Hospital lessons (1)

There were several things that I noticed while at the hospital (Maine Medical Center)this week that impressed me-- and made me wonder how the Library might be able to use similar techniques to achieve the same great customer service and sense of caring. For example, patients in hospital beds by necessity spend a lot of time staring at the ceiling-- and a few of the ceiling tiles in the room had an oak leaf pattern cut into them. Not a lot of effort or cost, but visually certainly more interesting than plain white tiles. Can we take a look at our facility through the eyes of our patrons and make more of an effort to make it pleasing to view? We have lots of individual study carrels-- might a post card holder on each give us a changing "gallery space" that could ease the eyes when they are lifted from book, laptop, or paper and provide something to contemplate, refresh, inspire? Could we ask for donations so that we could replace cards once in awhile?