WHAT SPACES DO LIBRARY NEED?

FLEXIBLE SEATING
 Entrance
 Circulation
 Stacks
 Computer workstations for short time use
 Computer lab/production space
 Large group seating/work area(s)
READING BENCH
 Presentation space/story area
 Small group spaces/conference rooms COLLECTION AREA
 Areas for “learning commons” services
 Technology staff room
 Storage/workroom
 Staff lounge/workroom
 Individual workspaces
STUDY AREA
READING TABLES
SPACES IN LIBRARY
 CIRCULATION
 Circulation routes should be
>1.2 metre wide, and clear
spaces between shelves at
least 1.3-1.4 metre wide.
 Avoid Crossings and
overlapping of routes for users,
staff and book transport.
 Access to reading rooms can be
through control gates equipped
with book security equipment
and, if possible, only one
entrance and exit.
 For functional reasons the
control gate should be near
the lending desk/Central
information desk.
FUNCTIONAL DIAGRAM OF A LIBRARY
 FLOOR LOADING

 IN ADMINISTRATION AND BOOK PROCESSING AREAS: MORE THAN 5kN PER SQUARE
METRES.

PUBLIC
LIBRARY FLOOR
AREA AS A
FUNCTION OF
COLLECTION
SIZE
 CLIMATE
FOR USER AREAS :
TEMPERATURE: 20 DEGREE CELCIUS WITH AN ERROR OF 2 DEGREES
RELATIVE HUMIDITY: 50% WITH AN ERROR OF 5%
AIR CHANGES: 20 CUBIC METRES PER HOUR PER PERSON

DIRECT SUNLIGHT SHOULD BE AVOIDED AS HEAT RADIATIONS DESTROY PAPER.

AIR CONDITIONING SHOULD BE PROVIDED ONLY WHEN NECESSARY.
NATURAL VENTILATION IS POSSIBLE IN NARROW BUILDINGS

FOR ARCHIVE STORES:

TEMPERATURE: 18 DEGREE CELCIUS WITH AN ERROR OF 2 DEGREES
AIR CHANGES: MORE THAN 3 CUBIC METRES PER HOUR PER PERSON
LOW LEVEL
INLETS AND
HIGH LEVEL
OUTLETS FOR
PROPER
VENTILATION
WITHOUT USING
AIR CONDITIONERS
TO SAVE ON THE
HIGH
CONSUMPTION
AND MAKE THE
LIBRARY MORE
ENVIRONMENT
FRIENDLY
 LIGHTING
IDEAL RATIO OF BRIGHTNESS LEVELS FOR LOW GLARE ENVIRONMENT WITHIN THE
FIELD OF VIEW IS DEFINED AS
10:3:1
(THE BRIGHTNESS OF TASK: BRIGHTNESS OF IMMEDIATE SURROUNDINGS: BRIGHTNESS
OF GENERAL SURROUNDINGS)
80% UP LIGHT AND 20% DOWN LIGHT
LIGHTING SCHEMES

PARALLEL SCHEME:
STACK LIGHTING IS
PARALLEL TO THE
STACKS

NATURAL LIGHT BY WINDOWS ON

THE NORTHERN SIDE OR CLERESTORY
WINDOWS
 HYBRID SCHEMING:
THE PERPENDICULAR
AND INDIRECT
SCHEMES ARE
PERPENDICULAR SCHEME: STACK SOMETIMES
LIGHTING RUNS AT AN ANGLE OF COMBINED, WITH
90 DEGREES TO EACH OTHER ROWS OF DIRECT-
INDIRECT FIXTURES
SUSPENDED
PERPENDICULAR TO
THE STACKS.

INDIRECT SCHEMING: USES UP LIGHTS ON TOP OF THE

STACKS OR SUSPENDED FROM THE CEILING
 APPROCHES OF LIGHTING

INDIRECT LIGHTING DIRECT LIGHTING:

USES FLUOROSCENT OR METAL HIDE LAMPS
TO UP LIGHT A LIGHT COLOR CEILING; THE
RESULTING REFLECTED LIGHT IS
INHERENTLY VERY SOFT, SHADOW FREE AND
LOW GLARE.
USES DOWN LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE THE READING
TABLES. IT CAN BE AS SMALL AS 6 INCHES IN
DIAMETER WITH COMPACT FLUORPSCENT OR METAL
HIDE LAMPS AND PARABOLIC CONES.
ZONING DIAGRAM OF LIBRARY
UNDERSTANDING THROUGH AN EXAMPLE OF A LIBRARY

Yu Chun Keung Medical Library

Yu Chun Keung Medical Library
Hong Kong

• Library is built for a

medical university

Ground Floor Mezzanine Floor