Sotillo Winstanley Breaking the Mould IFLA LBES 2016
1. The UK’s European university
BREAKING THE MOULD/
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT TO BUILD
A CASE FOR, AND THEN DELIVER THE
TRANSFORMATION OF A 1960s LIBRARY
INTO A 21ST
CENTURY LIBRARY AND
LEARNING SPACE
John Sotillo & Suzi Winstanley
IFLA WORLD LIBRARY AND INFORMATION CONGRESS
SATELITE MEETING
10 August 2016
2. University origins
Established in 1965 at
Canterbury
The library at the heart of the
University
Architect’s vision for a
30,000m2
facility developed
in four stages
Breaking the mould - the transformation of a 1960s library
3. University origins
Two blocks built by 1996 by
which time the student body
had grown to c. 8,000
In 2005 the student body had
increased to 13,000 with no
further growth in library
facilities
By 2005 the needs of our
undergraduate and research
communities had changed
Despite much innovation
over the intervening
decades, the 1960s library
could not fully satisfy these
needs
Breaking the mould - the transformation of a 1960s library
4. Our response – the first transformation
Breaking the mould - the transformation of a 1960s library
Kent’s problems mirrored
similar challenges across the
sector
Newly converged Library and
IT service in 2004/5
A programme of service
review and development
Many changes introduced
leading to a first significant
transformation of the library
New spaces, new services,
much excitement and
increased use followed
5. Our response – the first transformation
Breaking the mould - the transformation of a 1960s library
The growth of digital services generally
Further changes to library services resulting in considerable
increase in book circulation and library footfall
By 2008 the successful initiative was starting to present new
challenges
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6. Partnership working
Breaking the mould - the transformation of a 1960s library
Information Services has good
existing engagement with the
university academic and
professional service
community
External environment changing
relationship with students
University focus on increased
investment
New Library vision developed
Detailed options developed for
an expanded library providing
a range of library and IT
services alongside services
from other student service
departments
7. Breaking the mould
Breaking the mould - the transformation of a 1960s library
Co-locating services that
operate in the same space and
at the same time is challenging
and expensive.
Expanding the range of
services still further might help
us gain increased benefit from
the investment.
Stakeholders needed to share
the vision.
We needed to be mindful of 40
years of existing practice.
8. Collaboration and co-design
Breaking the mould - the transformation of a 1960s library
An immersive process
involving all stakeholders
Working with stakeholders to
develop the vision and agree
how issues should be
addressed
Using many different
techniques and tools to help
explore elements of the design
9. Collaboration and co-design
Breaking the mould - the transformation of a 1960s library
Engaging with all the
short-listed design teams
during the competition
phase
12. Collaboration and co-design
Breaking the mould - the transformation of a 1960s library
Observation as a tool for
better understanding user
activity
MAKING DO LOLLING
SPATIALISING SPACE HOPPING
13. Collaboration and co-design
Breaking the mould - the transformation of a 1960s library
Prototyping spaces and
elements to affordably
test thinking
14. Collaboration and survival
Breaking the mould - the transformation of a 1960s library
Keeping things going and
maintaining satisfaction levels
Ensuring regular
communication
Being honest about anticipated
disruption as well as the
hoped-for transformation
Resourcing the existing
service and its continued
improvement
Helping Information Services
staff deliver the service they
would like to