Restoration and upgradation of

Vikram Sarabhai Library

Dr. H. Anil KumarLibrarian , Vikram Sarabhai Library, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad

StudentsLong term - 1200E-learning - 500

Core Faculty - 100AA/RA/External - 300MDP - 7000

Outline

• When?

• Why?

• What?

• How?

• Status

When?

• Restoration and upgradation• Initiation 2014

• Planning

• Implementation

• Final launch - 2018

• Shifting• Temporary location - 2016

• Restored location - 2018

Why?

• Campus restoration

• Structural issues

• Leadership

• Availability of funds

• Opportunity to upgrade

What?

• Restored• Building and structure

• Furniture

• Spaces

• Upgraded• Technology

• Furniture

• Spaces

• Facilities (AC, Toilets, etc)

How?• Develop the RFP (Request for Proposal)

• Peter Inskip + Peter Jenkins, a UK-based firm

• Selection of restoration architect• Somaya & Kalappa (SNK)

• Meeting with the architect – campus wide project

• Library Committee interaction with architect

• Scope of the project discussed with the architect

How?

• Inputs from• Library Staff

• Library Committee members

• Students • PGP, PGPX, Docotoral

• Faculty

• Other staff

• Consolidate and refine the inputs

• Presentation to the library committee

Library Committee• Policy making body

• Different background of members • Teaching, Research, Training, Consulting• Mindset of members varies• Academic discussions – does help

• Different committees – chairs!

• Meeting with the leadership, architect, and stakeholders

• Inputs• Restoration• Tech like RFID• Feedback from all stakeholders• International benchmarking

Users Inputs

• Students• Layout• Signage• Toilets• Water• Light

• Faculty• Restore furniture• Retain Print• Carrels and silent reading• Coffee shop

Library Staff Inputs

• Technology

• Space

• Services

• Users Convenience• Signage, layout, DA, etc

• Role of library• Repository• Disseminate • Communicate• Nurture

Input Summary

• Print to be retained• Technology upgradation• International looks and

feel• DA access• Different Spaces for users• Promote Collaboration• Comfortable furniture• Better lighting and feel• Staff spaces• Make the library vibrant

and interesting

USERS

• Convenience

• Library Users will be provided spaces for:

• Silent self- study – carrels +

• Group study – silent different sizes

• Discussion and collaboration

• Lounge and light reading – individual and group

• Printing / photocopying

• Other – drinking water, toilets, etc

Collection

• Accessible

• Library Collection will include physical and digital resources.

• Emphasis on digital collections, which is on the rise, will remain

• print collections will retain their importance to the library• space devoted to them may be multiple

• efficiently managed.

• Display of knowledge generated at IIMA • Print

• Digital

• Library design should take into consideration this hybrid model.

Services

• User focus

• Library Services to address both physical and digital needs

• Emphasis on discovery of digital content while reading experience may remain physical

• Provide access to new digital information technologies

• Staff interaction

Staff• Focus to areas other than routine library

tasks

• Research and learning support work

• Increase in the individual user-focused services

• Marketing

• Communication

• Personality: approachable (pleasant)

• Aptitude for technology

• Institutional environmental awareness

Main outcomes

• Hybrid library

• Space to be available for different types of use

• Decrease in space set aside for print collections• creating an off-site storage

• Creating flexible spaces

• Showcasing of Institute knowledge

• A technology rich environment

Library shifting project

• Large project • Almost 250k physical items

• Compact shelving

• 330 seats

• Different spaces

• Important part of the academic activities of the Institute

• Temporary space that is large!• Construct

• Existing – split the spaces

Critical decisions

• Space requirements• Quantity

• Usage and Suitability

• Air conditioning

• Layout planning• Locations for different sections

• Collections (split)

• Users – carrels, reading, discussion, lounge

• Staff

• Electrical, IT and Furniture

Temporary premises

https://worldarchitecture.org/architecture-news/cvfmc/a_befitting_treatise_on_anant_raje__the_louis_kahn_of_india.html

Strategy

• Lead by library staff

• Involve all staff

• Planning to be perfect

• Least possible time

• Outsource labour

Process

• Staff plan• 1 LIS professional was dedicated for

the layout and space planning• Temporary

• Main library

• Regular meeting with all staff to discuss layout planning

• Regular meeting with the architects• Main library

• Temp library

• Coordination with Library Committee

• Coordination with project team (mainly for temp library)• Another team of two LIS officers

• Daily stocktaking

Process

• Once the layout was finalised for Temp library• 1 team for coordination with project team

• Tender, coordination

• 1 team was dedicated for furniture and fittings• Planning and shifting

• 1 team for collection• Books and teams

• Planning for shifting • Collection team lead the meetings with all staff

• Boxes as units• Outsourced team

• Book Shifting• Packing team• Unpacking and shelving team

• Furniture Shifting• Books shelves • Reading tables and staff furniture• Computer tables and other furniture

• The collection

• Books

• Bound Journals

• CDs

• Loose magazines, newspapers etc.

