Do you have a building improvement or construction project coming up and want solid steps to make it a success? On this show Toni Lombardozzi, Project Manager at the Charleston County Public Library, shares how to navigate building projects in various stages. This information is helpful as many of us find ourselves tasked with changing, upgrading, or building to meet the evolving needs of our communities.
Transcript
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Adriane Herrick Juarez:
This is Adriane Herrick Juarez. You’re listening to Library Leadership Podcast, where we talk about libraries and leadership, and speak with guests who share their ideas, innovations, and strategic insights in the profession.
Do you have a building improvement or construction project coming up and want solid steps to make it a success? On this show, Toni Lombardozzi, Project Manager at the Charleston County Public Library, shares how to navigate building projects in various stages. This information is helpful as many of us find ourselves tasked with changing, upgrading, or building to meet the evolving needs of our communities. Enjoy the show!
Toni, welcome to the show.
Toni Lombardozzi:
Thank you so much for having me. I’m really excited to be here.
Adriane Herrick Juarez:
Question #1: Thank you for being here. I’m excited to have you. Today we are talking about navigating building projects. Many librarians become involved in construction or building improvement projects in their libraries. When we engage in these, you say that prep work creates a solid foundation. What does this involve? 01:29
Toni Lombardozzi:
I’m going to start this one with a little bit of a disclaimer, and that’s that most librarians lack experience in large scale commercial renovation or construction projects. That’s totally okay. None of us are trained to do that. The challenge is that there’s also a lot of librarians that are then tasked with overseeing these projects, and then they’re subsequently at a loss on where to begin, and that’s also okay.
I think it’s important to feel okay with that uncertainty at the start. Building a library is absolutely nothing like operating a library, but one thing that all good librarians have in common is a knack for planning and strategizing. To me, that’s really where the magic starts to happen in these projects. It’s one of the reasons why I love working with library staff and helping them turn their ideas into a reality.
Getting back to the actual question here—another thing that I love is a good, cheesy but true phrase, and I feel like prep work creates a solid foundation, is one of my favorites. I really can’t stress enough how getting any project started properly and on a solid footing is just going to make the entire process move along so much more smoothly. It’s going to take time and effort to adequately prepare for a project at the beginning. It’s going to feel tedious, but I promise that all of that work is going to pay off dividends in the end when you’re working through all the subsequent stages.
I tell everybody that you guys are the ones who know what you need in your projects. So if you have that information clearly articulated and packaged, and then it’s ready to go—it’s going to be invaluable. It really, really helps you achieve the best possible project. I know that we’re going to talk more about these today as we go, but typically I’ll break down the initial planning into four main stages. For me those include the needs assessment, program development, budget development and then project delivery preparation.
Adriane Herrick Juarez:
Question #2: Let’s discuss each item you mentioned, starting with the needs assessment. What happens at this stage of the project? 03:47
Toni Lombardozzi:
I like this one because the name is pretty straightforward and says it all. What do you need in your facility? Now, obviously if everything was perfect in your existing space, you wouldn’t be entertaining the idea of going through a big improvements project. This is really the stage where you’re going to want to stop and think about what is driving that necessity to change something, and what made you start thinking about why you needed to take on the project?
Just to toss out a couple examples because it’s easier to visualize that way—maybe you’re thinking about something like replacing the HVAC systems, or you want to increase your overall square footage. Or, maybe it’s something like focus restructuring the collection layout. Once you have that goal in mind, then I challenge people to start thinking of the why behind why you’re doing those things.
Just put it into a question—Why do you need to replace the HVAC? Why do you want to increase the square footage or restructure the collection layout? Whatever your project is that you’re thinking about. When you start considering the answers to those questions, maybe you’re thinking about things like, Has there been a significant population or demographic change in your area? Maybe your service area is experiencing a lot of growth and your facility is now just too small. Maybe you have a lot of patrons coming in and they’re asking for a certain type of technology, or a space that you don’t currently have, or certain materials just aren’t circulating well in a specific branch. Sometimes things are just old.
There’s endless stuff that I could keep throwing out here, but while you’re working on developing what I call your needs assessment, I really suggest trying to focus on the main objective for your project and then, maybe a couple of supporting objectives to follow that. That’s really going to help give focus to that research and data collection while you’re developing those supporting facts for why you want to move forward with your project.
The type of data that you’re going to collect in this stage is really, really helpful if you ever need to make the case, which you probably will if you need to sell your project to somebody—if you need it for funding or other project support. If you can enumerate and explain the why behind your project, it’s really, really critical to your success.
