Dear synagogue architect:
I am writing to request that you design shul sanctuaries so that the siddurim are placed towards the rear of the room. I have been greatly disturbed as of late, to discover that siddurim are placed towards the front of the shul, forcing latecomers and novice shul attendees to walk through the entire minyan in order to reach a siddur or chumash. As a frequent latecomer to shul, I have noticed that when I retrieve my siddur everyone stares at me, making me rather uncomfortable. I can understand that many shul sanctuaries lack the room to place the siddurim in the back, however, I have come across some shuls that place the siddurim outside the sanctuary and this is better than having them inside near the front.
I mentioned that novice synagogue attendees such as Baalei Teshuvas, gerim or even those once a year types with the scarf talesim have issues with the front of shul siddur placement as well. These groups of people are stared at anyway upon entering a shul, why should their shame be multiplied as they step over people in order to reach a siddur? What if they cant find the siddur they are looking for, but in their haste, they pick up the wrong one?
Please, if you can, design shuls so that the siddurim and chumashim are placed in the back so as not to publicly embarrass those who do not come on time or have a makom kavuah in that shul.
Thank you