There are a lot of moving parts and milestones to consider before starting a construction project. It may be difficult to determine where to begin. Predesign is all the preparation and planning that needs to happen before you even start thinking about design and construction implementation.
A mantra I like to keep in mind: “Prep work creates a solid foundation.” Predesign may be the most difficult stage for staff because the project is still abstract, but the project will progress more smoothly if you can articulate your wants and needs. Predesign is split into four areas: needs assessment, program development, budget development, and project delivery preparation.
If everything was perfect in your existing spaces, you wouldn’t be considering an improvement project. During the needs assessment stage, ask: What is driving the necessity of the changes you want to make? Has there been a significant change in the demographics or population you serve? Perhaps your service area is experiencing a lot of growth, or you have a consistent number of patrons requesting technology that your library doesn’t have space for, or your building is just plain old. Identify a main objective and possibly a few supporting objectives. From there, collect and analyze data to determine the why of your project. When you meet with your design team, that data will be their starting point.
How do you identify the project itself and how to structure your space? You can assemble a program document—a physical outline of your work that includes all your ideas, plans, and details—to guide you. These documents come in different lengths and formats, and there is no specific template to follow. Depending on the project size, your program document could be one page or more than 100. Most importantly, the document should be organized and present information in a clear, easy-to-follow format. Some examples of elements you may want to include are designated staff spaces, size requirements, and furniture and fixtures.
The project will progress more smoothly if you can articulate your wants and needs.
The budget development stage is straightforward: How much money do you have, and where will it come from? If you’re unsure where to start, look at other library projects in similar areas or visit architecture websites to get rough cost estimates. Do you have a designated capital improvements fund? Are you part of a larger organization that could help with funding? How long might it take for you to receive funding? Also account for inflation. How early in the planning stages are you? What if you won’t be able to start construction for five years? Unfortunately, the money you have now may not go as far in the future.
Finally, during construction, your design team will prepare the official documents and set of drawings that will be used for your build. This step includes making final selections for furniture, establishing another round of cost considerations before putting your project out to bid, and starting construction once you have your contractor on board. Library staff involvement may end at this time, only to pick up again when it’s time to open or reopen. You don’t have as many things like electrical or audiovisual equipment to coordinate, but you will still need to make selections for colors, finishes, and any custom orders; ensure that vendors are protecting the space while they’re working and following proper procedures; and check the quality of their work at the end of the job.
My best piece of advice is to have fun. These projects are chaos, no matter the scale. They have ups and downs. Just remember to breathe, and most importantly, remember to enjoy it all and keep in mind why you’re doing it. When patrons meet the improvements with wide eyes, you’ll know it was all worth it.
Adapted from “Build Better: Effective Library Project Management,” Core On-Demand Webinars (Aug. 2023).