All of those reasons that I just talked through begin to form that base for your needs assessment. So from there, you’re going to start to collect and analyze data to support and explain that why. Now any type of documentation of facts that you can provide is going to be helpful here. I’ll throw another example out here quickly to kind of illustrate what I’m talking about.
Let’s say lots of libraries offer computer classes. Now maybe you have a space in your current branch. It’s always full to capacity for certain classes, and it only has seating for eight, but you consistently have fifteen to twenty patrons on a waitlist. You decide that you have an ideal space in mind that would accommodate thirty people—maybe even thirty-five gives you some room for growth and playing around with the space.
That is the type of data that you’re going to use to support your project. So, you’ve taken something where you’ve just said, This is something that we need or we want to have, but you’ve made it very specific to why you need it. Now when you meet with your design team they’re going to work with that data as a starting point. They can use all that information you’ve gathered—start turning it into square footage, actual space requirements.
It’s really critical to ensuring that your project is successful and worth the time and the money that you’ve invested. If you’re making decisions without having this type of data, you’re just going to find yourself back in a similar position where you are with facilities that don’t actually meet your needs. Of course, nobody wants that outcome. So this is why I really stress the need for that needs assessment right at the beginning.
Adriane Herrick Juarez:
Question #3: The next stage is program development. What does this involve? 07:40
Toni Lombardozzi:
Okay. So, this next step is pretty fun in my opinion. Well the whole thing is fun in my opinion. [laughter] Now you know that you need a new facility, or some type of renovation, or improvements. You’ve collected all of your data and put that together, so you also know why and what you’re working towards.
Then the next step that you’re going to want to follow is putting together a program to guide the process of outlining how you want to structure your new space—what’s actually going to live in there? So back to basics. What is a program?
A project program is just basically a document that’s going to include all of the ideas, plans, details, concepts for what you want to include in your project. You’ll have your research in there and any decisions that you’ve made regarding project wants and needs. Ultimately, it’s going to end up outlining the scope of work for your design and construction teams. This is really that important foundation that I talked about at the beginning. The more you can articulate these wants and needs at this stage, the more successful you’re going to be as your project continues to move on.
Of course, the main component in a project program is physically what’s going to be in your facility. For a larger project, you’re probably thinking of types of spaces that you would want to include. Maybe you’re thinking about a meeting room, or a studio space, a storytime space, all of those types of wonderful things.
With a smaller project, you might focus on something more specific, maybe it’s mobile shelving or a flexible display space. But at the end of the day, ultimately, your program is the what that is supported by the why. What does that mean? That’s another great phrase, but it really doesn’t mean anything [laughter]. What you’re going to want to do is take what you learned in that needs assessment, and then you’re going to start translating that information into actual functional areas for your specific project.
Going back—is it the computer classes that can only fit eight, but you have that waitlist? Maybe you have a lack of a dedicated space for your teen patrons. Then they take over the library after school and that’s feeling like insufficient space for everybody else as well.
That information that you put together will help support all of the decisions that you’re going to use about how to program and then how to use your space. Once you’ve established all of those improvements that you want to include—the reasoning why they’re necessary, then you’ll put a description for each of these. This is really where that program starts to become more realistic. This is the time when you’re going to flesh out your goals. You’re going to start to see if those things are reasonable within your scope. It’s easy to start with the pie in the sky ideas. This is where you’re narrowing down, and focusing in more.
I feel like this is a good time to mention also—programs are all different sizes and formats. This isn’t something that you’re going to Google and find some specific template or anything like that. Depending on your project, maybe you just have like a one or two-page description of what you’re planning and how you’re going to achieve it. For a large-scale new construction project, I mean, this could be something with more than 100 pages of information
The important thing is that it’s organized and that it presents the information in a clear and easy to follow format. Basically, at the end of putting all this together, you want to be able to hand that program document to your team, and then they’ll have a solid idea of what you’re trying to achieve. Now, certainly, that’s not to say that there aren’t going to be any questions as you go along, but it’s going to give your design and construction teams a really solid start.
Adriane Herrick Juarez:
Question #4: Of course, none of this gets done without funds. What happens in the budget development stage of the process? 11:16
Toni Lombardozzi:
Well budget development, yes. Everybody’s favorite, favorite part, right? If only we all had infinite funds. The concept of budget development is straightforward. We all know this. It boils down to how much money do you have, and where is that money going to come from? However, that becomes so individual to every project. It’s often uniquely dependent on the way that your branch or system is structured. But, it’s very critical of course. So it’s important to touch on. I’ll try to hit on a few of the major points that I tell people to consider.
