This review first appeared in Legal Information Alert, April 2001. It is reprinted here with permission.

Most librarians will never have the opportunity to design or build a new library. It is not until reading a book like Prof. Margeton's that one gets a sense of the scope of issues to be considered by those who have. Upon closer examination, it is clear that managers at many levels can use this introduction to designing a new library. The book walks the reader through the entire process of designing and building a new law library, compartmentalizing the information into short, straightforward chapters. The nine-page table of contents provides easy access to the embedded topics, which range from heating and air conditioning to local area networks. Each chapter ends with a summary and short bibliography of books and articles. This approach provides enough information to get up to speed on a topic, as well as additional resources for those who require more in depth knowledge. Those chapters covering rapidly changing topics, like technology, are more valuable with this supplementary information than they would have been otherwise. The appendices contain practical documents used in planning a new library, including donor opportunities and an extensive program narrative.

The book is especially useful for its concrete examples of how Prof. Margeton and his team implemented particular features. These implementations may not work in other library environments but provide solid examples of what is possible. The book is especially successful when viewed not as a single work, but as an entry point for its many parts. Many librarians are likely to be enhancing a single space in a library rather than designing a whole new building. This book is as applicable for small projects as it is for complete renovations.

The title begins with "Introduction" and the reader is well advised to keep that in mind. This book is an excellent aid, a supplement to the planning process and the specialty skills of technologists, designers, engineers, and architects. Someone with a particular specialty background will see additional needs that this book does not address but may miss others beyond her specialty. By acquiring this book to create an informed baseline, any manager or staff involved in designing new spaces or buildings will be better prepared.