• Each Box was -32”x11”x11” (approx. 6000 numbers)

• Books: 4200 boxes (45 books/box)

• Government Publications, etc: 200 boxes (75 books/box)

• Bound Journals: 1560 boxes (25 bound journals/box)

Process

• Training the shifting staff and contract workers

• Packing• Proper numbering/code to boxes

• Maintain sequence of materials packed in the boxes.

• The number denoted the contents and location in new premises

• Transport • At the time of shifting, preventive measures

were taken against any damages due to climate, transportation, shifting, loading & unloading, etc.

• There was proper supervision and guidance at the time of moving materials.

Process

Book Shifting

• Organize books by call numbers

• Count books in the rack while packing the boxes

• Books packed in numbered boxes

• Organise boxes in ascending order and group by sub-location

• One can prioritize shifting for main subjects 658 and 330

• Dismantle the Racks (organize all proper parts to make shifting and assembling easy).

• Transport of racks and books boxes

• Re-Assemble Racks

• Arrangements of books by call no.

• Checking/shelf reading

Other materials• Furniture Shifting

• Section wise furniture (storage, tables and official files)

• Staff computers (put staff name and section tag)• Relocate furniture (predefined location and services)• Computer tables and switches need to be considered

• IT Department• Library servers point (server was shifted last)• UPS & AC facilities at Server room

• Notice Boards, New Arrivals, Wall Hangings, Mementos Shelf, Accession Registers Cabinets & CD Cabinets• Identify location

Shifting: May 02, 2016 to May 15, 2016

Library was open!• Book suggestions and acquisition

• Book suggestions through mail and online

• purchased through credit card

• Approval books were suspended

• Renewal of books

• Before shifting, extended all the due dates that fall on the library closing days

• Reference queries

• Were receiving reference queries

• Reference in-charge was the last to move

• Included database queries

• Important correspondence

• Important communication like RTI and other IIM’s communication, vendor mail, etc.

• Handled by reference staff and escalated to the concerned department if required.

Opened on May 16, 2016

Shifting again in November 19-25, 2018!

Restoration

• Damages Repair

• Corrosion

• Waterproofing of Terrace & Balconies

• Vertical Fractures & Cracks Repair

• Water Leakage & Seepage

• Staining Treatment around Faulty Rainwater Outlets

• Arches & Window Repairs

• Treatment for Rising Damp

• Structural Strengthening

Architect’s focus …

• Preserve Legacy of Louis Khan

• Better Ventilation

• Better Air Conditioning

• Better Lighting Facilities

• No Change in External Outlook

• Restoring the Architectural Integrity

• Structural Stitching by Helifix

• Structural Restoration of RCC Slabs & Steel Sections

• Restore Heritage Value

First Floor -Main Entrance

First Floor – Main Entrance

First Floor – East Wing

First Floor

First Floor

First Floor

Second floor-Reading Hall

Second Floor Reading hall

Second Floor – Reading Hall

Second Floor - East wing

Carrels – Second Floor

Carrels – Second Floor

Second floor – East Wing

Third Floor – East Wing

Third floor – Silent Zone

Fourth Floor

Discussion Room (Ground Floor)

Fourth Floor

Fourth Floor

Fourth Floor

Ground Floor

Ground Floor

Staff areas

Ground Floor

Summary• One floor dedicated to collaboration with discussion rooms, discussion

pods, collaboration devices like connected displays, writing boards, etc.

• Individual carrels for silent study.

• Restored main reading hall with multiple reading tables with a great reading ambience.

• More natural light and supplemented by artificial lighting that provide prescribed lux levels in all areas of the library.

• Reduced space for physical collection and increased space to the users.

• Flexible and comfortable furniture for seating with wifi connectivity in all areas of the library.

• New and bright shelves for stacking and display books, periodicals, magazines and newspapers.

• Digital wall and terminals for online access to the book catalogs.

• Upgraded terminals in the cyber lab to access online resources.

• RFID system to automate the borrowing and return of books.

• VR (Virtual Reality) app to explore the library.

• Disabled friendly spaces like cyber lab, distance between shelves, toilets, etc.

• Childrens Area

Seating

GF - 79

FF - 61

SF - 154

TF - 50

FF - 71

Misc - 48

All - 463

ChairsCane ChairsSofa ChairsSofa Informal sofaOttomans

• Team work - Basically people management

• Seeing is believing!

• Documentation is important

• Non-LIS areas are critical• Tendering• Dealing with

• Architects• Vendors / contractors• Project team• Staff• Management

• Selection of quality vendors

• Ready with Library standards• Furniture• Lighting• Spaces

Challenges / lessons learnt

Thank youanilkumar@iima.ac.in