It’s obviously important to have a rough idea if your project is even going to be feasible based on the amount of money you have. We all understand that. Now, if you’re pretty unsure of where to start, I suggest for people, it’s a great time to go and look at other library projects that have been going on in areas similar to where you’re going to be working. You can always jump on current architecture and construction websites. You can get rough ideas of cost per square foot for library or assembly spaces. That’s a good place to start gathering that information for how much you might need to spend.
Then the other part is where is that money going to come from? Again, this is very unique. Maybe you have a designated capital improvements fund. That’s awesome. You are very lucky. Maybe you’re part of a larger government or academic or private organization that can help fund your project. Also lucky.
You might need to fundraise or apply for grants. It’s really important to consider how long it’s going to take to receive these funds, particularly if you’re dealing with anything like fundraising or grants. Grants typically come in certain cycles. If you can only apply for something once every five years, you’re going to need to make sure that you’re timing that correctly.
I also like to tell people, particularly in the past several years, always account for inflation. Depending on how early you are in the planning stages, your money is not going to go as far later in the future as it would now. If you’re just at the beginning and you know you’re not going to be building for five years, you’re going to need to build in some cushion in there for the reality of costs increasing.
Then finally, I find that a lot of people forget about items outside of the actual hard construction costs. Don’t forget that you have design fees. You’ll need to pay architects and engineers. Do you actually need to purchase land? You’re probably going to have to connect to municipal utilities and deal with permits. Depending on the scale and scope of your project, maybe you’re hiring another outside consultant or project manager.
It’s important to consider that entire project when you’re putting together your budget. A lot of times people focus on like, Oh, I can build this building for $9 million, which is a great start. But don’t forget that you have to tack on all these other things, right? Then always, always, always add an extra cushion in there. We call it a contingency—just in case anything unexpected comes along. Trust me, something unexpected is going to come along. [laughter] My best advice is to plan for the unexpected and then hope it’s as minimal as possible when it happens.
Adriane Herrick Juarez:
Question #5: And then there’s project delivery preparation. What does this include? 14:29
Toni Lombardozzi:
Once you’ve got your needs in order and now you’ve got that nice little program document put together outlining what you want—now hopefully, you also have a good idea of how you’re going to pay for it. There are a few more things to iron out as you’re starting and I lump these under what I call project delivery preparation.
If you’re building a new facility, one of the most important things is going to be finding a place to put your building—your site selection. Where are you going to build? Do you already own the property? Do you need to find it, purchase it, lease it? Sometimes property is donated, which is great, but a lot of times that comes with strings attached, so make sure you have any of that ironed out as well.
Now ideally you’ll have a site in order when you hire your design teams, but if you don’t, maybe you’re working on that at the same time. Don’t panic. It’s okay. Sometimes that happens concurrently. But, knowing your site is also going to help determine some of those costs that we talked about earlier with budgeting.
Then once you have those physical, more tangible parts of the project worked out, you’ll need to work through the more abstract things—things like staffing and contracts. There’s a lot of different ways to structure your contracts and your project teams. Depending on your project delivery method, you might have a contract directly with your design team, or you might have a contract directly with your construction teams. Sometimes the structure is already going to be decided for you, depending on regulations within your organization. There’s pros and cons to all of these different options. I mean, I could talk for hours just on project delivery methods, but for now just make sure that it’s something that’s on your radar, right?
There’s also no right or wrong way to do this. It really is project dependent. So, don’t feel like you’re going to make the wrong decision here. But then I’ll also note that whole process really applies to larger projects. If you’re working on something smaller—maybe you’re just doing some new shelving or some paint or carpet, usually in those cases, you’re just going to simply hire a contractor or a vendor directly. That works great too, as long as you can do that with your organization.
Another thing that’s really important is accounting for hiring your design and construction teams. Make sure that that’s factored into your overall project timeline. So again, depending on your organization, you might be able to directly hire somebody. You might need to put out a request for a proposal or qualifications. Every jurisdiction has different requirements at this stage, but sometimes this can add several months to your timeline, so it’s really important to consider this in the early stages of project planning.
It’s also important to think of that added calendar time and staff time—budget for that, because that contract negotiation and all of those parts and pieces over time adds up and can impact your budget as well. Important little parts and pieces to put in there at the beginning.
Adriane Herrick Juarez:
Question #6: At this point, you’re ready to start your build. How can librarians navigate this stage? 17:24
Toni Lombardozzi:
This is the really fun part. You’re going to [laughter]—you’re going to start with what I like to call the real design work first. Not to say that you haven’t been doing a lot of work ahead of this, but this is where you’re really starting to dive into that design. You’re going to be working with architects and engineers. You’ll be putting together plans to build or renovate your spaces. Now, all of that time that you spent putting together that needs assessment in the program is really going to pay off here. You’ll be able to share that information with your team, and you’re going to give them that solid foundation that I love to come back to.
