Earlier this year and throughout the months of library closure, I was busy consulting with ReThinking Libraries to review the building and space needs. As a result, we now have recommendations that will insure the future success of the library. Rob Cullin, principal at ReThinking Libraries, visited the library to meet with the staff and trustees, and to get a sense of the library space. He also collected and analyzed usage data and local demographic detail.
In assessing the space needs at HML, ReThinking Libraries used three different approaches. First, they looked at the library’s square footage on a per capita basis based on their years of experience in other public libraries. They find that good to above-average public libraries range between 0.9 and 1.4 square feet per capita. In this approach, HML should ideally be 12,500-19,500 square feet. And…
