Established 50 years ago, Vernon Area Public Library serves a diverse community of approximately 44,000 people. Located just down the street from Adlai E. Stevenson High School, this 55,000-square-foot library caters to a unique blend of patrons and a correspondingly diverse mix of patron needs, from collaborative study groups to solopreneurs, socializing seniors, and families with tots in tow. The library's distinctive architecture, featuring rounded curved ceilings and columns, creates an open and inviting atmosphere. However, this openness presented challenges, particularly in providing quiet, private spaces for patrons.

Vernon Area Public Library Director Anne Rasmussen recognized the growing demand for private spaces. The library's two existing study rooms were consistently booked solid, indicating a clear need for additional private areas. "Even if we had a dozen study rooms, they would still be used constantly," Anne explained.

The Pillar Booths were a welcome addition, providing private spaces for patrons who needed to focus on their work or make phone or Zoom calls without being disturbed. The open design of the library, with its high ceilings and large, communal areas, made it difficult to offer quiet spaces. Stephen Territo, Head of Library Operations, said the booths helped to mitigate these challenges: “The open areas of the library present their own challenges with sound. The booths give us an opportunity to provide quiet spaces in this big, open floor plan. They really help us provide a variety of environments for whatever a patron might need.”

The library installed one-person and two-person Pillar Booths in different parts of the building, each catering to specific needs. The two-person booth, situated in the children’s area, serves a variety of functions. “There’s a good mix of usage types for the two-person booth,” Stephen explained. “We see tutoring sessions, kids working together on homework, and children just using the space for reading or playing.” Meanwhile, the one-person booth, located near the main entrance and cafe area, is mostly used by adults and teens for phone calls and Zoom meetings.

The one-person booth also addressed another critical need: providing a designated area for phone calls. Stephen explained that they didn't have a place for people to take a personal phone call. And so oftentimes, they had people speaking on their phone loudly in the middle of the library, which is disturbing to others. “Patron privacy is important, so it’s great to give staff an opportunity to direct people who need to make a phone call where they can have that conversation out of earshot of others,” Anne added.

Anne and Stephen were both surprised by how the booths have been embraced by patrons. “People are staying in the one-person booth longer than we expected,” Anne remarked. “Some people set up shop and spend a lot of time in there, which is really fun to see.” Additionally, younger patrons have taken a particular liking to the booths, treating them as their own personal spaces. “It’s delightful to see young children focused and ‘working’ in the Pillar Booths,” Anne added.

The Pillar Booths also offer staff a much-needed resource. The library installed a booth in the staff-only area on the second floor, providing employees with a quiet space for Zoom calls or committee work, which would otherwise be difficult to manage. “Our staff often work in rooms with several other people, so having a private space for work calls is crucial,” Anne said.

Anne emphasized the importance of allowing patrons to drive how the spaces are utilized, rather than imposing limitations on their use. When asked if she had any advice for other libraries considering similar solutions, she said “Allow for some flexibility when prescribing how the booths are to be used, because patrons may find them useful in ways other than you had imagined.”