Papers Panel 4. Space/Renovation

Abstract

“This Old House: Reimagining Public Space in Special Collections.”: In the summer of 2014, the Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library of Emory University will begin a full renovation of its public spaces. Built in the 1960s, the current public side of MARBL occupies the 10th floor of the Robert W. Woodruff Library stacks tower at the center of the main campus in Atlanta, GA. What made sense when the floor was constructed has proven to be prohibitive to our goal of offering premier collections in a welcoming, technologically advanced, and secure environment. We attempt to balance public events, exhibitions, a robust instruction program, and scholarly research in a space that was not meant to accommodate so many endeavors. This paper will explore how public spaces in special collections have changed in the past 50 years and how public space may have taken a backseat to improving storage and processing spaces. As well, it will look at the advancements that have led to these changes, and how special collections libraries are being planned for the future.; “Delicate balance at Z. Smith Reynolds Library”: Wake Forest’s Z. Smith Reynolds Library was planned and built (along with the rest of the campus) to provide space for a rapidly growing student body in the 1950s. Designed with many great closed libraries in mind, the space quickly became out of vogue and needed reworking. Today, almost 60 years later, Special Collections & Archives struggles with space and architectural limitations when considering the future of the collection. This presentation will discuss the plans to modernize a 1950s space while reappraising collections and considering our needs for the future. There is a delicate balance between honoring beloved Special Collections & Archives Reading Room (or as the students call it, Hogwarts) and making plans for a 21st century archives. This presentation will highlight challenges and successes when considering our old space, our new space, and how we should fill it.; “Old Space, New Space: Retrofitting the Vassar College Archives & Special Collection Library”: Between the early 1960s and 2013, the Archives & Special Collections Library at Vassar College occupied three different locations; yet with only slight variation the footprint for each of these was the same. In recent years, new priorities have emerged in the profession and at Vassar: an interest in teaching and programming; a desire to provide more robust reference services; a need for appropriate shelving and better security. Staff envisioned a new space to address these priorities, but in the wake of the recent economic downturn, a new building or addition was not possible. What to do? During the last two years library staff planned and executed a renovation plan to re-design the space. Though occupying a footprint similar to the one used in the early 1960s, Special Collections now is better able to carry out its present goals.