“Creating Zones with Heart” at ALA Annual

I am very happy to be speaking as part of this program:

LLAMA BES:  LIBRARY 2.0 BUILDINGS:  CREATING ZONES WITH HEART

Saturday, July 11, 2009; 1:30 – 3:30 PM

2009 Annual ALA Conference, Chicago, IL

LLAMA – Buildings for College and University Libraries Committee

Case Study 1:  Darien Library, Darien, Connecticut

Alan Kirk Gray 

Assistant Director – Operations, Darien Library

Alan Kirk Gray is Assistant Director – Operations for Darien Library, Darien, CT, where he is responsible for the program, planning and construction of Darien Library’s new 54,000 square feet building, which has been cited for its anticipation of trends in the innovative use of library facilities. The library utilizes many Library 2.0 principles supported by library service and technology innovation to create an environment that focuses on customer-centered services. The facility’s entry zone welcomes users into its “Main Street”, an innovative reinterpretation of circulation, gathering and high-touch collection service delivery. Darien Library’s organization, including a broad range of integrated technology, was predicated on enhancing the user experience, by reducing the need for staff involvement in repetitive tasks and augmenting opportunities for quality interaction between staff and patrons.

Case Study 2:  The Commons, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA

Robert E. Fox, Jr. 

Associate Director, Libraries, Georgia Institute of Technology

Bob Fox is the Associate Director for Public and Administrative Services at the Georgia Tech Libraries.  Bob provides leadership for a robust Public Services agenda that seeks to transform the physical and programmatic aspects of the Library by actively seeking user engagement and employing continuous assessment.  He is also responsible for all administrative areas of the Library including budgeting, HR, facilities and security.  He has been at Tech since 2005.  Prior to that, he was the Director of Library Services at Clayton State University in metropolitan Atlanta.  He holds a master’s degree in library science from Clark Atlanta University and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in finance from the University of Georgia. The Commons at Georgia Institute of Technology broke new ground when it was first built in 2002 and continues to serve as a model as it evolves and expands. Bob will speak about how it has worked and served as a model for other Library 2.0 environments.