[Genealib] local history room features

[Susan Scouras]

Since you are still in the design stage, be sure you include lots and
lots of electrical outlets.  You will need them for patrons' laptops,
photocopier(s), public access computer(s), monitor(s) and printer(s) and
probably a microfilm reader-printer or two.  At the library desk(s), you
may need to plug in a computer, monitor, maybe the phone, pencil
sharpener, photocopier, scanner, etc. If you are serious about building
a good collection, even if you only include your immediate geographical
region, you will still want some microfilm.  If you allow scanners, some
people will bring those along, too. 
 
Genealogists take up lots of table space, since they have lots of
notebooks of their own information along with them for reference and for
entering newly found information, plus a laptop, plus a very strong
tendency to pull at least a dozen books at a time to work with, with 3
or 4 of them propped open simultaneously.  Adopt a pencils-only policy
and provide pencils and sharpeners.  A genealogist can easily take up
three or four times as much table space as a regular public library
patron, and twice as much space as a student working on a project or
paper. Carrels or small tables won't work very well.  
 
Again, since you are in the design stage, try to include some lockers
for patron belongings that are outside your special collections room.  
 
When figuring shelving and allowing room for expansion, keep in mind
that very little gets withdrawn from this type of collection. Older
editions of reference books may be replaced with new ones, but almost
nothing gets weeded.
 
Good luck!
 
Susan Scouras
Librarian
WV Archives and History Library
The Cultural Center
1900 Kanawha Blvd. East
Charleston, WV  25305-0300
(304) 558-0230, Ext. 742
 

	-----Original Message-----
	From: genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu
[mailto:genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu] On Behalf Of Deena Butta
	Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 3:46 PM
	To: genealib at mailman.acomp.usf.edu
	Subject: [Genealib] local history room features
	
	
	Hello, all,
	 
	we are designing a new library, which will include a genealogy
and local history room.
	 
	have any of you recently designed a room for this purpose? what
features do you think sre important to include?  what do you wish you
had included that perhaps you did not?
	 
	we have a special collection that we inherited from a local
genealogist, it is about 400 volumes in a locked case.  we also have old
phone books, a couple hundred titles of bound magazines, and a reference
genealogy collection of about 350 titles.
	 
	i am thinking we need to be sure about security, climate
control, blackout shades to control sun and heat, and work space for
volunteers to do indexing projects, orah histories, etc.
	 
	what am i forgetting?  i will be grateful for your suggestions.
	 
	thank you!
	 
	deena
	glenview public library

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