Australian prison libraries: minimum standard guidelines

Appendix III: Other accommodation requirements

It is desirable that the approach to the library should be made as pleasant as possible. Some of the features which might be considered include: glazed area which allows the activities inside the library to be seen, and/or an exterior display case. Signposting should be adequate.

Provision for the delivery of books by van is desirable. Where this is not possible, due to the layout of the establishment, then it should be remembered that heavy boxes and packages of books will have to be trucked to the library. For this reason steps should be avoided.

The spaces and their relationships

General

• The number of separate rooms should be kept to a minimum. In general only the staff workroom and the librarian's office need to be separately enclosed. To permit changes in provision and use, to allow for expansion and to improve supervision a single area subdivided by furniture and soundproof partitions is preferable to separate rooms. Arrangements for lighting, heating, air conditioning and the provision of power points should take account of the need for flexibility.
• A progression should be provided from the noisiest area (ie the counter and service desk) through the periodical browsing area where talking should be allowed, followed by the shelving area where there is movement and a certain amount of disturbance, to the study area where quiet should be enforced.
• Traffic should be cut to the minimum. This can often be achieved by locating the entrance to the library in a central position.
• The entrance should preferably have glazed and lockable doors, and should be effectively supervised.

Service area

The main requirements of this area are as follows:

1. It must extend the welcome of the entrance and allows users interesting views of the main areas of the library.
2. It must be sufficiently large to accommodate groups of prisoners waiting for attention.
3. There must be provision for:
   • Notice board
   • Hours of opening board - visible from outside the library.
4. It must accommodate a service desk with space for two to three assistants, according to the size of the establishment, who will supervise all parts of the library. A table and chair for a supervising prison officer may be associated with this desk.
5. There must be good visual supervision of all parts of the library from the desk.
6. The desk must have easy access to other areas of the library.
7. It is desirable that it should be adjacent to the staff workroom.

Staff workspace

A considerable part of staff time will be spent in the library supervising the service area and working with the readers. Nevertheless, there is a certain amount of indispensable office work, preparation of displays, packing and unpacking books, sorting private reading material sent in for prisoners, etc for which provision is necessary. Books and periodicals also have to be stored and essential stationery supplies housed, and there must be sufficient space to store any trolleys used in providing direct services to cells or, possibly, to the wards of the prison hospital. A defined workspace is therefore required. Access to this should take account of the movement of the trolleys. As already mentioned the workspace should preferably be placed in close proximity to the service area and in visual contact with the service desk.

Requirements include:

1. Workbench, with stationery cupboards under.
2. Filing cabinet.
3. Desk(s), chair(s), and stool(s).
4. Visitor's chair.
5. Storage shelving - outsize type.
6. Cupboards.
7. Typewriter with appropriate working surface.
8. Telephone (internal and external).
9. Sink and water supply.

Store

A small store is desirable to accommodate such items as stacking chairs, display equipment and book boxes. It may also be convenient to house the book trolleys in this space.

Librarian's office

Accommodation should be provided for the librarian separate from the workspace so as to cater for confidential or individual work with library users and undisturbed telephone conversations.

Areas open to readers

As readers enter they should be able to see all areas of the library and identify those which they require.

Periodicals and newspapers

1. This area might be sited close to the entrance.
2. An informal atmosphere should be created in this area by, for example, the provision of comfortable chairs, low tables, small display stands, etc. Requirements also include a rack or stand for the storage and display of newspapers and display slopes for current periodicals.

Literacy material

Associated with the informal periodical and newspaper area should be a display of material suitable for illiterates and new literates. This will require outsize shelving and display slopes for picture books and display boxes for simple readers which are often slim and in paperback form.

Reference area

A well-supervised and reasonably quiet area should be set aside for readers wishing to consult encyclopaedias, dictionaries, etc or to study in the library. This calls for a small amount of outsize shelving, and tables and chairs. Additional shelving for more general reference books will also be required in establishments with an extensive education program. Where prisoners are allowed to follow protracted courses of study individual carrels might be provided.

Lending library

This area should be readily accessible from the outside area. The layout of the lending library requires careful attention so as to ensure that tall bookstacks do not dominate the library and to allow the greatest possible supervision. Shelving arranged around the walls and/or in island cases is to be preferred to alcoves which inhibit rearrangement and the cases should be arranged to facilitate the ordering of the books. Approximately 5 per cent of the shelving should be for oversize books.

All shelving should be kept clear of door openings and readers consulting books on the shelves should not obstruct traffic lanes. As a general guide, at least 900mm clearance should be allowed in front of each bookcase, ie where bookcases are facing one another they should be placed 1850mm apart. Wall bookcases should be kept clear of glazed areas, eg a window placed immediately above a bookcase makes it impossible to read titles of books on the top shelf. Island bookcases should run at right angels to the main source of natural lighting.

The primary use of this area will be by readers selecting books for reading outside the library, but browsing should be encouraged as far as possible and for this purpose some casual seating should be provided.

Display and activities

In smaller libraries it should be possible to rearrange the furniture to accommodate small exhibitions of books, or group meetings. In larger libraries a separate area opening out from the main library, but capable of being closed off from it, should be provided. This space could be equipped for record listening and film shows, for example, in addition to special display fittings. This accommodation might be provided as part of the education centre but is particularly important when the library is divorced from the centre.

Technical requirements

Furniture

The library will require a variety of furniture and equipment. In addition to tables, chairs and shelving for the storage and display of books, periodicals and audio-visual material, this includes:

1. Special display fittings, eg for picture books and paperbacks
2. Catalogue cabinets
3. Audio-visual carrels
4. Service desk

Equipment and furniture of this kind is obtainable from specialist suppliers, but since the requirements of each library differ it is essential that a librarian should be consulted in drawing up a schedule of requirements. Similarly, if it is planned to design furniture specifically for the library it is essential to obtain detailed guidance on its features and dimensions if expensive mistakes are to be avoided.

Lighting

A high level of lighting is essential, particularly in areas where protracted reading and close work is likely, eg the reference and study areas and the service area. Care must be taken however to avoid glare, eg as far as possible readers should not be seated facing glazed areas. Direct sunlight is harmful to books and should be excluded.

Individual lights over fittings or on reading tables inhibit rearrangement of furniture, and should be avoided in favour of a high level of general illumination from the ceiling.

The lighting of bookshelves requires special consideration due to the problem of evenly illuminating all shelves down to the bottom shelf of the case, without glare or shadow.

Lights in the darkest areas of the building should be switched separately, as should the lights over the service desk. It would be advantageous if all light switches could be placed in the desk or service area.

Acoustics

Sound absorbent floor and ceiling finishes should be considered since the constant movement of readers in and out of the building and around the shelves, the work of the staff, the use of audio-visual equipment and necessary conversation are at constant conflict with one of the main purposes of the library which is to provide a place for relaxed reading and quiet study.