Serving the local community since 1872, the Kalamazoo Public Library has been a valuable resource for residents of Southwest Michigan for over a century.
Yet, with such a rich history comes the wear and tear of 120,000 annual guests at each of the library’s five locations. When its downtown central location was in need of a renovation after over 25 years of high-traffic from guests utilizing its extensive collection of books, music, and movies it turned to Sloan.
While Kalamazoo Public Library had specified Sloan products in the past, it was often in tandem with other brands. After product research and thanks to a relationship with Diversified Spec. Sales, a Sloan representative, it was determined that the best solution would be to outfit the library’s restrooms entirely with Sloan products.
“Sloan’s products have not only raised the bar aesthetically, but they have provided a hands-free restroom experience to visitors at our central downtown location,” says John Meyers, facilities specialist, Kalamazoo Public Library. “We’re eager to follow suit as we begin to renovate the restrooms in our other locations.”
Sloan Water Closet and Flushometer
The library specified Sloan Elongated Wall-Hung Water Closets (ST-2459-STG) and Retrofit Washdown Urinals (SU-1209-STG). Both fixtures are complemented by Sloan SOLIS flushometers, with the water closets featuring the 8111 model with 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf) and the urinals equipped with the 8186 model with 0.5 gpf. The touch-free SOLIS flushometer operates with an infrared sensor with multiple-focused, lobular sensing fields to provide library guests with a hygiene-friendly experience.
Products that Sparkle
The library wanted to specify products that would not only sparkle in the initial weeks and months after installation but those that would maintain their aesthetic appeal over time and with heavy use. SloanTec hydrophobic glaze, a proprietary glaze that imparts water-repellent and oil-repellent properties to vitreous china, was specified in combination with each Sloan fixture to achieve that goal. As a result, the library’s custodial staff and customers alike have noticed a difference in the overall cleanliness of the restrooms.
Problem-Solving Sink
For years, the library had been faced with a high volume of restroom traffic, most notably during peak hours. Additionally, the restroom’s terrazzo floors would become slippery when water would drip onto the floor as visitors walked from the faucet to the paper towel dispenser with wet hands. Sloan’s AER-DEC sink system solved both of these problems. The all-in-one sink features EFX-250 BASYS battery-powered deck-mounted faucets, ESD-400 Optima deck-mounted foam dispensers, and Sloan EHD-511 hand dryers that work together as one touch-free and efficient system. Immensely improving guest safety, the 3-in-1 integrated sink system allows visitors to wash, soap, and dry all in one place, eliminating the need to walk across the floor with dripping hands. One of the goals the library had was to eliminate paper towel use, and Sloan’s hand dryers contribute to the evolving green initiatives at the facility.