)the roof garden -- the development of flat roof as additional living area Appearance… has the quality of a beautiful ship or machine of the future :(

Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud”

Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud” Current Trends in Architecture. Drew Harrington, “Six Trends in Library Design” 1.Self-Service & Operational Efficiency 2.Flexibility & technology integration 3.Green/sustainable buildings 4.Collaboration … 5.A Renewed interest in Aesthetics 6.Customize library to local community Drew Harrington, “Six Trends in Library Design” 1.Self-Service & Operational Efficiency 2.Flexibility & technology integration 3.Green/sustainable buildings 4.Collaboration … 5.A Renewed interest in Aesthetics 6.Customize library to local community

Architect’s Perspective & Recommendations Library “typology” still appealing to architects Elements to reinforce “collaborative learning” – Spaces need to include ownership – Work & study spaces integrated with instructional spaces : seminar rooms house special collections – How will the entire community use the library – When and how will spaces/furniture will be used – Design spaces for what you want to happen there – Consider what environment each space creates -Steven M. Foote Library “typology” still appealing to architects Elements to reinforce “collaborative learning” – Spaces need to include ownership – Work & study spaces integrated with instructional spaces : seminar rooms house special collections – How will the entire community use the library – When and how will spaces/furniture will be used – Design spaces for what you want to happen there – Consider what environment each space creates -Steven M. Foote Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud”

Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud”

Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud” Data everywhere, changing everything.

Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud” Where does the library fit?

Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud” The more, the better.

Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud” It goes on FOREVER 80 / 20

Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud”

What’s Changing? Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud” “Knowledge is more than an object of cognition; it has been subjected to some kind of filtering… In other words, it has been deemed meaningful through some societally agreed-upon practice.” -John Budd “Knowledge is more than an object of cognition; it has been subjected to some kind of filtering… In other words, it has been deemed meaningful through some societally agreed-upon practice.” -John Budd

Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud” What is a library?

Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud” What is a library?

What is a librarian? Rachel Fleming, Collection Development Librarian Iowa ACRL 2009 Spring Conference, 17 April 2009 Confronting the Gathering “Cloud”