Space Planning Worksheet

Library: Stettler Public Library
Person completing form: 0301759 and 1111503
Date July 2009

1.         DESIGN POPULATION

a. Current local population (for comparison only)     11,059
b. Projected local population                             13,000
c. Projected non-resident population                  500
d. TOTAL (b + c) =                                            13,000 + 150 = 13,500

2.         COLLECTION SPACE

a. Books: # of volumes /10 = sq.ft                     33,750 / 10 = 3375 square feet
b. Audio Media: # of items /10 = sq.ft                1,600 / 10 = 160 square feet
c. Visual Media: # of items /10 = sq.ft                1,000 / 10 = 100 square feet
d. Periodical display: # of titles /1.5 = sq.ft        60 / 1.5 = 40 square feet
e. Periodical storage: # of titles /0.5 x                60 / .5 *1 = 120 square feet
# of years retained = sq.ft
f. TOTAL (a+b+c+d+e) = sq.ft                           2700 + 160 + 100 + 40 + 120 = 3795 square feet

3.         USER SEATING SPACE

a. Projected population (from Step 1d)               13,500
b. 5 seats/each 1000 people = seats                  67.5 seats
c. # of seats x 30 = sq.ft                                    65.75 * 30 = 2025 square feet

4.         STAFF WORK SPACE

a. # of workstations x 30 = sq.ft                        6 * 30 = 180 square feet

5.      MEETING ROOM SPACE

a. General meeting: # of seats x 10 = sq.ft         14 * 10 = 140 square feet
b. Conference room: # of seats x 25 = sq.ft       30 * 25 = 750 square feet
c. Children’s programs: # of seats x 10 = sq.ft   30 * 10 = 300 square feet
d. TOTAL (a+b+c) = sq.ft                                  140 + 750 + 300 = 1190 square feet

6.      SPECIAL USE SPACE

Special use space must be allotted for elements of an individual library’s program of service or for special types of furnishings such as index tables, newspaper racks, pamphlet files, microfilm readers, or photocopiers. Special use space typically constitutes about 10 percent of the overall gross area.

a. Collection space (from Step 2g) = sq.ft          3120 square feet
user seating space (from Step 3c) = sq.ft           2025 square feet
staff work space (from Step 4a) = sq.ft              180 square feet
meeting room space (from Step 5c) = sq.ft        1190 square feet
b. SUBTOTAL 1 (sum of 6a items) = sq.ft           6515 square feet
c. Multiply SUBTOTAL 1 BY 0.1 = sq.ft 6440 * 0.1 = 651.5 square feet

7.         NON-ASSIGNABLE SPACE

Some representative types of non-assignable space are furnace rooms, janitor’s closets, storage rooms, vestibules, corridors, stairwells, elevator shafts, and restrooms. Non-assignable space generally comprises about 20-25% of the gross square footage of the finished building.

a. SUBTOTAL 1 (from Step 6b) = sq.ft               6515 square feet
b. Special-use space (from Step 6c) = sq.ft       651.5 square feet
c. SUBTOTAL 2 (a + b) = sq.ft                           7166.5 square feet
d. Multiply subtotal 2 by 0.25 = sq.ft                 7084 *0.25 = 1791.7 square feet

8.         PUBLIC ACCESS COMPUTER WORK SPACE

a. # of workstations x 25 = sq.ft                                    15 * 25 = 375 square feet

9.      PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

a. Collection space (from Step 2f) sq.ft                                      3795                
b. User seating space (from Sept 3c) sq.ft                                 2025
c. Staff work space (from Step 4a) sq.ft                                                180
d. Meeting room space (from Step 5d) sq.ft                               1190
e. Special use space (from Step 6c) sq.ft                                   651.5
f. Non-assignable space (from Step 7d) sq.ft                             1791.7
g. Public access computer work space (from Step 8a) sq.ft        375
h. GROSS AREA NEEDED (a+b+c+d+e+f+g) sq.ft                     10,008.2 square feet

                                                                                                929.8 square metres
To convert square feet to square meters:
multiply square feet by .0929 (i.e. 525 square feet = 48.77 sq. m.)

 

Standards for Member Libraries within Alberta’s Regional Library Systems