Library Spaces-2015 Edition

I have been doing a lot of traveling again this past spring and have taken pictures of some of my favorite library spaces and features.  Some of these features would be easy to adapt in any library.

Kalamazoo Public Library-Main Branch
This year's MiKidLib was held at the Kalamazoo Public Library.  They had recently done some renovations and we have already borrowed some of their ideas.

I LOVE their reference desk signage.  The simple "ask here" tells kids and parents where to go for help.  It is in big letters and is easy to read.

They have also added nursery rhymes above the changing tables in the kids restrooms.  The cost to do this is one laminated piece of paper!  On our first day back at work after the unconference, we duplicated this great idea.

Kalamazoo is currently working on sorting their picture book collection by neighborhoods.  The bins were its predecessor to show that this type of thing would be popular.  While we aren't ready for a neighborhood reorganization as we are in the middle of converting our nonfiction to BISAC categories, we did put out two bins on bottom shelves for "princesses" and "trains".  These have been extremely popular!  As of this moment, every single train picture book is checked out and we have renamed the bin "things that go".  We also have bought a third bin for "dinosaurs".

MacDonald Public Library
This library is close to my home and is the workplace of Kelly at Ms. Kelly at the Library. 

I love her number circles that she added going down the ramp into the kids' room.  It's a great early literacy center that anyone can add with paper and book tape.  Kelly blogs about it here. 

I also was excited to check out her iPad setup as we are putting some into a new building.  Kelly talks about her process here.  I really like that the apps are organized by ECRR2 categories!

Bloomfield Township Public Library
I attend our Special Needs Roundtable at BTPL and love to check out what they are doing while I am there.

Here you can see their nonfiction organized with faceouts on all of the top shelves.  I really like this as it helps with the browsing users.  Plus, it looks awesome!  We are in the middle of a nonfiction redo (BISAC) and as we sort our categories at the end of summer, we will be organizing our section in a similar fashion.

Mission Viejo Public Library
MVPL is in California and I had originally stopped by to check out their Family Place offerings as we are just starting the process.  Below are some neat things that I saw.

As you enter the library, there is a window in the lobby.  At the top of the window is the mission statement.  How many libraries show off their mission statements in a really obvious place like this?  I love it!  Other text on the window are book-related quotes.

The adult reference desk has "ask here" above the desk.  Once again, I love how easy it is to locate help.  The simple "ask here" makes the desk staff seem more approachable.

As you enter a section of the children's area, these fossils are on the wall.  I really like the sensory aspect of it as some are raised and some are embedded.  Trust me, just like a kid, I was touching everything.

San Diego Public Library-Main Branch
If you are ever in Southern California, it is definitely worth a trip to visit the San Diego Public Library.  It is right downtown, within walking distance of Petco Park (I am a baseball fan!).

As you walk along the sidewalk, various Dr. Seuss silhouettes are in the windows of the children's room.  Since Dr. Seuss lived just north of San Diego in La Jolla, this makes sense.

Following the Dr. Seuss theme, there are Seuss murals covering almost all of the walls in the children's room.  It is so much fun to see what is there!

The display case on one of the endcaps highlights local authors.  It almost looks like a program in conjunction with the schools.  I know that our local schools run a yearly writing program called Young Authors.  How cool would it be if they could display their books in the local library???

Also from a school perspective, there is a high school run from two floors of the library building!  That would make it really easy to get the librarians involved in database training and teaching teens how to use the library.

That's all for now.  I will highlight more travels as I take more pictures.  If you like this kind of thing, you may also want to check out my 2014 edition.