jtmbin Posted September 7, 2007 Share Posted September 7, 2007 (edited) Pics from the Opening of the new Looscan Neighborhood Library.http://web.mac.com/bindana/iWeb/Site/Looscan%20Library.html Edited September 8, 2007 by jtmbin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChannelTwoNews Posted September 7, 2007 Share Posted September 7, 2007 Where are the pics? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Hizzy! Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 Yeah, sorry, but they're not coming up for me either. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtmbin Posted September 8, 2007 Author Share Posted September 8, 2007 Yeah, sorry, but they're not coming up for me either.Try this link http://web.mac.com/bindana/iWeb/Site/Looscan%20Library.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moni Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 Very pretty library, it just makes you want to wander around and check out the books. I love libraries and this is a very pretty one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtmbin Posted September 8, 2007 Author Share Posted September 8, 2007 Very pretty library, it just makes you want to wander around and check out the books. I love libraries and this is a very pretty one.It is very different from the last new HPL building, the Stella Link Neighborhood Library which opened two years ago. That one is very contemporary, very colorful, glass and steel. It is also one of the top two most popular branch libraries in the city. It will be interesting to see how Looscan stacks up when the performance numbers start rolling in. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 I read an interesting article recently about the changes being made in new libraries.They're starting to be designed more like a combination of Starbucks and Borders in order to draw in more people.One of them, I think in the Northwest, actually (*gasp!*) dropped the Dewey Decimal system and has organized its books the way bookstores do -- by topic.I love the library. My wife hates the library. She'd rather pay for a book at the bookstore than go through the hassle/wait of trying to find it at the library. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 while there will still be the "old-fashioned" past time of going to the library and checking out books, things are definitely changing. in academic libraries, print subscriptions to journals are becoming less and less common, but the licensing for digital versions are sometimes unduly restrictive. a major role of libraries is becoming managers (and interpreters) of electronic licenses.as far as libraries dropping the Dewey - that seems strange. i wonder how they integrate shelving into their cataloging. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtmbin Posted September 8, 2007 Author Share Posted September 8, 2007 I read an interesting article recently about the changes being made in new libraries.They're starting to be designed more like a combination of Starbucks and Borders in order to draw in more people.One of them, I think in the Northwest, actually (*gasp!*) dropped the Dewey Decimal system and has organized its books the way bookstores do -- by topic.I love the library. My wife hates the library. She'd rather pay for a book at the bookstore than go through the hassle/wait of trying to find it at the library.It is interesting that your wife thinks that it's a hassle. She can search the catalogue of the entire HPL system from the comfort of her home computer 24/7 and have any book, CD, DVD, book on CD, etc. delivered to any one of 36 locations around town within 48 hours, typically. The item will be waiting with her name on it on the HOLD shelf. In many libraries, she can walk in, grab the book off the shelf, check it out herself using a Self-Check machine just like at the grocery store and be out the door. This might take five minutes. If the book isn't ready immediately, say you want Harry Potter on Day One and all 300 copies are reserved, you'll be sent an email telling you when it is waiting for you on the HOLD shelf at the library of your choosing. She can renew the book up to two times for a total of six weeks of check out time, all online, without risking a late fine. She can track and store books that she browses online, track books she's read, blah, blah, blah. I could go on, but I guess you get the picture. Regarding the retail model, libraries have simply stolen the customer service page back from the retailers, or at least they are trying to by offering amenties that people have come to expect. Comfy chairs, a cuppa coffee, wi-fi, and later hours are all parts of the equation. It is notable that while the city's wi-fi initiative is on hold, HPL completed adding free wi-fi service to every library last year. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssullivan Posted September 12, 2007 Share Posted September 12, 2007 Wow, this is very nice looking! Where is it located?HPL seems to be doing very well with their new facilities. This is a great addition to the system, as was the branch on Stella Link a few years ago. And I really like the old church conversion on Montrose. I look forward to the completion of the central library renovations downtown. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtmbin Posted September 13, 2007 Author Share Posted September 13, 2007 Wow, this is very nice looking! Where is it located?HPL seems to be doing very well with their new facilities. This is a great addition to the system, as was the branch on Stella Link a few years ago. And I really like the old church conversion on Montrose. I look forward to the completion of the central library renovations downtown.http://www.houstonlibrary.org/branches/loo_home.html HPL Looscan Neighborhood LibraryPhone832-393-1900HoursM 10-8; T 10-6; W 10-6; Th 12-8; F 12-6; Sa 10-6Address2510 WillowickHouston, Texas 77027(Key Map #492S)DirectionsFrom the corner of 59 and Weslayan go north on Weslayan. The library will be on the left just past Westheimer. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VicMan Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 I like how libraries have evolved... they continue to function as important community centers in this day and age! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Town Man Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 Beautiful library. The best thing is that so many of the folks living around 2510 Willowick just cannot afford the pricey bookstores - this should be a real neighborhood boon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burlesona Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 New Library in River Oaks is LEED Silver. Dave at neoHOUSTON went on a tour and posted a recap. Here are some of the vital stats, the full write-up is at: http://www.neohouston.com/2009/04/looscan-...eed-tour-recap/ if you're interested. Building Info Owner: City of Houston General Services Department, Houston Public Library Architect: Jackson and Ryan Architects Engineer: Walter P. Moore & Associates MEP Engineer: I.A. Naman and Associates Structural Engineer: Ingenium, Inc. Interiors: Bennett Design Group Contractor: Gilbane Construction Company Project Size: 21,175 sq ft. Total Project Cost: $5,576,500 Cost PSF: $263 Completion: March 2007 Pretty cool project overall, though they were really close to Gold, and I'm not sure why they didn't go for it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cottonmather0 Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 It's a great facility but that place is ALWAYS crowded and seems to have been built a little too small. I've wondered if the LEED process had anything to do with the relative size of the building versus the parking lot. They could have built up a little bit higher and saved some of the footprint for a few extra parking places. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burlesona Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 It's a great facility but that place is ALWAYS crowded and seems to have been built a little too small. I've wondered if the LEED process had anything to do with the relative size of the building versus the parking lot. They could have built up a little bit higher and saved some of the footprint for a few extra parking places.So, do you think the building is too small, or the parking lot is too small? Just curious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cottonmather0 Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 LOL, I see how that's confusing. I guess the answer is both? Maybe they could have built a larger second floor (or a third floor) on a smaller footprint and added a few more parking spaces?I recognize that there were a lot of constraints - money, lot size - and that they did a very good job with what they had. Just making an observation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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