Loussac Future

Support New Entrance

happe — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 05:28:14 -0800

I support the proposal to build a new entrance on the first floor and provide easier/better access from the parking area. The current entrance is not built for Alaska’s winter conditions - when my children were young we would often go to the library in the winter and climbing the icy stairs and crossing the elevated, windswept plaza was downright unpleasant.

Heated Sidewalks

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 15:51:50 -0800

I think we should consider heated sidewalks that melt snow and ice. There was an article in the ADN:

http://www.adn.com/2013/01/06/2743400/hometown-u-cheap-carbon-fibers.html

Community Dialogue Space

Thu, 08 Nov 2012 05:47:46 -0900

On behalf of all citizens who seek more opportunities for reasonable public dialogue and discourse, please consider the following renovation:

Make that section of the library that houses the Alaska Collection into a multi-use area capable of hosting community dialogues.

The inner circular area in the lower level of this section is well-suited to dialogues.

The upper level circular area could be reconfigured to accommodate break-out groups.

This change would not require major structural work. Some removal of fixed furniture and reconfiguration of electrical fixtures may be required. The purchase of moveable tables and chairs designed to accommodate facilitated group dialogues would also be suitable for the needs of students and researchers. Improved electrical, internet and audio visual technologies would improve the experience of all users.

Use of the facility to accommodate community dialogues would occur, most often, during evenings and on week-ends. This would be very compatible with present use of the facility for research and study during normal library hours.

Alaska Collection

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 13:04:09 -0800

canvas bag - promotions

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 13:04:04 -0800

I work for the library, and I know we once sold canvas bags w/ logo through the Friends of the Library gift shop (which is now closed). I think we could sell them again - through the circulation department. My initial idea looks something like this: you can charge 2-300% of cost and make a decent profit on them (they can be plain or fancy, simple or fancy with little zip pockets etc). Patrons will pay this because in turn, every time they use their bag for check out they get $.25 off of their fee account. So a $10 bag would pay for itself after forty uses, etc. Since the municpality emphasizes library patron use over patron fine revenue, this is not a bad thing. And since the municipality emphasizes a clean city over used plastic bag circulation, this is a good thing. I suggest the circulation department because there is no FOL gift shop anymore, and there never were at the branch libraries. But if FOL wanted to be involved somehow, great! This is just a first draft idea, and could certainly benefit from other input.

+Group study rooms

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 06:24:54 -0800

I think some group study rooms would benefit the patrons of the library by providing separate sound proof rooms for small groups to meet in. This would provide an area where groups can meet to discuss whatever project they are working on and also give other users of the library the quiet they desire. One area of the library can have a bank of rooms which are reserved similar to the public use computers, for a certain time frame. One member of the group surrenders their library card as the rental fee then at the end of their time, a librarian checks the room for damages or missing items then gives back the card to the patron. Any missing items or damages must be paid before card is returned. Perfect for meetings of small community groups such as girl scounts working on something and for school age children assigned to a group project requiring research of the library or maybe tutoring sessions for home schooled children. Maybe one of the rooms can be outfitted with a projector that a laptop can be connected to for work on a power point project that the group is working on.

Idea Box/Fostering innovatoin

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 05:19:33 -0800

Very cool concept from the fabulous Library As Incubator Project, a blog of cutting edge library ideas. Let’s have an idea box at Loussac!

http://www.libraryasincubatorproject.org/?p=5025

Outside building artwork (w/ picture!)

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 09:51:33 -0800

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonathan_moreau/418008212/in/photostream/#f

Outside building artwork

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 08:34:55 -0800

This would be a fun idea for the outside of the building.

Mountaineering / Wilderness Travel Section

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 05:18:19 -0800

I use the Alaska Section more than any other part of the library. It is full of stuff about where we live and the little animals that inhabit the rest of the library don’t go there much so you can hear yourself think there unlike the rest of the library which has become a preschool or playground. I have noted a complete set of the Scree (Mountaineering Club of Alaska Publication) dating from 1958 to present and a complete set of the AAJ (American Alpine Journal). I have flipped through every one and plan on doing it again. If these resources and everything else could be entered into a data base on location and team members name it would be a rush. For example take the book Alaska’s Wolf Man by Jim Reardon. A true wilderness adventure and Alaskan History Classic. In that book he talks about living on the Savage River in the 1920s in what is now Denali National Park. Now we know the mountains that Frank Glasier, the guy in the book, talked about, now have names and people climb them and make publish accounts in the Scree and other publications. If we could have an index that brought all these sources together on place or team member it would be a blast. In the case mentioned above Frank talks about how to successfully trap wolves. He transplanted tufts of grass to the top of the ridge in order to establish a pee station for wolves that he could lay traps near. Guess what. I have been on top of Mt. Margarret, the mountain that he mentions. Guess what is up on top of the ridge. You guessed it. Some very odd looking tufts of grass. I wondered how they got up there. Now I know who and why and the year it happened. I also know about the Natives that lived there before Frank hung out there since he talked about them. I have found their rock rings for their saunas or tents. I guess I could do a story in the Scree about it with photos but the Scree is full of this kind of thing. A Wilderness Travel / Mountaineering data base would suffice I think and if there was one central location it would be a cool place to go and hang but you need to have the USGS Maps there, too. They currently are at APU. Also you have to find a way to keep low lifes from walking out with the goods. The truth is when you walk into the Mountains and forest there is no question that something speaks to you in a certain sense. That is why we keep going back. To have the library recognize this fact and to also facilitate all documentation on locations it might make that voice, if you can call it that, a lot clearer. What a concept.

