[Publib] Where would you put the director's office?

[Anna Porter Public Library]

While building an 8000 - 10,000 sq ft. bldg I opted to stay near the staff workroom and public but not directly accessible to folks who just wander by my work area - like where I am now.

I think it depends on the size of the staff. With only 5 staff members this director (me) needs to be closely available for all sorts of things.  But now I'll be able to close my door! 

Kenton in Gatlinburg
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Sue Kamm 
  To: Valerie Doyle ; publib at webjunction.org 
  Sent: Thursday, October 02, 2008 12:52 PM
  Subject: RE: [Publib] Where would you put the director's office?


  I wonder whether there can be a compromise between having the director's office away from the public and being accessible to staff, library users, vendors, and others.  In the course of a typical workweek, what does the director spend most of his/her time doing?  Dealing with administrivia?  Preparing reports and budgets?  Putting out fires? Serving as a backup public service staff member?  

  My library director's office is on the third floor of a four-story building.  Technical services (order-receiving, cataloging, processing) occupies the ground floor, not open to the public.  The director's office is part of a small suite which encompasses his office, secretaries' workstations, a cubicle for the administrative analyst, and a conference area used for staff and other meetings.  The office area is closed and locked after normal busines hours and on weekends.

  You might consider a small, secluded office when you need to have privacy and quiet, with a meeting space available to receive other visitors.

  Your friendly neighborhood CyberGoddess and ALA Councilor at Large, 
  Sue Kamm
  Email: suekamm[at]mindspring.com
  Inglewood/Los Angeles, CA
  Los Angeles Dodgers Truest of the Blue, 2000
  Visit my blog: http://suekamm.blogspot.com
  "High fly ball hit into right field ... she is gone! In a year that seems so improbable, the impossible has happened!" - Vin Scully, calling Kirk Gibson's walk-off home run, Game 1, 1988 World Series


    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Valerie Doyle 
    To: publib at webjunction.org
    Sent: 10/2/2008 5:53:29 AM 
    Subject: [Publib] Where would you put the director's office?


    Hi All,
     
    We are making some final plans for a remodeling project.  Currently, the director's office is located off the beaten path.  The current plans call for greatly enlarging the staff work area and making the director's office part of the new area allowing for an increase in the size of the local history/genealogy area.  
     
    The staff thinks the local history/genealogy area is large enough for the next five years or so.
    They also think the director's office would take too much of "their" space.
     
    The director (me) thinks we really need a larger local history/genealogy area.
    The director would like to be closer to where the staff works.
    The director, while acknowledging that the staff does need a much larger work area, does not think they need as much as they are proposing.
     
    Most of the public library managers or directors that I have know would like their offices closer to whe re the action is.
     
    I'd love to hear from others on where you would locate a director's office, given a choice, and why.  The collective wisdom from both sides of the coin (staff and supervisory types) would be much appreciated.
     
    Thanks in advance.
     
    Valerie
    Pontiac, IL
    12,000 sq feet library space
    Population 12,000


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