Now more than ever before, college libraries have a challenge ahead of them. The challenge is technology, so while college students will likely always need the study space the library provides, they need the physical resources less and less all of the time thanks to the extensive ability to obtain many of these same resources online. Traditional study carrels and areas just don’t work for today’s students. A concept that might? One borrowed from the business world called hoteling or hot desking.

What Is It?

80601597The idea is a fairly simple one. Because many employees are on the run these days to customers, sales meetings, or other offices, the desk space remains unused much of the time. As a result, freeing some of that up, and thus needing smaller work areas overall, is finally possible. Thus the idea of hoteling was born. The concept is this – when an employee is going to need a workspace, he calls ahead to the concierge (or office manager, as the case may be) to reserve a desk space. That desk space is then open for him on a given day at a given time, and he has the space he needs to work.

The idea is pretty easily transferable to college libraries, though you may need to put some policies in place to make it work well. There are several software solutions on the market today to help make it work well from an administration standpoint. Students, particularly on those campuses where many students commute or live off-campus, reserve a great workstation for a period of time. Libraries are sure their workstations are put to good use, and students aren’t trying to study in the noise of the food court.

Making It Work

If hoteling might be a good choice for your library, the essential factor will be the workspace itself. You have to have amazing casework to play this game. Students aren’t going to want to reserve a space if it isn’t comfortable and useful, so much thought has to go into the areas themselves. Keep in mind that you probably don’t want to give your entire library over to the concept, but dedicating a portion to the space is going to do excellent things for both your library and the students themselves. The work areas need to fulfill the simple needs of students who wish to study or complete assignments. An attractive work surface is a given, but you should also ensure students have access to power, maybe even a variety of available charging cords for various devices. Beautify it with some task lighting, and add some functionality with a coat hook or even a trash can. All of these things are simple to accomplish, but they’ll make these hoteling spaces amazing for student use.

Not all business concepts have a place in education, but this is one that certainly does.

There is perhaps no space in an educational environment that must be so conducive to learning as the law library. While the materials provided are certainly an integral part of the experience, so too is the area. At Carroll Seating Company, we’ve been working to provide beautiful law library spaces for more than half a century.

Creating the Space

As you begin your redesign, start by thinking about the style you want to create in your space. You’re looking for a balance of the functionality students and professors need as well as the beauty of that is a must for efficient operations. What’s more, though, is that you not only need to think in terms of study carrels and great reading spaces, but you may also need to make meeting spaces available for students and staff. The casework you choose should also be a consideration as you begin making your plans.

Our Role

At Carroll Seating Company, Law Library redesignwe work to find the best way to create the space you want without compromise. Here you’ll find efficient designs that look as amazing as they feel. We offer a variety of options from customized casework to comfortable seating.

  • Our Bookcases: When it comes to space to store materials, we offer easy to access, durable selections that meet both traditional and modular designs so you get the level of flexibility you want.
  • Our Seating: Today’s students are used to that café feel when they walk into a space like yours, so designing comfortable seating areas for browsing or research purposes is a must. We offer an entire line of stylish, smooth, luxurious seating choices that will make all of your patrons comfortable.
  • Our Desks: Complete customization is the name of the game when it comes to the desks that will serve both you and your staff well. We create not only beautiful spaces to work, but also those that redefine multimedia functionality.

To learn more or to see some of our previous work with law school libraries, contact us today.

Statistically speaking, reading scores for elementary students across the nation are in nothing short of a freefall. Despite the continual focus on this essential skill, few students are picking up books and sitting down to read just for fun, and it’s certainly contributing to a lacking love of books the world over. One simple way to change that? Give them a library space they’ll want to visit again and again. Summer is the perfect time for a library redesign. Take a moment to imagine the possibilities.

  • Get Colorful: Alsip Kids 14 (1)Schools are still often drab places, and libraries are little different. It’s amazing what some color can do, though. Whether you’re talking about a simple paint job on the walls themselves, a mural depicting your school mascot and colors, or even bright chairs, bookcases, and workspaces, color can help encourage kids to come in and stay.
  • Get Creative: Quick, imagine that you’re nine years old again. What would be the coolest possible thing you could have in a library? What if the entire library had whiteboard walls where you could record your thoughts about your latest read? What if every nook and cranny was decorated like a favorite children’s book from Alice in Wonderland  to Harry Potter? If you can dream it, we can help you make it happen.
  • Get Comfortable: Libraries aren’t going to be amazing reading spaces if you don’t have comfortable, cute tables and chairs for students to relax. Get a pair of cushy chairs that look just like rocket ships! Add tables that look like fast food restaurant booths your students already know and love. Consider study carrels with soft seating options instead of traditional hard chairs. The cozier your spaces, the more likely students are to want to come back and stick around.

Ready to get started on your library redesign? Give us a call. From start to finish, we’ll help you do more with your library space and help encourage students to read!

If you recently walked into a library and thought, “This isn’t quite what I remember,” you’re not alone. Many of today’s libraries are designed to be open environments, perfect to support diverse needs, including those of individuals and groups. It’s a popular idea, and with good reason. Libraries aren’t what they used to be. Demographics are changing fast, and so too are the needs of libraries. They’re often as much about community collaboration as they are about individuals spending time with reference materials. As a result, the physical landscape of libraries has to shift at the same time, and much of the responsibility of that shift lies in the right furniture.

