----------------------------Original message----------------------------
From an extremely practical point of view (when I go to any library, I
want the catalogued materials to be there or to be checked out), I'd
vote for a secure but open-looking place.  Helen Jane's (relatively) new
digs at UF are a good example.  She has a front wall that's all glass
but windowed doors that lock.  You don't have an "enclosed" feeling
there the way you did at her old place where there was glass in the
doors but the front wall was panelled wood.  One important detail to her
new place is that the front wall is on the long side of the room which
also lets other folks idly wandering by see some neat things going on in
the room.  The office area is at the end (on the short side of the room)
and relatively shallow with respect to taking up part of the windowed
long side of the room.
 
If you could come up with a space shaped like that, one other thing to
do would be to put a display case on the window-wall where the office is
located so that you could have access from front or back to the case.
 
HTH.
 
virginia
 
 
 
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