[Publib] Recarpeting Questions - Lighting and Cleaning concerns

[Judith Turner]

Another issue to consider with the shelving units is overhead lighting.  If you do not return your old shelves to the same spot and configuration as they were before the carpet went in, the library may end up with some poorly lit areas which can be problematic for older visitors and staff alike.

We put mobile shelving in, using carpet tiles throughout the enitre library and archives area. The tiles went down under the Spacesaver units since the aisles were in different places but in the case of the two fixed units, the carpeting went around them and the bottom shelves hid the old linoleum flooring.   

In order to get the system level, we wound up with the top of the shelves much closer to the ceiling than originally planned.  The extra height blocked a lot of the overhead lighting and created some very poorly lit areas.  Twenty years ago (when my eyesight was better )  this was no problem. Around 5 years ago, I began noticing how hard it had become in those areas to read spine information, esp. where the bindery stamped call numbers, titles and volumes had faded.
(75% of the collection was serial on nature, published and bound prior to WW2.)
 
Security wasn't an issue for us as visitors needed appts. and had to clear museum security staff to reach our floor but it might be in some large public libraries.

If it's at all possible, I'd opt to leave the shelving in place and put carpet tiles down around them rather than going through the expense of moving the collection out and back in again to cover the entire floor.  It's next to impossible to vacuum or shampoo the carpeting under under a shelving unit.  Certain types of beetles and other insects like to take up residence in carpeting so you want it to be as accessible as possible for the cleaners.  Should the shelving be rearranged in the future, it's going to be quite visually arresting when those sections of carpet that have been protected from sun and traffic re-emerge from under the shelves.

Judy Turner
Whitefish Bay, WI

"Reeder, Norm" <nreeder at torrnet.com> wrote:          v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}          st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) }                     We have recarpeted both main library and branches.  We mostly use carpet squares when we can, because when soiled or worn out they can be easily replaced.  We always buy extra squares for this purpose and store them.
   
  In California, with the need for earthquake braced shelving, the stacks are now required to be bolted down into the floor.  Therefore, as we re-do our stacks, we are having to make some pretty “permanent” decisions.  It will be very difficult to move them around in the future, and doing so would leave holes in the floor.  So I have a feeling that we will probably carpet around them in the future.
   
  Thanks
  Norm Reeder
  Torrance Public Library



       
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