Case Study – Not Your Average Library Project!

Queensland Family History Society Library – Not your average library project!

Because QLS are generally involved in the design and furnishing of conventional Town, City, school, and university libraries we often forget that there are a multitude of other “Libraries”. And, that these stores of well-ordered and valuable information, have been set up as a resource for their patrons. Invariably involving a major initial commitment in time and energy that gives long term benefits.

Interestingly, they don’t generally follow the same rules as ordinary libraries and are a challenge to organisations like QLS to think, outside the square, when offering products and services.

A recently completed project for the Queensland Family History Society (QFHS) is a good example of the out of the box solutions needed and is a good case study applicable to other libraries and archive collections of all sorts. 

QHFS CASE STUDY

QFHS are a self-funded not for profit organisation founded over four decades ago to help members researching family histories and ancestries.

They keep a wide range of reference materials and records to help with these searches and have developed a unique filing system which combines locations, official records, names and historical information from an enormous number of sources worldwide. They started up long before the “Ancestry” craze and the DNA tracking services now available.

Facing eviction from their previous long term-location in Gaythorne, they found a much bigger home, in Chermside, and a long lease thanks to the Brisbane City Council. 

For the first time in their own history the QFHS committee were able to consider what they really wanted from their library and member space, instead of making do with what they had available. 

A completely fresh start!

The committee’s deliberations outlined the parameters of the project which were to:

1. Relocate all the library of historical records and useful equipment to the new location.
2. Maintain collection in correct filing system order.
3. Develop a member friendly library design for research and study.
4. Include disabled and wheelchair access and facilities.
5. Increase library shelving capacity to meet future growth.
6. Install compactus style storage / filing systems.
7. Provide facilities for on-line research.
8. Minimise current member loss due to new location.
9. Attract new members to the Society.

Project Management

Vice President Mrs Alex Daw was tasked with the project management role due to her previous working experience in library management and library renovations.

Alex identified three potential suppliers including QLS and contacted them to provide proposals and cost estimates. That was the stage that we became involved with the project and visited the previous library and new library sites to understand the objectives and note what could be saved and re-purposed, like the existing shelving, or removed.

The Proposal

QLS Sales Manager Colin Matthews used the layout draft designs prepared by architect Chris Gibbs, (Member and former President of QFHS), for a proposal and suggested some design changes to Alex Daw, for presentation to the Committee.

This quotation combined increased record / information storage and comfortable working, presentation and research spaces for the library volunteers and patrons, plus a kitchen and a new condensed compactus style filing system.

Overall, a spacious and flexible design with growth capacity and a major change from the previous premises. 

View Detailed Plan and Project Here

Relocation of the Collection

As one of the only library equipment and furniture suppliers with a library re-location service, QLS was able to offer a complete collection removal, from the old Gaythorne premises to Chermside. This involved the removal, packing, transporting and reshelving of the entire collection in the correct order along with dismantling & transport a small amount of the existing single sided shelving, in the new location on new shelving/compactus units.

Some committee members were concerned about this aspect of the re-location due to their adoption of the “Washington” filing system but faced with the daunting task of doing it themselves, had to take the risk of some miss-filing.

Choosing QLS for the Job

In reviewing the proposals submitted from prospective suppliers Alex and her committee looked at the following key considerations:

1. Did the design / layout changes proposed meet the requirements for QFHS for immediate and anticipated needs?
2. Wheelchair friendly design and access to collection.
3. Good quality of equipment / furniture and guarantee.
4. Able to use current shelving as part of new library.
5. Compactus filing equipment.
6. Competitive price for project / within budget.
7. Australian owned supplier.
8. Testimonials / past supplier.
9. Experienced in library and collection re-location.

The QLS proposal was found to meet all the key requirements for the project, except for the relatively high price for high quality library furniture. (Guaranteed for 10 years). The committee decided to purchase domestic Ikea style furniture in view of the relatively low volume of usage, when compared with the patron traffic in a public library.

QLS were able to match the old shelving cream colour with their new shelving and provide the compactus filing system required. QLS were also able to offer the collection relocation service required as part of the overall project and were within the budget allocated. Project manager Alex Daw was able to report positively on previous projects she had completed with QLS when in her Library management career.

The Committee approved her recommendation to place the order for the project with QLS.

The Project Review

A post installation survey was conducted with the following feedback given by Alex Daw and the Committee.

• Project completion time… The removal of the collections and dismantling the shelving to completion of the installation and reshelving of the collections was completed by the QLS Team in three days. 
• Professional design assistance … Sales Manager Colin Matthews provided excellent advice and assistance with design based on his many years of experience. 
• Workplace health and safety… Colin Matthews was able to provide important design changes required to meet W.H.S. and disability / wheelchair access standards, which the committee were not familiar with.
• Library shelving installed… the range and quality of the QHS Library Shelving was rated as “Excellent”. Particularly the slanted shelves for large books and easy wheelchair access. The compactus shelving also vastly increased the collection capacity.
• Library and collection re-location… Despite initial concerns the re-location was completed without any problems in less time than budgeted. The committee were delighted with the professional approach, which was better than they could have achieved themselves.
• QLS (Quantum Library Supplies) brand image… Alex Daw the project manager was asked how she would describe QLS to a colleague, based on her latest experience. She said that she had found the organisation to be Trustworthy; Experienced; Flexible; Solution orientated; Honest with customers and open to changes.
• Results attributed to QLS… Very few members were lost due to the location change and around 50, additional members were recruited. The committee and members were happy with the result reporting that it was now easier to do research and that there was also now space for presentations. They also reported feeling much more professional themselves in managing their collection after a very stressful period.

The Completed QFHS Library in Action

We manufacture our library furniture in Australia and Guarantee it for 10 years!... View Full Gallery of This Completed Project on our Website....

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