Now, you’re all going to be able to work together towards your specific goals, and the design team is going to be able to make better informed decisions based on those needs that you’ve outlined. So things that work great for us here in Charleston County are not necessarily going to work great for everybody all over the world. You need to work with your design team, and having all of that outlined ahead of time gives them that insight.
Now, certainly that’s not to say the stage is all fun and roses all the time. There’s definitely challenges. I’ve seen a lot of times there’s potential for scope creep. You get excited about all of the things that you can add into your project, but you gotta be realistic about what you can offer, and what you can maintain over time.
Sometimes you’re also going to have to have serious talks about your budget. You might need to modify something in the project. You might need to eliminate something. You might need to put something into a phase two. I also hear people often being approached by outside entities that are really excited about this new project, and they want to partner with you. Just make sure that you have those things on your radar—things that might come up along the way and how you can plan for those. But if you keep referring back to your program and the why on your project, that’s really going to help keep you on track if those sorts of things come up and you have to make those difficult decisions along the way. You can use that as a guide.
So then, once you’ve finished your design work, you’re going to jump on into construction. You’re either going to break ground or you’re going to start demo for a renovation project. This is really exciting because now you’re watching your project go from this stack of papers and drawings into something that’s real and tangible at this point. I tell everybody, enjoy it. It’s chaos. Certainly it comes with its own challenges—a whole different world out there in construction. But that experience of watching a project come to life is not something that everybody who works in libraries gets to be a part of. It can be really special to be on that team and know that you had a hand in bringing that to your community.
One thing I do stress, though, is how important communication is at this stage—and never be afraid to speak up. You need to ask questions, share knowledge, and admit if you don’t know the answer to something. Like I said at the beginning, librarians are for the vast majority, not trained as designers or contractors. It can be really difficult to have to put your trust into a group of people, especially for something as important as your brand new library facility. So ask questions along the way. If there’s anything that you don’t understand, get clarification on it.
I tell people that it goes the other way too, share your knowledge with the design and construction teams, and again, help them understand why you made those decisions and why it’s important moving forward. Then the project is going to go a lot smoother. You’ll find that they’re not making random decisions in a vacuum so much, and they really are starting to work with what you’ve told them and how to make it better for everything.
Then the last thing that I’ll say on this topic, and I think this is really, really important—check in with your team along the way as well. Make sure that your staff feels supported, because this is a really chaotic time for them as well—particularly if their regular daily routines are going to need to change. Are they going to have to be at a different branch temporarily? Are they going to have to deal with construction in their building? Whatever that may look like, it’s tough to deal with that, particularly in a library setting. They are two very different things.
Internal communication is really as important, and honestly sometimes more important, than external great communication. So give staff the opportunity to ask about the project. Share the why with them as well. They can’t sit in on every design and construction meeting of course, but find a way to share plans with them. Share those updates and let them feel like they have a voice. I’ve found working with a staff of over 300 people, the vast majority when you explain why decisions were made, they are much more ready to be on board with those things. I’m certainly not going to say that they agree with every single decision that we’ve made, but if you give them the opportunity to ask questions, share their thoughts and insights and give their opinions, it’s really important. They feel a lot more valued and it’s going to start the process a lot more smoothly. Buildings are not successful without the people to make them functional and warm spaces, so make sure that they’re included in those conversations.
Adriane Herrick Juarez:
Question #7: Is there anything else you’d like to share? 22:31
Toni Lombardozzi:
Probably. [laughter] I’ll make a few points here. First of all, another kind of disclaimer is those four main areas that we discussed today—the needs assessment program, budget development, and the project delivery preparation. That’s the way that I break things out. It’s not anything that you’ll Google and find this magic four-step process or anything like that. But I personally think it’s a helpful way to break down those stages and make them a little bit more manageable, so I like to share it—hopefully it’s a useful tool.
The next disclaimer that I put out there whenever I have these conversations with people—this is obviously a really abridged version of this. Like I said, I could talk for hours on each of these little points. So use this as a starting point. Know that you’re going to have to dig a lot deeper as you’re working through your projects.
Then third, and my last point here is, I touched on this a little bit—but have fun. Okay, so the project is crazy. There’s days when you’re probably going to want to scream or cry. I get it, it’s okay. I highly recommend your car for this. All right, partially joking. [laughter] But in all seriousness, there will be a lot of ups and downs on this journey. It’s not stress-free. These projects take years. There’s so much background development just trying to get them out of the concept stage. You’re going to have to reassure the public many times that things are actually moving forward, even though it doesn’t look like it. You might have to tell your staff the same thing.
