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Make Your Space Work Harder

Discover how your library is really being used and uncover opportunities to serve patrons better

ThirdWay Space applies the research, analytics, and customer experience strategies used by leading retailers and consumer brands to help libraries make smarter decisions about their spaces and services.

When Should I Evaluate My Space?

RENOVATION

If you’re planning to renovate, we’ll help you focus on what matters most to your community.

NEW CONSTRUCTION

Don’t put the same old wooden tables and high stacks inside your beautiful new library!  We'll work with your architects to create an oasis for working, learning, and discovery.

DECLINING CIRCULATION

Sometimes less is more.  We can show you how to edit your collection and use your existing fixtures to increase browsing and circulation.  All without ripping out the carpet.

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What We Do

THE SPACE AUDIT

An evaluation of your space including wayfinding, pathways, and zone placement.

RENOVATION AND
CONSTRUCTION CONSULTING

Ongoing collaboration with architects and interior designers to ensure renovations and new construction meet patron needs and embrace retail best practices.

RESEARCH AND ANALYTICS

Understand the needs of patrons through traditional research such as surveys, focus groups, and public input sessions, or gain deeper insights through user experience (UX) interviews and detailed cardholder analysis. 

How Does a Space Audit Work?

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SIGN UP

Contact us for a quote and contract for a space audit.

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INITIAL CONSULTATION

Before we visit your space, we’ll have a phone or video consultation to understand your situation and your goals for a space audit.

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SITE VISIT

We will visit your library and take pictures of your space, then sit down with your library leaders to ask questions.

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SPACE AUDIT REPORT

We’ll deliver our report which will include suggestions as well as best practices – all tied to actual photos of your library.

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FINAL CONSULTATION

When you’ve had a chance to review our report, we’ll follow up to explain our observations and answer any questions.

Example

Space Audits

Each space audit includes a zone analysis, which shows you the ideal layout of your space by activity/area to maximize circulation and space utilization. It also has pictures of your space with suggestions for immediate changes and best practices drawn from other libraries.

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Renovations and New Construction

When you renovate, you will spend hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars to modernize your library. But will you make it more effective? By incorporating the best consumer research and retail design practices into your library planning process, we can help ensure that your circulation increases and that you create effective spaces that will allow your community to engage with the new library space.

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We incorporate modern consumer research and retail design practices into your planning process to increase your library's circulation while creating more effective spaces for community engagement.

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We work alongside architects and interior designers to be the voice of the patron in the library design process, paying particular attention to pathways, merchandising, furniture selection, and usability.

Before

After

Library Projects Across the U.S.

Since 2013, ThirdWay Space has worked with libraries in 34 states. We've completed over 120 space audits and 30 masterplans and renovations, and we've brought training and best practices to 38 libraries and associations. Now we are expanding our research and analytics practice, giving libraries even more information on how they can improve the patron experience.

