Public meeting access

[Alicia Leonard]

Yes, but only if the doors are locked, preventing exit. Has nothing to do with locking the doors, preventing entry. I am fairly certain that the doors are like the other exterior doors at the Library, with the push bar to unlock. The reason why they are in the locked position has nothing to do with the TDC, but rather, it is because the Library staff unlocks the room for the people using it, but they don't give out the special keys to unlock the doors, so that they automatically lock upon our exit of the facilities. The library doesn't even unlock both doors at the main entry during hours. They unlock only the right door if you are entering the building. I found out the hard way too many times, when trying to leave without pushing the bar. However, if a meeting is to remain open, they could easily staff someone to hold the doors, or prop it open, although technically, propping it open could be a fire hazard if it is done from the interior side of the door, rather than the exterior side.

I had wondered because I thought in the original report someone said they couldn't find the key and maybe it was locked both way

 

[chrisv]

Yes, but only if the doors are locked, preventing exit. Has nothing to do with locking the doors, preventing entry. I am fairly certain that the doors are like the other exterior doors at the Library, with the push bar to unlock. The reason why they are in the locked position has nothing to do with the TDC, but rather, it is because the Library staff unlocks the room for the people using it, but they don't give out the special keys to unlock the doors, so that they automatically lock upon our exit of the facilities. The library doesn't even unlock both doors at the main entry during hours. They unlock only the right door if you are entering the building. I found out the hard way too many times, when trying to leave without pushing the bar. However, if a meeting is to remain open, they could easily staff someone to hold the doors, or prop it open, although technically, propping it open could be a fire hazard if it is done from the interior side of the door, rather than the exterior side.

I wonder if a preschooler could open those locked doors from inside. Would he/she have the strength to push the bar in and then push the heavy door while still holding the bar? Locking the doors creates a fire hazard, regardless of who is locked inside. It also keeps those pesky members of the public out of our workshop.

 

[Smiling JOe]

Don't misunderstand my statement. I hate that both of the doors at the main entry are not unlocked every day. I think if the library peeps are going to allow use of the room in the back, they need to issue the Allan-wrench keys to unlock the doors, and lock them back when they are done. I can also see potential issues if the temperature outside that meeting room was 97F degrees, with the doors open.

ChrisV, you bring up an excellent point about the doors maybe not being operable for everyone. This would include people with some physical handicaps. You will probably remember those handicapped doors at the library at UGA, which allowed anyone to approach the door, press a button, and wait a moment, while the door automatically opened. I am surprised that something like that isn't required on all doors to public buildings. Some commercial doors are so heavy that a grown adult has to lean into them to push them open.