Go in with an open mind. Look at it as a learning experience, and know that it’s absolutely okay to be feeling everything. You’re going to be overwhelmed. You’ll be scared, excited, thrilled, exhausted, and sometimes kind of a mixture of all those all at the same time. I just like to say to people, hang in there, enjoy the ride. It’s going to be awesome when you get to open, or reopen.
Adriane Herrick Juarez:
Question #8: Do you have any resources you would recommend for people doing building projects? 24:20
Toni Lombardozzi:
I think that the single best resource here is for people to find other people that have done something similarly. No two projects are the same, but one thing I love about working in libraries is how willing everybody is to share and help each other. So, if you get on some professional message boards—if you reach out to your contact network, you are going to find somebody that knows someone that’s been through it before. Sometimes just a quick chat over coffee or a quick Zoom meeting is all it takes to iron out some of those questions or hesitations that you might have. It really sets your mind at ease that you’re heading in the right path.
Don’t ever feel like you’re bothering someone or intruding, or anything like that. It kind of felt that way at the beginning, then one thing I learned is that people love talking about their projects. So reach out. They’re going to be happy to chat for the most part.
Then this kind of ties in to talking with others that have done it—when you’re looking into hiring any of your outside consultants, designers, construction teams, whoever that may be, get references. Call them. Call those references. Look up projects that the teams have completed. Really get background information about them. How much experience do they have with libraries? Are they familiar with your region? Find out who specifically is going to be working on your project, and make sure that they’re not just there maybe once or twice over the course of the project, remotely. If you talk with others that have worked with these firms, you can really get a good insight and see if they’re going to be the right fit for you. That’s what matters at the end of the day, that they’re the right fit for you and your project.
Adriane Herrick Juarez:
Question #9: Toni, in closing, what do libraries mean to you personally? 26:05
Toni Lombardozzi:
This is one of my favorite questions, and when asked by non-library personnel, I go on the soapbox about it. [laughter] But since most of you guys listening are probably going to be in the library world I’ll try to keep it brief. But to me, I believe that public libraries are really and truly just one of the last open venues for free exploration and education that we have.
We live in a world that’s so consumer-focused. I think sometimes we lose sight of the need for spaces where anybody can just come and be welcomed. There’s no expectation that you’re buying something or taking part in a certain activity, or that you have some kind of already built-in skill level. Anybody can come to a library.
You can learn anything that you want. Everybody knows about the traditional resources with sitting down to read a book or magazine for pleasure or education. There’s endless inspiration on the internet, but there’s so much more. I touched on things that librarians offer—all these amazing classes. You can learn new languages. You can get job search assistance. Now, we even have spaces where you can learn how to use woodworking tools, sewing machines, and 3D printers. Even crazier to me, there are some libraries that circulate these materials so you can take them home with you for a little while and try to develop these skills and hobbies. It’s amazing.
Then there’s all these physical spaces where people can come together. We bring different parts of the community together. We offer things—things that seem basic but maybe are harder to get like health checks, social service connections, tax assistance. To me, what’s amazing is that it’s all just there. All you need to do is just walk in the front door. I’m amazed every single day by what librarians do for their communities.
Every library I’ve walked in across the country and even some outside of the US, I’m always greeted by a wonderful staff who’s smiling and just wants to help. You don’t really get that anywhere else. [laughter] And, there’s no judgment. There’s no questions about where are you coming from? What’s your background? What are you here for? Everybody is an equal, and anybody can stay from open to close. I feel like today, as the pace of the world gets quicker and more demanding, access to these types of resources—and I’ll call them safe and comfortable spaces, is so critical. I say it often and again, it’s another cheesy thing, but I’ll end here and just say I just never stopped seeing the magic in all of that.
Adriane Herrick Juarez:
Question #10: Well, thank you for seeing the magic and talking to us today about how to create the places where all of it can happen. The information you shared in this episode is a great jumping off point for many of us tasked with construction and building projects. So thank you for being here and for your generosity in outlining the steps to do all of this successfully. 28:32
Toni Lombardozzi:
Absolutely. Like I said, we’re always happy to share knowledge and share experiences. If anyone ever wants to reach out, I’m happy to talk.
Adriane Herrick Juarez:
Thank you Toni.
Adriane Herrick Juarez:
You’ve been listening to Library Leadership podcast. This is Adriane Herrick Juarez. For more episodes, tune in to Library Leadership Podcast.com, where you can now subscribe to get episodes delivered right into your email inbox. Our producer is Nathan Sinclair Vineyard. Thanks for listening. We’ll see you next time.
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