buildings & design Archives | American Libraries Magazine

Library Design Showcase submissions open

Submissions Open for Library Design Showcase

January 2, 2026

We are looking for examples of innovative library architecture that address patrons’ needs in unique and effective ways. We are especially interested in submissions from libraries that are approaching design with sustainability, accessibility, and smaller budgets in mind. Partial renovations, projects under $1 million, and school libraries are encouraged to apply. To be eligible, projects … Continue reading Submissions Open for Library Design Showcase →

Access to Your Library of Things, Simplified

November 12, 2025

But with this expansion of collections comes a practical challenge: How will your library store and organize such a diverse array of items safely and efficiently? Enter Spacesaver’s Totes in 4-Post Shelving. This flexible, scalable solution is designed to meet the evolving needs of modern libraries and is compatible with Spacesaver’s 4-Post Shelving. The durable … Continue reading Access to Your Library of Things, Simplified →

2025 Library Design Showcase

By Phil Morehart | September 2, 2025

Welcome to the 2025 Library Design Showcase, American Libraries’ annual celebration of new and renovated libraries throughout North America. Today’s libraries are places where people from diverse communities can connect, learn, and grow. The institutions featured in this year’s showcase embody the library’s role as a true third space while honoring local histories and cultures … Continue reading 2025 Library Design Showcase →

2025 ALA/AIA Library Building Awards

September 2, 2025 The following libraries are winners of the 2025 Library Building Awards, sponsored by Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures (a division of the American Library Association) and the American Institute of Architects. The awards recognize the best in library architecture and design and are open to any architect licensed in the US. Projects may be located anywhere … Continue reading →

A smiling man wearing a suit, seated next to other panelists at a table, speaks into a microphone in his hand.

Think Creatively

By Greg Landgraf | July 1, 2025

To come up with the funds for the vacation, you might take on a side hustle, redeem travel miles, or even sit through a timeshare presentation in exchange for covering part of the trip. For libraries, options exist beyond their tax revenue funding, including capital campaigns, public-private partnerships, new market tax credits, or mixed-usage agreements. … Continue reading Think Creatively →

Maximize Your Storage

April 1, 2025

Spacesaver’s High-Bay Shelving is a practical option for storing archival boxes, books, and other materials in offsite settings. Extending to accommodate storage up to 35 feet high, Spacesaver High-Bay Shelving maximizes vertical space in your facility, optimizing space efficiency, accessibility, and protection of valuable materials. With an extensive range of shelving options, Spacesaver can deliver … Continue reading Maximize Your Storage →

Photo of the January 2025 Palisades fire

Sustaining for the Future

By Emily Udell | March 3, 2025

But providing access to technology, shelter, and information after extreme weather is only one way libraries are grappling with sustainability. Many are also guiding communities with information to address urgent and emerging ecological threats, such as air and water pollution, food insecurity, and diminishing natural resources, as well as economic, political, and social disruptions. Libraries … Continue reading Sustaining for the Future →

A red brick building with a curved roof completely covered in solar panels

The Net-Zero Revolution

By Cass Balzer | March 3, 2025

Thanks to a municipal bond and strong local support, however, in 2017 the library had the opportunity to construct a new building that was not only modern but also environmentally friendly. At the heart of the design is a rooftop with 700 solar panels, which elevated the project to net-zero energy status. That means the … Continue reading The Net-Zero Revolution →

Sustainable Efforts

By Allison Escoto | March 3, 2025

Information for Sustainable Development: Technology, People, and Society By G. G. Chowdhury and Sudatta Chowdhury Sustainability is a worldwide endeavor, and the participation of information professionals in its achievement is front and center in this book. The authors parse out the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals and explain that the sharing of data and … Continue reading Sustainable Efforts →

Row of black Spacesaver Day Use lockers in a library space

Unlock Storage Potential

February 19, 2025

With their modular, reconfigurable, and expandable design, Day Use Lockers are customizable to a wide range of sizes and configurations. As your library’s design strategies develop, Day Use Lockers can be moved and expanded to accommodate new facility updates. Their rugged, heavy-duty steel frames are designed to withstand repeated use and offer a dependable storage … Continue reading Unlock Storage Potential →

Sitting area with fireplace in Brown County Library, East branch.

