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The Public Library Construction Process:
From Problem Recognition To Ribbon Snipping

By Frederick A. Schlipf and John A. Moorman

This outline was originally prepared to accompany the authors' presentation at the 1999 PLA conference. It has been modified and expanded since that time.

The outline focuses on the responsibilities facing library trustees and staff, and the space devoted to each topic in the outline reflects this concern rather than the actual amount of work to be done by hired experts and contractors.

Because this outline covers the construction process, it includes relatively little material on what constitutes good and bad library design.

Table of Contents

1. Motivations
2. Building Consultants
3. Building Programs
4. Architects
5. Construction Options and Site Selection
6. Schematic Designs
7. Renderings and Models
8. Money
9. Design Development
10. Bid Documents
11. Bidding
12. Ground Breaking
13. Construction Management
14. Moving
15. Ribbon Cutting
16. Ten-Month Post-Occupancy Evaluation