ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries June 1986 / 379 Butler Library displays vital signs By Carlo R. P iech Mary K. D elm o n t President, Synegraphics Assistant to the Director Holland, New York State University College at Buffalo an d G. C harles N ew m an Direetor, E.H . Butler Library State University College at Buffalo Signage as a remedy for environmental problems. T h e frequent comment among faculty and stu­ dents when they initially entered E .H . Butler Li­ brary at Buffalo State College was: “W here do you go?—w hat a m aze—I ’ll come back la te r...!” These comments were not taken lightly by the staff of the library and a planning process was begun in the early 1980s to rectify this situation. An environ­ mental planner was hired as a consultant and by working through a planning process new signage was im plem ented throughout the building. This is the first phase of a program th at will eventually renovate and revitalize the entire facility. The p u r­ pose of the signage is to make the library a more pleasant and “hum an” space and to create a pro­ ductive atmosphere for staff and students. Located on the campus of the State University College at Buffalo, the E .H . Butler Library fea­ tures a collection of over 465,000 books and 2,100 current periodicals, in addition to 500,000 micro­ forms and other non-print media. The library also houses the college Archives and Special Collec­ tions, the Creative Studies Collection, Curriculum Laboratory, Learning Systems Center, a m icro­ com puter laboratory and a special services center for the visually handicapped. W ith a facility of this size, efficient client circu­ lation is, clearly, very im portant. Yet, for many years an ineffective signage system prevailed. The ollege serves a diverse student and faculty popula­ on whose research and teaching interests repre­ ent a com prehensive curriculum . Studies com ­ iled by the library indicate th a t most users were ither confused by the building pattern, which is ivided into four quadrants connected by corri­ ors, or ham pered by a limited am ount of time eeded to locate appropriate resources quickly. Although Butler Library offered some identifi­ ation signage th a t had been installed when the uilding was constructed in 1968, it was not effec­ ve in moving people through the space. Direc­ onal guidance was prim arily achieved through and-out maps and verbal instruction. The latter, nfortunately, resulted in a sizable cum ulative m e loss to library staff. In response to the need for better identification nd directional inform ation, a myriad of signs in a ide array of sizes and colors began to appear. D e­ pite the best efforts of the library’s environm ental ervices committee, more and larger signs com­ eted for attention. Ultimately, the lack of organi­ ation and continuity among the many styles of igns only compounded circulation problems. c ti s p e d d n c b ti ti h u ti a w s s p z s 380 / C&RL News The process To investigate this situation and propose new ap ­ proaches. the director organized a committee of li­ brarians led by the assistant to the director. This group determ ined th a t signage was a visible p art of a larger and more subtle problem with interior space planning and circulation. Under the assistant to the director’s leadership, the group outlined a m ultiphased program to renovate and revitalize the library, w ith signage system development as its first objective. The group also elected to retain a design consultant to address the initial phase. W orking closely with the assistant to the director and the signage committee, the project designer proposed circulation plans, signage location d raw ­ ings, message schedules and design criteria. These tools helped to establish param eters for conceptual design as well as the necessary docum entation from which bid specifications were later produced. The project team assembled a bid package and, working through the State University systems pro­ curem ent mechanism, eventually selected fabrica­ tors for the various signage components. The proj­ ect designer rem ained involved to review samples and subm ittals, schedule fabrication and installa­ tion and to review and approve the final products. Design of the system The resulting signage concepts addressed the principal issue of movement w ithin the building but also paid special attention to more involved en­ vironm ental changes in the planning stage. For in­ stance, it was determ ined th a t the fundam ental m ethod em ployed to o rien t visitor circu latio n would be to color-code the building’s four q u ad ­ rants. Hence signs, depending on their location, would use the appropriate q uadrant color. Also it was agreed th at the signs would complement the building’s modernistic architecture. This indicated th at the signs would employ a visible dimension or depth and also soften the angular design of the building. Finally, the design team concurred that the signs should be visible against the building’s in­ terior. To accomplish this it was determ ined that the signs would utilize radiused ends and display bright colors to define quadrants. The signage system begins to work as soon as one enters the E. H. Butler Library. A cluster of four sculptural kiosks greet the visitor midway through the lobby. Designed to contrast with the very mas­ sive and hard-edged architectural elements, the ki­ osks appear at first to be cylindrical forms split lon­ gitudinally. On the flat faces of two of the kiosks, a directory and collection of floor plan draw ings serve to acquaint visitors with the services and de­ partm ents available in the upper level and main level quadrants. The floor plans are rendered in perspective to assist the viewer in perceiving the building's three levels in relation to one another. These floor plans also provide the first exposure to the color-coding of the