Started from the bottom now
we're here: assembling a small
public library from start to finish
Bessie Sullivan, Haliburton County Public Library;
Sandra Dupret, Fleming College; John Louie, Carr McLean
Photo credit: Fleming College
Started from the bottom
now we're here:
assembling a small public
library from start to finish
The bottom:
•Local Demographics
•Establishing need
•What we had
The assembly:
•Fleming College’s
Sustainable Building and
Design program
The finish:
•Layout and Design
•Moving the branch
•What we have now
Photo credit: Fleming College
Wilberforce, Ontario
Municipality of
Highlands East
•~230 km NE of Toronto
•1,493 year-round households
(19.6% of Haliburton County)
•3,249 year-round residents
•4,374 private dwellings including
seasonal
•Average housing price $156,620
(range sub $100,000 to plus
$700,000)
•Median income $38,491 per
household (average $47,161)
“[The Wilberforce branch is a] stand-alone
building that was not designed for library
services. The building is inaccessible, dark,
and cramped.”
SOLS Needs Assessment, 2003
ARUPLO Guidelines
What we had
757 square feet
3,200 items
11.5 hours/week
What we should have
2,500 square feet
7,500 items
20 hours/week
Serving a user population of 1,000 – 5,000
Accessibility for Ontarians with
Disabilities Act
“When fire trucks wear out you replace them.
When libraries wear out you replace them.”
Joan Barton, Highlands East Councillor
(Haliburton County Echo, November 27, 2012)
“I am a firm believer that the only way to reduce
costs for the Municipality is to build better, more
sustainable buildings. Cutting programs and
services can only continue for so long.”
Steve Kauffeldt, Highlands East Councillor
“Not only is this building a gathering place, its construction
became a community effort.” Bessie Sullivan, CEO/County Librarian HCPL
(Bancroft Weekly, June 24, 2014)
Photo credit: The Highlander
The Library Launchers
Photo credit: The Highlander
“Highlighted in the Haliburton County Public
Library’s statement of values is sustainability; this
project with Fleming College’s Sustainable
Building Design and Construction program fits
beautifully into our mandate.”
Bessie Sullivan, CEO/County Librarian HCPL
(Media Release, Fleming College, November 28, 2012)
Sustainable Building Design and Construction
What is Fleming College’s
Sustainable Building Design and
Construction Program?
 The program provides 26 students
theoretical and hands-on experience with
leading edge sustainable building practice
through the actual construction of a fullscale, public building that incorporates the
most sustainable options available
 The buildings created are open to the
public as functional, living examples of
sustainable technologies, materials and
philosophies in building science.
Our Partnerships
We engage in partnerships with municipal
governments and not-for-profit agencies to:




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Create functional, high performance, sustainable
community buildings
Contribute significant labour to community projects
Involve the community in the sustainable building
process through education and participation
Partner with local trades and suppliers to source all materials
and services locally
Curriculum to DO THIS
 Intense 20 week Ontario One Year certificate; students are
in class 45 hrs/week
 Balance of classroom and job site time; 30% classroom
and 70% construction site
 Team based approach shared by
faculty and students
 Committed community partner and
exciting project able to meet z
sustainable curriculum requirements
 Leading practitioners to teach, design
and lead students through construction
 Complete a structure that exemplifies
leading edge sustainable practices
4C’s Food Bank and Thrift Shop - Haliburton
Kinark Outdoor Living Centre - Carnarvon
R.D. Lawrence Place - Minden
Performing Arts Centre - Madoc
Camp Kawartha Environment Centre at Trent
Habitat for Humanity - Peterborough
Camp Maple Leaf- Pigeon Lake
Abbey Gardens – West Guilford
Wilberforce Branch
Start here:
End here:
So you want to build a library?
Where do we start?



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Initial discussions between Fleming
College and the Municipality of
Highlands East
Research involved touring Haliburton
County Libraries and meeting with
staff for discussions of pros and cons of
existing facilities
Staff feedback, client needs, budget
allocation and curriculum
requirements contributed to the
overall design
The design process involved Haliburton
County Library CEO Bessie Sullivan,
Havencraft Design, Fleming College
Sustainable Building faculty and staff–
Pat Marcotte, Ali Lam, Chris Lalonde,
Ted Brandon, Levitt Goodman
Architects, structural engineer Tim
Krahn (Building Alternatives) and the
Municipality of Highlands East Council
Common 24" PCT
3-ply 2x8 Lintels above windows
Droppped 24" PCT
w' ladder truss
overhangs
2x10 Sub fascia
2'
7x11.25" LVL beams below SIP's
Double 2x10 Sub fascia @ SIP ends
2x10 framing
for SIP extension along
gable ends
3'-11"
7"x16" LVL or PSL
Centre Beam on 8x8 posts
2'-107/16"
4-ply 2x12 beam
(does it need to be
here along side wall?)
