Wheaton Public Library, which until recently has operated with a books-first mindset in a world that increasingly does not, is looking to make subtle tweaks to the building’s layout in order to better serve as a hub for the Wheaton community.
Wheaton Public Library, which until recently has operated with a books-first mindset in a world that increasingly does not, is looking to make subtle tweaks to the building’s layout in order to better serve as a hub for the Wheaton community.
By re-imagining their existing space, library officials hope to attract more visitors with refined and rearranged book selections, revamped technology and the opening of a coffee shop on the building’s west end.
“My model for this was that it had to cost 99 cents,” said Library Director Betsy Adamowski during a presentation to the Wheaton City Council earlier this week. “We couldn’t buy any new furniture, no new carpeting. We had a beautiful building. We just really needed to move our living room furniture, that’s what it was.”
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When Adamowski began working for the library two years ago, she was tasked with examining the physical building and figuring out how to refigure the space. She recently turned to Studio GC, an organization that primarily focuses on library design, after compiling a community needs assessment from the public in June 2014.
“Part of it is being really cognizant of what the library industry is undergoing now, and trying to get out in front of the changes as opposed to reacting to them,” said Rick McCarthy, an architect with Studio GC.
McCarthy, who helped redesign libraries in Addison and LaGrange, said that while books are a core aspect of a library’s purpose, services such as content creation, video editing and 3-D printing are equally vital.
Most important, though, is building a sense of community within the library, he said. And that’s the role of the coffee shop.
“It’s really consistent with the social aspect of the library,” he said. “The library’s coffee shop isn’t meant to compete with local coffee shops, but people being at the library during the day and after school is part of the mark of a successful library. That’s what we’re aiming at.”
The library board approved a contract in March with Construction Solutions of Illinois for $82,723 to create the coffee shop, according to library board documents.
The coffee shop falls under a list of improvements and rearranging McCarthy calls “phase one,” which is set to be complete come spring. The additional improvements include bolstering the library’s teenage section and improving the genealogy area, he said.
He also hopes to increase the amount of self-service options for visitors, and aligning the library with a supermarket model for those looking to “get in and get out quickly.”
Another improvement that McCarthy is exploring is a redesigned technology area, which could serve the needs of self-employed visitors during the day and seniors at night, he said. Wheaton has about 20 percent more self-employed residents than its neighboring towns, he said, who look for places to video conference or meet with clients during the day.
What’s next is for the library board to decide whether the phase one improvements beyond the coffee shop are worth investing in, and then allocate additional funding, she said.
Once those improvements are complete, McCarthy said the library could look into pursuing advancements such as a drive-up book drop outside of the building, where people can drop off books or pick up items they reserved online.
Twitter: @marwaeltagouri