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SPEAKING & TRAINING

  • American Library Association

  • Alaska State Library

  • Amery Public Library

  • Baltimore Public Library

  • Bergen County Cooperative Library System

  • Colorado Library Association

  • Free Library of Philadelphia

  • Illinois Library Association

  • Indian Library Federation

  • Iowa State Library

  • LIBLEARNX

  • Library Journal

  • Long Island Library Conference

  • Massachusetts Library Association

  • Missouri Library Association

  • New Hampshire Library Association

  • New Jersey Library Association

  • New Mexico Library Association

  • New York Library Association

  • Norfolk Public Library

  • Northeast Kansas Library System

  • Oklahoma City Public Library

  • Pacific Northwest Library Association

  • Pennsylvania Library Association

  • Public Library Association

  • Reaching Across Illinois Library System

  • Rhode Island Library Association

  • Southeast Florida Library Network

  • Southwest Florida Library Network

  • St. Joe County Public Library

  • Suffolk County Library Association

  • Tampa Bay Library Consortium

  • Tennessee Library Association

  • Tennessee Secretary of State's Office

  • Texas Library Association

  • Virginia Library Association

  • Winding Rivers Library Association

  • Wisconsin Library Association

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SPACE AUDITS

Northeast

  • Cora J. Beldon Public Library - CT

  • Ferguson Library Harry Bennett Branch - CT

  • Ferguson Library Main - CT

  • Holbrook Public Library - MA

  • Plymouth Public Library - MA

  • Hampstead Public Library - NH

  • Bernards Township Public Library - NJ

  • Chester Library - NJ

  • Cliffside Park Public Library - NJ

  • Denville Public Library - NJ

  • Dixon Homestead Library - NJ

  • Edison Public Library - NJ

  • Glen Rock Public Library - NJ

  • Hoboken Public Library - NJ

  • Hudson County Community College Library - NJ

  • Jersey City Public Library Marion Branch - NJ

  • Jersey City Public Library Miller Branch - NJ

  • Jersey City Public Library Priscilla Gardner Main - NJ

  • Kinnelon Public Library - NJ

  • Lambertville Public Library - NJ

  • Linden Free Public Library - NJ

  • Lodi Memorial Library - NJ

  • Long Hill Township Public Library - NJ

  • Lynbrook Public Library - NJ

  • Manwah Public Library - NJ

  • New Providence Memorial Library - NJ

  • Parsippany Library - NJ

  • Piscataway Kennedy Library - NJ

  • Piscataway Public Library Westergard Branch - NJ

  • Rockaway Borough Public Library - NJ

  • Roxbury Public Library - NJ

  • Spotswood Public Library - NJ

  • Summit Public Library - NJ

  • Teaneck Public Library - NJ

  • Wayne Public Library - NJ

  • Westwood Public Library - NJ

  • Wood-Ridge Public Library - NJ

  • Arlington Heights Memorial Library - NY

  • Briarcliff Manor Public Library - NY

  • Center Moriches Public Library - NY

  • Eastchester Public Library - NY

  • Garden City Public Library - NY

  • Greenwich Free Library - NY

  • Harrison Public Library - NY

  • Islip Public Library - NY

  • Mamaroneck Public Library - NY

  • Massapequa Public Library - NY

  • Mount Pleasant Public Library - NY

  • New Rochelle Public Library Main Library - NY

  • Shelter Rock Public Library - NY

  • South Huntington Public Library - NY

  • Wantagh Public Library - NY

  • Warner Library - NY

  • Memorial Library of Nazareth - PA

 

