American Libraries is now accepting submissions for the 2012 Library Design Showcase, our annual feature celebrating the best new and newly renovated or expanded libraries of all types.
Like last year, the showcase will be primarily published online, with excerpts published in the March/April 2012 issue and in American Libraries’ April Digital Supplement. To have your project considered, send the completed submission form ([PDF] or [Word] format), along with color photos or high-resolution digital images, to: American Libraries, Attn: Architecture Showcase, American Library Association, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. The deadline is January 13, 2012, and to be eligible, projects must have been completed after October 1, 2010. (This year’s deadline is somewhat earlier than in years past, to accommodate an earlier publishing schedule for the March/April issue.)
Online Submissions
You can also submit online via YouSendIt. First, I recommend you use WinZip or a similar compression application to compress your files into a single file. YouSendIt only allows one file of up to 100 MB to be sent at a time on a free account, so you may need to make a couple different files if they are very large.
To send files, go to yousendit.com. Enter your email address in the “From:” box, and glandgraf@ala.org in the “To:” field. Click “Select File” and browse to your file to select it. At this point, YouSendIt will ask you to sign up for a free account. Input a subject and message if you wish. In the next section, you can ignore the premium (and paid) delivery options. Click the “Send It” button to deliver your file.
What We’re Looking For
We’re looking for libraries that are beautiful examples of architecture and that address service needs in interesting and effective ways. In other words, the quality of photos and the project description are the most important parts of the submission form. Digital images should have a resolution of 300 dpi and should be large in size (at least 4 inches wide). All pictures should be clear, in focus, and free of date stamps.
A good rule of thumb for the project descriptions is that they should include anything you’re telling a friend or colleague when you’re bragging about your new library. Interesting construction details, favorite features, or intriguing snippets about how the space gets used are all wonderful inclusions.
Like last year, we plan on organizing the showcase into a number of categories, so that readers can find a number of examples of a given design trend or a variety of solutions to a common problem in one place. These categories have not been decided upon and will be determined based on the submissions we receive. In other words, last year’s categories can be used as a guideline, but they shouldn’t be taken as gospel.
If you have a new or renovated facility, I hope you’ll consider submitting it for the 2012 Library Design Showcase. If you have any questions, or if you have a facility that’s still in progress and you want to receive an email notification when we’ve opened submissions for 2013, please leave a comment or drop me an e-mail.
