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Refurbished West Search Room re-opens |
The
West Search Room
re-opened on Monday 22 May following an extensive refurbishment. These improvements
are designed to provide a more comfortable, spacious, and better lit working environment
for public and staff and take account of comments in the NAS User Survey of 2002.
The
West Search Room forms part of the conversion of the former St George's Church,
which closed as a place of worship in 1961 owing to dry rot and structural problems.
Following extensive external repairs and wholesale internal reconstruction by
the Ministry of Public Buildings and Works, it re-opened to the public as West
Register House (WRH) in April 1971. |  |
Over
the years the unsatisfactory design of the original fixed desk and chair units
had become a regular cause of reader complaints and the furniture did not meet
modern standards for adjustability or accessibility. In addition, the desktops
had always been too small, and this lack of space had become even more pressing
owing to the more general use of laptops and better preservation aids such as
book cushions. In 2004, a condition report revealed that a number of other seats
were structurally unstable and most required to be re-upholstered. It soon became
evident that nothing could be done to upgrade the existing furniture and that
a more radical solution was required.
The new search room layout was designed
by Tangram Furnishers Ltd, of Edinburgh. It increases capacity for readers from
18 to 23 and allows the more flexible use of benches by both general readers and
those inspecting plans. Groups of desks have been replaced by shared benches extending
right up to the wall, thereby increasing the available workspace. The bench tops
are provided with two units, each with three power sockets and two data sockets.
While light levels have increased due to the lighter surfaces, a number of task
lights are also available. Disabled access can be provided at the bench in the
first window bay, which is set higher than the standard benches and also accommodates
microform readers. In order to improve access to both the catalogues and publications,
the island shelving has been removed and reference library relocated behind the
supervisor's desk. The replacement of staff furniture at the same time as the
readers' desks has helped both to maximise space planning and to achieve an holistic
design.
Mr George MacKenzie, Keeper
of the Records of Scotland said, "I am delighted to see the clean, fresh
look in the West Search Room, but the real test will come from our customers.
Our aim has been to make it more convenient, more comfortable and more conducive
to working with the records."
In the reception area, lockers with
glazed windows and a new coat rack have been provided for readers. The reception
desk and visitors' book table match the furniture in the search room. Further
improvements under consideration include the replacement of the existing public
seating there and the re-glazing of the stair window with plain frosted glass
to improve lighting in the stairwell.
Information on using the West Search
Room and the groups of records available for consultation there can be found on
our search room page.
New
layout of the West Search Room Acrobat PDF, 49KB - new window | |
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re-opens
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