In the planning process, much can be learned from existing buildings. The importance of the library visit is widely accepted and the IFLA Library Building Guidelines book published in 2007 includes a checklist of what to look for when visiting library buildings prior to starting out on a new project. Equally important in the process is evaluating such buildings sometime after they open to assess whether they meet the original expectations and are performing well. Much can be learnt from both the successful and the unsuccessful solution as well as from the changes that had to be made.

The purpose of this post-occupancy evaluation questionnaire is to enable library managers and the library design team to identify good practice, learn from mistakes and feed what they have learned back into the loop to ensure that the next generation of new library buildings continue to represent the best in design and practicality in order to provide the right environment for users and staff alike.

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