We use this as a pulpit for our house Church meetings. I'm tall (6' 6"), and this lectern is perfect height! I'm also heavy, and it doesn't struggle at all to bear up when I lean on it. The face is wide enough to hold an open Bible, speaking notes, and/or iPad. I like the cup holder, which adds some functionality. Although it doesn't have a bottom shelf, I haven't found that feature necessary and prefer the cost-savings compared to other similar lecterns that had bottom shelves.Originally I was looking for one that is more portable so that we can go out to parks some Sundays, however, this lectern is heavy enough that you will need two people to load it into a vehicle; it comes preassembled, which obviously implies that it is not intended to disassemble.Altogether, it is a beautiful and sturdy lectern!