I just spent about an hour running around the library with a few other people looking at how to rearrange our computers so we can have more computers. It’s all very future-tense right now, but something we kept coming back to was the idea that we shouldn’t make people run all over the place for like items and tasks (the ESL lab is currently as far away from the ESL materials as it can be). Dewey Decimal for the building. It’s a no-brainer, but our buildings aren’t always compatible with our materials, desires and patron needs.

Back at my desk, I came upon this wonderful page: subway systems of the world, presented on the same scale (link via Jackson Fish Market).

What does the subway system say about how the city is laid out, its history and where its people are? Look at London’s map- it looks like they built the subways under the horse trails. Contrast that with Beijing’s, which is lovely in its simplicity (I’d hang that on my wall).

In looking at the space in my library today, I thought a lot about commonly travelled paths. Where do people usually go to and from? We’re constrained a lot by electrical and ethernet outlets. I know that’s why the microfilm machine is on the opposite side of the Main floor from the Local History room (two areas that often go hand in hand). The distance isn’t great, so we’re not talking about a major inconvenience, just an interesting conceptual-spatial exercise. These maps just inspired me to go find out why our circulation department is saddled with the distribution of computer guest passes. Is it just because they’re card-like? Circ is no where near the computers, though they are in between the two main computer areas. Maybe we should re-route that particular subway.

What would you move at your library?