Best Practices

What to Look for in a Reading Chair

Ariel Servadio

What do librarians look for in a reading chair? In times like these, economy. A durable, long-lasting chair that stands up to thousands of sittings saves libraries money in the long term because they won’t need to devote future budgets to replace breaking chairs.

When Lisa Selje, Director of the Matheson Memorial Library in Elkhorn, WI, was looking for new chairs for her Young Adult area, long-lasting construction was a primary concern. “Durability was very important to us, because our chairs are heavily used,” Selje says. “The teens tend to be tough on our furniture, leaning back in their chairs, and we wanted to make sure they would not break and need to be replaced, even if mistreated.”

The mass-produced furniture of today simply doesn’t stand up to the test of time like good old-fashioned handcrafted pieces do. That’s why it’s important to look for a reading chair with quality construction, made of superior materials. Northern-grown red oak is one of the highest quality woods used for furniture construction, and is known for its strength and durability. Hand assembly by experienced craftsmen ensures a sturdy seat that you can trust and rely on. Other features like curved backs or upholstered, cushioned seats provide comfort.

Gaylord Brothers took all of these factors into consideration when developing their exclusive line of Nassau reading chairs. They carefully reviewed several manufacturing locations before choosing one that met their precise construction standards and offered the best quality craftsmanship, to provide their customers with years of durable service.

Those construction standards include solid hardwood steam bent components with reinforced corners for a lifelong, durable frame, and steel reinforced back post and side rail joints for added strength. Gaylord also takes comfort into consideration with smooth, contoured edges, spring seat construction on upholstered chairs and a sculpted seat on all-wood chairs. Style is not sacrificed, with four distinct-looking lines, available in a variety of wood finishes and upholstery fabrics.

A beautiful look was important for Matheson Memorial Library, says Selje. “Of the other options we were considering, we liked the style of the Gaylord chairs best. They had the best selection of fabric patterns.”

All Gaylord reading chair lines are made in America from select northern-grown red oak. The four lines include the Nassau collection, featuring an armless design with a stylish arched back, in a leg or sled base; the Putnam collection, featuring a two-position sled base for comfortable leaning back or rocking, with or without arms; the Seneca collection, featuring a traditional look with a sled base; and the Steuben collection, featuring a regal crown top and a leg base with cross supports for book storage.

For exceptional quality at a price you can afford, the choice is easy. Gaylord’s reading chair collections have everything librarians are looking for—comfort, style and industry-leading durability.

For more information, please visit Gaylord.com/GaylordChairCollection

Gaylord is dedicated to providing you with quality products, innovative ideas and expert service. Our comprehensive offering of furniture, library supplies and archival products has been carefully developed for use in public libraries, schools, colleges, and museums worldwide. www.gaylord.com