Sotillo Winstanley Breaking the Mould IFLA LBES 2016

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

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

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

Our response – the first transformation


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

Our response – the first transformation


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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Partnership working


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

Breaking the mould


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.

Collaboration and co-design


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



Engaging with all the short-listed design teams during the competition phase



Use of the digital model as a collaborative tool



Game-playing as an engagement tool



Observation as a tool for better understanding user activity

MAKING DO LOLLING

SPATIALISING SPACE HOPPING



Prototyping spaces and elements to affordably test thinking

Collaboration and survival


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

THE UK’S EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY

www.kent.ac.uk

Design

Sotillo Winstanley Breaking the Mould IFLA LBES 2016