5'-11/2"
4'-91/2"
4'-97/16"
4'-59/16"
5'-89/16"
6'-8
1/16"
4'-9
5'-89/16"
7'-1/8"
7'-115/16"
7/16"
6x6 posts
Red line denotes bale wall
What is a Sustainable Building?
Students are installing
the Insulated Concrete
Foundation (ICF)
Staining exterior siding using non-toxic finishes.
Locally sourced, sustainable
harvested post & beam frame
& timber frame features
External features
 Passive solar design capturing the sun’s heat in winter and blocking heat in summer
 Clerestory roof design to allow natural sunlight to reach the entire floor area
 Structural Insulated Panel (SIP) roofing for highly efficient roof system
 Galvanized roofing for a cooler temperature roof and rainwater collection
 Rainwater collection cistern for landscaping/grounds maintenance usage
 Enviroshake (shingles made of recycled tires & rubber) siding as well as locally
sourced board & baton
 Triple glazed fibreglass windows
Green roof on entry
If these walls could talk……
 Straw bale walls with hand applied
local, natural clay & lime plaster
OR
 Interior wall board (drywall) made from
recycled Tetra-paks
 insulated and resource efficient double stud
walls with recycled newsprint (cellulose)
insulation
What do we see?
Natural sunlight.
Both locally cut timbers
and reclaimed timbers were used in construction.
Natural Marmoleum flooring made of
linseed oil.
Fully accessible and barrier free design.
Artistic Features
Usable Space
What’s next?
BCT – Youth in Action Canteen
THANK YOU
Sustainable Building Design and Construction
Ted Brandon, Administrative Coordinator
Patrick Marcotte, Academic Coordinator and Faculty
Ali Lam, Faculty
Eric Lewis, Project Manager (current)
Chris Lalonde, Wilberforce Library Project Manager (past)
Finishing touches
September 2013 – February 2014
• September 2013
– Fleming students wrap up their
program.
– Local contractors hired to finish
trim, flooring, HVAC,
mechanicals, etc.
– Determined that landscaping
and paving would need to be
completed in spring 2014.
• December 2013
– Community survey to determine
new and expanded hours for
new branch.
• February 2014
– First batch of Carr McLean
furnishings arrived and
assembled.
Layout and Design
Carr McLean's initial involvement in furnishing the Wilberforce
Library started in July 2013. Tender was submitted based on
the product descriptions and layout provided within the tender.
Layout and Design
Layout and Design
Although the form and function of library spaces continue to
evolve, all libraries of any scale still have commonalities with
respect to furnishings.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Circulation desk and or
Information desk
Shelving
Tables and chairs for reading
and computer areas
Children's area
Lounge seating
Display
Layout and Design
Layout and Design
Typically the actual products supplied will vary from the initial
scope of products specified.
1. The initial assessed needs may
change.
2. Further discussion of product
features and how they function
may alter product selection.
3. The as-built site measurements
of the library may affect spacing
and location of furniture.
4. Accessibility to the actual
locations of floor mounted
electrical and data outlets may
impact the placement of
furnishings.
5. The actual locations of windows,
window sills, switches, control
panels, as well as electrical and
data outlets may result in
changes to quantity, size and
location of shelving.
Layout and Design
Finishing touches
March 2014 – June 2014
• March 2014
– Ontario Trillium Foundation
Grant awarded, allowing us
to purchase additional
furnishings.
• April 2014
– Snow finally melts and
landscaping commences.
• May 2014
– Book moving campaign
begins.
• June 2014
– Second batch of Carr
McLean furnishings arrives.
– Moving into the new branch,
and opening.
“It’s getting them [the patrons] involved in a way that’s
Erin Kernohan-Berning, Branch Services Librarian HCPL
kind of fun.”
(Haliburton County Echo, May 27, 2014)
Wilberforce book moving
campaign:
• Borrowed from a similar campaign
in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia.
• Patrons were encouraged to check
out a bag of books from the old
branch and keep them until the new
branch opened.
• Patrons returned books to new
branch, and all fines were waived
for 2 months after opening.
Saw approximately 50% increase in
circulation during the campaign.
Photo credit: Haliburton County Echo
Moving the Library
ARUPLO Guidelines
What we had
757 square feet
3,200 items
11.5 hours/week
What we have now
2,200 square feet
4,000 items
16 hours/week
What we should have
2,500 square feet
7,500 items
20 hours/week
Serving a user population of 1,000 – 5,000
“We did it together. It does take a community to
build a library. You guys are a part of it, you guys
Dave Burton, Highland’s East Reeve
own it. Enjoy.”
(The Highlander, June 26, 2014)
Photo credit: The Highlander