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Our so-called paperless society is anything but, as proved by the continuing strength of the library construction market
Back in the early days of the World Wide Web--all of 10 years ago--some predicted the web would bring an end to the traditional library, as efforts to convert text into an electronic format would make physical storage less important. Well, the ongoing strength of library construction today has proved those predictions wrong, and experts say that today's new libraries are only getting bigger and more feature-packed.
"Right now, dollar-wise, it gets bigger every year," says Dick Waters, president of Cottonwood, Ariz.-based Providence Assocs., a consulting firm that helps library systems develop programming requirements for new or renovated facilities. "I think the one thing that's not happening is that the Internet is going to stop the need for libraries. In fact, everyone I know who's building a library is building a library bigger than the one they had before."
This added sophistication is changing both major library breeds--community libraries and the more specialized archival facilities. Designers of central and branch community facilities are paying more attention to features like wireless networks and lighting to boost user satisfaction. University libraries and other special collections go beyond these concerns to more sophisticated control systems that provide better conditions for the rarities housed within. Take Harvard's Widener Library for example. Environmental conditions were often controlled by a very non-technological means--the manual opening and closing of the building's many windows. Of course, the resulting humidity fluctuation and introduction of air contaminants posed a potential hazard to the collection. So Harvard employed the services of engineers from Einhorn Yaffee Prescott's Boston office to upgrade the facility and provide a better method for controlling temperature and humidity (see "When Building New Isn't an Option," p. 30).
Community support continues
Experts see continued popular support for such renovations, as well as the continued addition of new libraries, despite rumblings of opposition from other public construction sectors. In fact, some argue that presenting a library project in a funding referendum can actually help the chances of other less-popular projects listed on the ballot.
"The states are contributing funds because it's a very popular movement," says Anet Willingham, a Heery International vice president who just finished...