Discussions on Furnishings

As part of our planning on "look and feel", we need to give the Interior Designer some ideas of what we imagine our space will be like. Follow the link to pictures of furnishings and fixtures that we saw on site visits. Please comment on those you either like or don't like. Submit other ideas by emailing Bev.

Color of Wood (shelving, trim, furnishings, etc.)

• All of the libraries have different shades of wood throughout. We could do the same and use our new Browsing shelving in the renovated library.
• Do not like the dark carpeting and do not like the dark wood at the Circ. Desk at St. Kate's…too much dark.
• For the most part I thought the coloring at Concordia was dull…dull paint color, carpet and dull soft seating colors.
• like the lighter color wood Metor has at the front desk mixed w/dark counter top.

Shelving

Photos from our compact shelving tour can be viewed.

Chairs

• I like the task chairs at Concordia.
• I do not think the colors at Concordia go well together or look good together (study tables and the task chairs with them).
• I like the look of the wooden chairs w/the wooden, green top study tables at St. Kate's. I know those wooden chairs wouldn’t be comfy but the chairs in the Archives reading room are wooden & upholstered w/green.
• I do like the color of the ‘blue’ bench type seating Concordia has in the children’s area.
• Here are some pictures of chairs at the Mayo Library . These would be nice for our open study areas. On the big stuffed chairs the desktop does swing down when not needed. Students said "it was more comfortable to have the desk there to raise the book level so they didn't have to crane their neck downwards if they wanted to sit in a comfortable chair and read.” Laptop users might like them too. The chairs are new to their remodeled library, so no info on how well they hold up.
• On soft seating areas—make some provision for natural tendency to put feet up? (i.e., ottoman)
• I think that the soft furniture we have now (couches and chairs) from Emmons Furniture have held up extremely well. They all still look like new! They are comfortable, sturdy and well made. Emmons was also wonderful to deal with. They had tons of fabrics, textures and colors to choose from.
• I like the flex chairs for study rooms, carrels, and some study tables. But I would also like to see some wood ones with padded seats for some of the open study areas.

• I like the Aeron Chair a lot however it is pricy. I have used it before. Second best is the Mirra chair.
  

Study Tables

• Most of the tables at St. Kate’s and Metro looked too heavy to me. It would be nice to find some tables that are sturdy but not too heavy so that students can move them around for different work configurations. So do we need to think about non-wood tables in many open areas? Some that doesn’t look cheap but has a modern look. I like the Worden ones, http://worden.portfoliocms.com/worden/assets/dgbrochure.pdf (p. 3) or http://worden.portfoliocms.com/worden/assets/dxbrochure.pdf. (p. 6, 10 (in a lighter color if available), 12, 13)
• I like St. Kate's wooden study tables w/the green (?) top.
• Here are some study table/chairs from Brodart, called Cambridge series. The tops can be changed, and they offer a light-colored wood selection.
• Also some from Brodart called Berwyn.
• I like a classic look, wood table with a colored inlay, some round and some sq. I think the tables with the black will be a dust nightmare and date the library.

Computer Stations

This is a link to the computer stations that we saw and liked at St. Cloud State a few years ago and are similar to the ones that are being considered for our library. Any thoughts?

• I like the serpentine computer stations.
• Jim Jorstad from La Crosse spoke on campus 11/30 on 21st Century Learning Environments. He showed us some Herman Miller pole-based system furnishings, called Resolve. The overhead pods provide some light and sound control, and also provide a more organic feel. This might be a good direction for the Information Commons, which is currently very structured. He recommended furniture with wheels throughout the building, so that it can be easily reconfigured.

Study Carrels

• The study carrels at these library looked heavy too. I’d prefer small tables for individual study rather than carrels.
• Do not like the individual study space chairs. They look very uncomfortable, and are too small.
• Both tables and carrels that are sturdy enough while not too heavy to move.
• Some students do prefer carrels let’s just make sure they are large enough for a laptop and study area.

Carpet

• The carpet squares at Metro seem nice.
• I like the different carpet Metro has throughout their library. It seems lighter, not dark.

Lighting

• I really like the idea of table lights, as at Metro. Also, since ceiling lights will be quite high, having a combo of some overhead light and some shelf-height light may help--in compact shelving areas some lights that come on with opening of section.

Other Furnishings

• I like the small round tables or foot stools that go with the soft lounge chairs at St. Kate’s in the quiet area.
• I like the campus directory and informational screen up above when you walk in.
• Pete Z., River Architects, sent some floor layouts and pictures of views for the track lighting in the public services area and the glass walls for technical services. These are in the conference room.

[Nov. 13, 2007] Committee members have been sent an e-mail regarding current furniture inventory. See explanations of Part 2 (furniture only to come back to the renovated library if we don’t have money to replace it) and Part 1 (furniture to definitely come back to the renovated library). The corresponding pictures show the corresponding pictures to Part 2 & 1.

• The attached pdf file from Sentry Glass Expressions is not directly furnishings, but relates to the proposed treatment of what are currently equipment lightwells in the 'garden level'.