We have already started to receive comments and suggestions on the display in the center atrium of the Johnson Building. Thank you to all who have already particpated. If you are not able to visit the Central Library this month or attend the April 10 program, please feel free to comment directly on this blog, send an email to compass@bpl.org, or send a letter to Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston Street, Boston MA 02116.

The questions posted on on the display at the Central Library are similar to ones shared on this blog in January. They are:

1. What areas or services in the library seem underutilized when you visit? What areas might need some updating?
2. What can the library do to establish a stronger connection to Boylston Street and Exeter Street?
3. How might the library make the Johnson Building more attractive and inviting?
4. What sorts of enterprise or entrepreneurial opportunities might the library pursue? What sorts of entrepreneurial activities might fit in well in the Johnson Building?

Boston Public Library will host a public program on Wednesday, April 10, at 6 p.m. to update library users and interested residents on the early phases of the Johnson Building Improvement Project. The program will take place in Rabb Lecture Hall, located on the concourse level of the Johnson Building at 700 Boylston Street. Amy E. Ryan, president of Boston Public Library; Michael R. Colford, director of library services; and architect William L. Rawn will lead the April 10 program.

The Johnson Building, which opened in 1972, is the portion of the Central Library in Copley Square that is at the corner of Boylston and Exeter Streets.

Last summer, the library issued a request for proposals for help in exploring ideas on how to improve visitors’ first impression of the Johnson Building, enrich library services and spaces, and generate cost-sharing options and additional revenue.

Preliminary efforts to develop ideas for the Johnson Building began in November 2012 when a community advisory committee was formed and continued into December 2012 when the firm William Rawn Associates, Architects, Inc. was selected to lead the master planning process.

Prior to the April 10 program, Boston Public Library will mount a display in the center atrium of the Johnson Building where library users and visitors can review a floor plan of the existing layout of the building and are encouraged to provide comments and suggestions on the project. The display will remain up for the entire month of April.

Background on the Johnson Building Project to date is published throughout this blog. Those not able to attend the April 10 public program or visit the display are welcome to leave a comment on the library’s Compass blog at www.bpl.org/compass or send an email to compass@bpl.org. “Compass” is the name of Boston Public Library’s strategic plan.

Download and share the April 10 program flyer (PDF).

The Community Advisory Committee (CAC) for the Johnson Improvement Project will meet on Monday, April 8, at 8:30 a.m. in the Boston Room of the Johnson Building, Central Library in Copley Square, 700 Boylston Street.

Community Advisory Committee Members

Community Advisory Committee 4-8-13 Agenda (posted April 4)

The library continues to gather recommendations for aesthetic and programmatic improvements to the Johnson Building lobby and Deferrari Hall. Suggestions for the spaces include the creation of a welcoming, modern, and iconic entrance that inspires and excites visitors; implementation of better wayfinding and signage to showcase the library’s many services, collections, exhibitions, and programs; and incorporation of dynamic and interactive artistic elements to beautify the spaces and encourage public engagement.

Additional recommendations include highlighting information about the library’s history and the diverse community of users and neighborhoods it serves. Other suggestions include installation of large monitors and/or digital projection elements to enliven these spaces and provide platforms for display of real-time metrics about library usage and promotion of the library’s extensive digital collections.

Please let us know what you think about these recommendations by commenting on this post, sending an email to compass@bpl.org, or a letter to the BPL via 700 Boylston Street, Boston MA 02116.