Alaska Wing/Children's Area

loussac — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 11:40:55 -0800

Movethe children’s area to the Alaska Collection. It would give the children a special kids place that they could associate with. Kids are the future of our library and we should give them a place that they can remember and alway think about coming back to.

Insane libraries, schools, playgrounds of the future

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 05:11:49 -0800

http://www.fastcoexist.com/1679909/8-insane-schools-playgrounds-and-libraries-of-the-future#1

Book drop and windows

Sat, 16 Jun 2012 10:09:21 -0800

First the book drop is difficult to use if your vehicle isn’t a compatible size. I usually have to get out of my SUV to return books. The location seems unwieldy as well.

Second, I agree that the entire bldg is not inviting and doesn’t flow well. I grew up in Fbks and the library on Cowles was a favorite spot. The views outside and the flow thru the library was fabulous. The other library that I particularly enjoyed was at Cornell university. On the bottom floor was a large open section with chairs looking out a bank of windows that overlooked the city. It was a fantastic place to read, study, sleep ;). There were rooms off the area with glass walls I to the main room. These rooms were for group study so as not to disturb other students. So those are two of my favorite most inviting libraries.

Book Swap

Sat, 16 Jun 2012 10:09:16 -0800

I hope the informal “free books” area can be improved incorporated into the plan. When my son was a kid, he pounced on a huge stack of National Geographic magazines someone had brought. He was absolutely thrilled that these could be his very own and he pored over them for months. With that remembered delight in mind, I continue to bring old issues of science magazines and books we no longer need to keep to share with anyone who’s interested. This feature needs to be more than an afterthought.

Mountainering Section in Library--AK Section

Sat, 16 Jun 2012 10:09:11 -0800

Mountaineering Corner

As a former MCA President, climber, and local resident, I agree with the above post that the library could use an area devoted to Alaska climbing, hiking, and mountaineering. The MCA club has over 600 books that could be made available to the library for this area and these books do not have a current home. Anchorage is surrounded by mountains unlike no other American metropolis. It’s something that makes Anchorage unique and as a city we should highlight this special aspect of our community.

Someone else had the same idea about an inovation center/shared...

loussac — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 16:25:45 -0800

Someone else had the same idea about an inovation center/shared workspace for small businesses. Check out this article on one in Portland, OR.

Co-working Spaces

loussac — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 14:00:22 -0800

My sister attended a tour of co-working spaces that exist in Milwaukee. This is a rental partnership that provides office space for people in traveling jobs. I thought of this as a potential opportunity in the Loussac re-design. For example, building in offices adjoined in some way to the library that is available and rentable by people visiting Alaska for business. I’m not sure of the details, but decided to share this information with you.

Mountaineering Corner, Searchable Scree

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 17:51:58 -0800

I support the idea of a mountaineering corner to house a collection of valuable books owned by the Mountaineering Club of Alaska. I would also like to be able to search the MCA newsletter, the Scree for information on mountain climbing routes and adventures in Alaska. This section would also be a resource for our international visitors who come to Alaska each spring to climb our mountains.

Mountaineering Section

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 17:51:55 -0800

The Mountaineering Club of Alaska has assembled a great collection of books, maps, guides, and other mountaineering aides since the club began back in 1958. This collection should be made available to Alaskans and visitors who are climbers, want to be climbers, or want a mountain experience through reading glasses. This valuable collection should have a place in the Loussac Library.

Mountaineering Section

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 14:39:52 -0800

I agree that an enhanced section devoted to mountaineering would make a fine addition to the Z.J. Loussac holdings. The history and breadth of information encompassed by the Mountaineering Club of Alaska’s archives would make an excellent cornerstone for such a section. I would encourage your acceptance of such as a means to make this valuable information accessible to visiting and resident hikers and climbers.