​West

  • Anchorage Public Library Loussac Main - AK

  • Anchorage Public Library Mountain View - AK

  • Pueblo City County Library District Lamb Branch - CO

  • Pueblo City County Library District West Branch - CO

  • Boise State Albertsons Library - ID

  • Albuquerque Academy - NM

  • Chetco Community Public Library - OR

  • Northwest Band of the Shoshone Nation - UT

  • Walla Walla Public Library - WA

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South

  • Auburn Public Library - AL

  • Cross County Public Library - AR

  • Charlotte County Englewood Public Library - FL

  • Charlotte County Punta Gorda Public Library - FL

  • Scott County Public Library - KY

  • Blount County Public Library - TN

  • Johnson City Public Library - TN

  • Washington County Jonesborough Gray Branch - TN

  • Aubrey Area Public Library - TX

  • Massanutten Regional Library Central - VA

  • Massanutten Regional Library North River Branch - VA

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Midwest

  • Bettendorf Public Library - IA

  • Cherokee Public Library - IA

  • Decorah Public Library - IA

  • Fort Dodge Public Library - IA

  • Iowa City Public Library - IA

  • Ottumwa Public Library - IA

  • Urbandale Public Library - IA

  • Algonquin Area Public Library - IL

  • Crystal Lake Public Library - IL

  • Elk Grove Public Library - IL

  • Fountaindale Public Library - IL

  • Fremont Public Library - IL

  • Gail Borden Public Library - IL

  • Glencoe Public Library - IL

  • Indian Prairie Public Library - IL

  • Manhattan Elwood Public Library - IL

  • Matteson Public Library - IL

  • Mokena Community Public Library - IL

  • Northbrook Public Library - IL

  • Palatine Public Library  - IL

  • Park Ridge Public Library - IL

  • Peotone Public Library - IL

  • Shorewood-Troy Public Library - IL

  • Warren Newport Public Library - IL

  • Winnetka Public Library - IL​

  • Lake County Public Library Griffith/Calumet Branch - IN

  • Lake County Public Library Merrillville Branch - IN

  • Lawrence Public Library - KS

  • Avon Lake Public Library - OH

  • North Canton Public Library - OH

  • Delafield Public Library - WI

  • Kenosha Public Library Northside Branch - WI

  • Kenosha Public Library Southwest Branch - WI

  • La Crosse Public Library - WI

  • Menomonie Public Library - WI​

  • Oshkosh Public Library - WI

  • Tomah Public Library - WI

  • Whitehall Public Library - WI​​​​​​​​​

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RESEARCH

  • Ferguson Library Main - CT

  • Charlotte County Englewood Public Library - FL

  • Charlotte County Punta Gorda Public Library - FL

  • Park Ridge Public Library - IL

  • Winnetka Public Library - IL

  • Lake County Public Library Merrillville Branch - IN

  • Jersey City Public Library Priscilla Gardner Main - NJ

  • Garden City Public Library - NY

  • New Rochelle Public Library - NY

  • North Canton Public Library - OH

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RENOVATIONS

  • Warren Newport Public Library - IL

  • Jersey City Public Library Priscilla Gardner Main - NJ

  • Lodi Memorial Library - NJ

  • Chetco Community Public Library - OR

  • Washington County Jonesborough Gray Branch - TN

  • La Crosse Public Library - WI

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MASTER PLANS

  • Auburn Public Library - AL

  • Ferguson Library - CT

  • Charlotte County Englewood Public Library - FL

  • Bettendorf Public Library - IA

  • Boise State Albertsons Library - ID

  • Matteson Public Library - IL

  • Winnetka Public Library - IL

  • Warren Newport Public Library - IL

  • Hudson County Community College Library - NJ

  • Jersey City Public Library Priscilla Gardner Main - NJ

  • Lambertville Public Library - NJ

  • Lodi Memorial Library - NJ

  • New Providence Memorial Library - NJ

  • Rockaway Borough Public Library - NJ

  • Wayne Public Library - NJ

  • Islip Public Library - NY

  • Mount Pleasant Public Library - NY

  • North Canton Public Library - OH

  • Chetco Community Public Library - OR

  • Washington County Jonesborough Gray Branch - TN

  • Northwest Band of the Shoshone Nation - UT

  • La Crosse Public Library - WI

  • Oshkosh Public Library - WI

  • Whitehall Public Library - WI​

Services

ThirdWay Space specializes in:

  • Space Audits to optimize existing library spaces

  • Master Plans for renovations, expansion, or new construction

  • Renovation Consulting to center patrons in the design and planning

  • Research and Analytics to find unmet needs and identify opportunities

SPACE AUDIT

A complete evaluation of the library from the perspective of staff, patrons, and retail best practices.

 

  • Under 5,000 SQFT: $7,000

  • ​5,000 SQFT – 19,000 SQFT: $8,500

  • ​20,000 SQFT – 49,000 SQFT: $10,000

  • ​50,000 SQFT – 99,000 SQFT: $12,000

  • ​100,000 SQFT or Larger: Contact for Estimate

Kurt Hadeler

Director, Mahwah Public Library

"David and his team were great to work with.  Their considerable experience in marketing and clear-eyed approach to display and merchandising library materials were insightful.  
 
The space audit confirmed some things we suspected and also opened our eyes to exciting new ideas.  The audit dovetailed perfectly into our Strategic Plan by highlighting ways to improve our current space with very little cost.  It also gives me a great resource to help gather support for bigger changes."

Testimonials

Publications

Why Public Libraries Matter: And How They Can Do More

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Library Space Planning: A PLA Guide—eEditions PDF e-book

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Ethnographic Design: Creating Community-Centered Libraries

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The Case For Libraries

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Avoid the Cookie-Cutter Library

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Designing for the Future — The Post-Pandemic Library

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