Mapping Difficult Spaces

Recently we spoke with Lydia Borsh of Dartmouth’s Baker-Berry Library about StackMap’s role in improving the ease of navigating unusual buildings.

There are quirks about our building and arrangement of books that StackMap is especially helpful with.

We have a melding of two buildings: a newer and an older library. The newer library is comprised of 90% moveable shelving and the older library has old-fashioned iron stacks. All over, the building has angles, nooks and crannies, and because of this, the way we organize books is not necessarily intuitive.

For example, we have two areas in the basement labeled A and B, with doors to annexes that look like exits. Our patrons expect the numbers to wrap straight around, but instead the numbers follow through the closed doors to each annex. It’s not how you think it would be.

With our patrons, mobile device compatibility is a big plus. When students look up a book and 15 minutes later are 2 floors below, they can bring the map right up on their phones. It makes finding books in unconventional spaces easy.

Everyone has been really thrilled with it, even people who just like to browse.

StackMap is one of those technologies that even people who are averse to technology appreciate.

— Lydia Borsh, of Dartmouth’s Baker-Berry Library

Prospective and current StackMap users: Do you have questions about mapping an unconventional library? Feel free to get in touch with us at feedback@stackmap.com! We’d love to hear from you. Thank you Lydia and all of the patrons of Dartmouth’s Baker-Berry Library! And Happy New Year to all.