Success Stories

Many projects present unique circumstances with specialized criteria that can make for a challenging scenario. It’s our ability to deliver results in these “unique” situations that make us different.

Skokie Public Library – Renovation/Addition

Situation
A highly respected multi-cultural suburban library on the north side of Chicago engaged in a $20 million renovation / addition. The 5-phase project took place while the library remained open to the public. The architect and the library staff were challenged to blend and re-use existing furnishings with new. The goal was to successfully integrate design, introduce new sophisticated furnishings and ensure the highest functionality for all departments of the library.

Result
The library design team selected LFI for its’ high quality line of steel shelving and AV display fixtures. The initial step for LFI was consulting with all departments in verifying that collection management issues were met with the growth figures provided. This process requires a “hands-on” approach with every department head to ensure the best solution for every collection in the department. Since there are many shelf options and sizes, this step was the most time consuming, but it is the most important. In some cases, we realized that the initial layout and quantities were lower than needed when we factored all variables. In these cases, we were able to give the library options for meeting their storage and display needs prior to realizing the issues after installation.

LFI presented to the library several unique products that are providing revolutionary features to their patrons and their staff. For example, the “Face Front” shelves for periodicals and newspapers are making for easy patron viewing of current and back issues. LFI designed with input from the library, book and pamphlet display holders that fit their specialized slatwall on the end panels. A new higher capacity shelf for CD’s was introduced to the library to solve the under-capacity issue faced during the planning stage. Patron CD listening stations were incorporated in pre-school, middle school, teen areas in Youth Services, and CD and DVD listening stations were key design elements in the Adult Services AV department.

Our involvement at Skokie Public Library did not end with our installation team installing the last section of shelving or the final AV fixture or even the DVD stations. LFI continues to work closely with the library staff solving issues and addressing new needs. Skokie will always be an LFI library.

Architect: OWPP – Chicago, IL
Library Director: Carolyn Anthony