building's four quadrants. Two additional kiosks provide surfaces for chang­ ing inform ation on meetings and classes, as well as a tack surface for notices. The next signage element a visitor to the library might encounter would probably be a directory/ loor plan wall plaque. Constructed of 3/4-inch pressed hardw ood and featuring radiused top and bottom , these signs are prom inently m ounted for isitors exiting the m ain stairwell on the two upper levels. These signs show a perspective rendering of th e a p p ro p ria te floor p la n , as well as a m in i­ directory of frequently used rooms and d e p a rt­ ments. They work in conjunction w ith the lobby kiosks to reinforce travel intentions and aid in the understanding of q uadrant color-coding. Moving further into the space, visitors continue to benefit from carefully located directional signs. These support the directory/floor plan signs as they point the way to frequently used areas. They also relate by virtue of the radiused top and bottom which becomes the fundam ental characteristic for all plaque-style signs. Restroom, directional, level designation and general room identification signage were designed to contrast the modernistic architecture w ith rad i­ used tops and bottoms, as well as deeply beveled edges. In keeping w ith the massiveness of the build­ ing though, the plaque-style signs were machined from pressed hardw ood at a hefty thickness of 5/8". Individual signs were then lacquer-sprayed in their designated q uadrant colors. Messages were printed in white over the colored fields in the omnipresent optim a medium typeface. In several cases the angle of visitor approach or scale of the entry precluded using the norm al room identification plaque. For these situations, six or seven-foot wide panels with four-inch letters are positioned above entry doors or counters. Here again, the ends of the panels are radiused and w hite lettering is applied over q u ad ran t referen­ cing color. An interesting observation of the signage system is th a t the color-coding is never directly referenced in the signage nomenclature. Due to existing cata­ log referencing, the quadrants were already named Southeast (SE), Northwest (NW), etc. As such, the design team could not justify adding “Blue Q uad­ rant" to the nam e already employed for the N orth­ east Q u ad ran t. R ather, they determ ined to use color only as reinforcement. Im p act It is impossible to determ ine how many hours were saved in no longer having to give directions. But the success of the signage system in logically and efficiently leading people through the library is very evident. The new signage patterns in E. H. Butler Library have enhanced the learning envi­ ronm ent, helped to make the library more “user friendly," reassured people using the facility that they can locate resources easily, and helped to pro­ vide more efficient service. f v June 1986 / 381 Kiosks w ith library directory and flo o r plans. Yet the dynam ic im pact of the signage system is sign for service areas, and environm ental graphics only the first step in a m ulti-disciplinary assault on will create an environm ent to m eet the challenge of environm ental problem s. T he next phase of the li­ the inform ation technology age. T he integrated b ra ry ’s revitalization is the renovation of the lobby. design ap p ro ach m anifested in this p ro g ram is Beyond this, fu rth er space planning, interior de­ quite lite ra lly ...w ritten on the walls. ■ ■ NYPL wins architectural awa T he New York Public L ib ra ry was one of four- teen recipients of the A m erican Institute of A rchi­ tects 1986 H onor Awards, the profession’s highest recognition for design excellence. T he L ib rary was chosen for its project to restore the D. Samuel and Jeane H. G ottesm an Exhibition H all, originally com pleted in 1911. Architects w ere charged w ith installing m odern electrical, lighting, and HVAC systems w hile re­ tain in g the original ch aracter of the room . Special shades w ere developed to protect artw o rk from n atu ra l light; chandelier reproductions w ere styled to echo the h all’s early 20th-century lighting while using m odern lighting technology; and the m agnif­ icent carved-w ood ceiling was retu rn ed to its origi­ nal grandeur. rd T he aw ards jury com m ented th a t the architects have very successfully added m odern lighting and ther essential systems w ith o u t disturbing the in ­ egrity and beauty of the original, rare carved- ood ceiling. T he reb irth of the hall has returned ot only a great exhibition space to its form er glory, u t has satisfied one of the most im p o rtan t func­ ions of a rch itectu re—bringing beauty and delight here once it had been snuffed o u t.” T he H onor Awards have been presented at the 986 A m erican In stitu te of A rchitects N ational onvention in San A ntonio, June 8-11. T he arch i­ ects w ho p erfo rm ed th e resto ratio n are D avis, rody & Associates and Giorgio C avaglieri A rchi­ ects, both from New York City. ■ ■ “ o t w n b t w 1 C t B t What’s 7,000 newspapers in microform... and a new ews subscription bonus! D ouble your microform-buying dollars— and a t UMI? increase your patrons’ access to the news— with the Spring Newspaper Subscription Bonus from University Microfilms International (UMI). Here’s how it works: Just purchase a new 1986 subscription to any newspaper in microform an d /o r newspaper index we offer, and receive: • The 1985 year of the same title free, or • “Bonus dollars” in an am ount equal to the price of your new 1986 subscription! If you choose the “bonus dollars,” you can use them to obtain microform hardware, backfiles (of newspapers, indexes, an d /o r periodicals), or addi­ tional newspaper and index subscriptions. Make your subscription selections from our extensive collection of nearly 7,000 newspapers. 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