Tables and Chairs Defining Libraries?

Libraries fun-librarywere once just about books, but that can’t be the case anymore. Sure, just a few decades ago the best way to study up on a concept was to look through past printed material, but people don’t work that way anymore. Instead, the best researchers consult printed material, digital material, and even other people to share information. As a result, libraries have to move from shelves of printed material to technology bases that allow as much space for equipment as they do for people. Getting the right book may be as simple as using the library’s wifi connection to download it from their site instead of consulting the card catalog to go back in the shelves and find it.

Enter furniture solutions. With comfortable chairs to sit in while you’re holding your tablet, spots to take a break and talk with other patrons, and bright, friendly story time areas for the smallest patrons, the idea of an open library quickly becomes a reality, even without other vast changes to the space itself. The simple addition of open and individualized study spaces in the same spot transforms what used to be a dark place with people going “Shhhh!” all of the time to a light, airy environment where grabbing what you need may mean plugging in or heading back to the stacks for a closer look at that book.

To learn more about our complete line of open library furniture, contact Carroll Seating Company today. From the initial design to the installation phase, we’re right here to help you develop the perfect space for all of your patrons.

 

The idea of open concept library furniture is growing fast. Libraries simply aren’t closed, dark spaces full of shelves and silent tables anymore. They’re changing as fast as the way people obtain information is, and a big part of that change is a shift in the furniture. If you’re thinking of giving your library a facelift, but you’re not quite sure what’s available, this quick guide can help.

Shelving

Any great library has lots of shelving, fun-library-furniturebut it does not have to look quite so traditional these days. There are so many different choices. Looking to make an area friendlier for littler hands? Why not try a cute shaped display shelf that’s just the right size for your pint sized patrons. Need to display the best selections in a given section? End panel shelving or even canopy topped shelving may be the ideal answer.

Often how you store your materials is just as important as what materials you have in your facility, so feel free to dream big. From decorative end panels that help further a theme to cute choices that incorporate flexible seating options, reviewing your shelving choices carefully is a must.

Seating

Comfy arm chairs. Stacking modular seats. Traditional sturdy wood chairs. Squishy soft bean bag chairs. Wondering what they have in common? They’re all often part of today’s library at the same time. Those cozy spots are ideal in the places where your patrons might spend a bit of time chatting about the latest best seller.

The modular seating is ideal for the larger community gatherings your library might play host to. The sturdy wooden chairs are a must when it’s time for a more serious look at things. No matter what look you’re going for, the key with today’s library seating options is to make certain you’re serving the needs of everyone at the same time.

Study Areas

As important as collaboration can be in a library, quiet study is just as essential, so putting some thought into those individualized study spaces is an absolute must. Fortunately, there’s still plenty of modern options there too. Incorporate a little technology with plug in spaces for laptops and tablets. Get more traditional with flexible study carrels that can reconfigure as needed. Go with tables that work just as well for one as they do for an entire group. It’s all in the flexibility these days.

Proper Planning

Open concept library furniture is a broad area. You can’t simply choose a few products out of a catalog and have the right look for your library. Instead, you need an entire planning team on your side to look at your current space, show you the right options for that space, then help you put it all together. So, before you start that order form, contact the qualified library planning team at Carroll Seating Company today, then get ready to build the library of your dreams.

 

Libraries are changing fast. What was once simply a repository for books and a mecca of study has now morphed into a center of learning, complete with a variety of multimedia aspects. Whether you’re talking about an elementary school or a university library, today’s choices have to do far more than they ever did before, and the right furniture is part of that mission. Fortunately Brodart offers a wide variety of choices to help you meet your goals.

Start With The Basics  Brodart_furniture-CarrollSeating

You need the right places for your patrons to sit and study materials, and there are a number of great choices that can really open your library to new uses. Their line of lounge furniture means comfort, style, and an easy experience that is ideal throughout the library. Creative collaborative choices include the Epoch Iso Tables, that are perfect for traditional study or powering up the laptop for a complete online experience. The synchTable option also gives patrons five different mobile shaping options that can change as your library does.

Don’t forget about your computers in the equation, either. Brodart offers a range of choices that are perfect for computer use. From those with a more traditional look to surfaces with adjustable heights, a sophisticated feel, or even a creative feel that will help younger patrons go to new places with their computer use, the sky is the limit with your multimedia furniture.

Right Down to the Chairs

What they’re sitting on can make almost as much difference as where they sit. Instead of going with traditional library chairs, you may want to go with something like the unique two position chair or even the Brodart creative line that will reintroduce art and design to your library setting.

Don’t Forget those Little Touches

Your furniture choices don’t have to end at the furniture your patrons use when they study, read, or collaborate. There are lots of finishing touches that will pull the look together. When was the last time you thought about your end panels? They don’t have to be simple wood finishes. Instead, they can employ amazing designs that will have you rethinking libraries entirely. Go as loud and bright as you like, particularly if it helps to draw readers further into the shelves.

Don’t stop at the ends of the shelves, though. Think about the shelves themselves, too. If you’ve been in a book store recently, you’ve probably seen the open shelving choices so many marketers are employing. That’s also more than possible in the library setting. With choices like these, you can put your most requested materials in unique configurations that will help to ensure all of your materials shine.

Libraries are not the places they once were, and the right furniture choices can help you change that.

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