Submissions Open for Library Design Showcase

January 2, 2025

Spacesaver cantilever shelving units on casters at the Glendale branch of the Salt Lake City Public Library

Maximize Your Library’s Potential

December 3, 2024

Unmatched adaptability for programming and events Spacesaver’s Flexible Shelving units are engineered to adapt to your library’s changing needs. With adjustable shelves and a variety of configurations, these units can easily accommodate different types of materials—from odd-sized kids’ books to your ever-changing Library of Things collections and the necessary supplies in your makerspaces. Flexible Shelving’s … Continue reading Maximize Your Library’s Potential →

Latest Library Links

7h

Dominic Bayley writes: “I used to be clunky in Microsoft Excel, not knowing the most efficient way to do things. That was before I learned some helpful shortcuts. Now I move around my tables super quickly and efficiently. Here are some Excel shortcuts every user should know.”

PCWorld, Feb. 9
10h

Martin Holland writes: “The Central Intelligence Agency has taken The World Factbook, one of the oldest and most well-known sites on the internet, offline. Old pages are still accessible via the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine. The World Factbook has been around for more than 60 years and went online in 1994.” The Trump administration has discontinued collection of or cut off access to an estimated 3,000 data sets.

Heise Online, Feb. 5; NOTUS, Feb. 2
1d

Maya Marchel Hoff writes: “Iowa public and charter schools would not be able to enter into agreements with public libraries providing students with access to books and other materials, under a bill advanced by Iowa lawmakers February 4. The legislation, House Study Bill 636, was advanced by the Iowa House Education Committee, 14–9. It is the latest effort by Republicans in the legislature to limit children’s access to content and materials they view as obscene.” ALA President Sam Helmick and 10 other people testified against the bill, while two spoke in support.

The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa), Feb. 4
1d

Jaimie Seaton writes: “The Institute of Museum and Library Services is now accepting applications for its 2026 grant cycle. But this time, it has unusually specific criteria. In cover letters accompanying the applications, the institute said it ‘particularly welcomes’ projects that align with President Donald Trump’s vision for America. The solicitation marks a stark departure for the agency, whose guidelines were previously apolitical and focused on merit. Former agency leaders from both political parties, as well as those of library, historical, and museum associations, expressed concern that funded projects could encourage a more constrained or distorted view of American history.”

ProPublica, Feb. 6
2d

Matthew Carey writes: “The Librarians premiered on PBS February 9, after a robust theatrical and festival run that saw Kim A. Snyder’s documentary earn awards across the country. The film examines the coordinated effort by conservative groups like Moms for Liberty to ban a wide range of books at public schools and public libraries nationwide, and the abuse librarians have received for defending the right of children to access reading material, including books with antiracist or LGBTQ themes.” The film is streaming free on the PBS website until May 9.

Deadline, Feb. 4
2d

Amanda Galliton writes: “When people talk about leadership in schools, the focus often lands on titles: principals, administrators, and department heads. Yet some of the most impactful leadership happens without a formal title. For school librarians, leadership frequently begins with self-leadership: the ability to intentionally guide our own actions, mindset, and professional growth in service of students and the school community. For school librarians, self-leadership is not optional. Without strong self-leadership, it is easy to become reactive rather than intentional.”

Knowledge Quest, Feb. 3
2d

Violet Fox writes: “To be unexpectedly unemployed in the US is to be in a state of desperation. If you haven’t been out of work lately, it’s a particularly challenging time. The labor market is cooling, and people are struggling to find work, especially younger workers and people of color. There has been a sharp increase in the number of ‘ghost jobs,’ job listings that never result in a hiring. The job search is inherently demoralizing and difficult; consider making changes in your workplace processes that make it less dehumanizing.”

ACRLog, Feb. 5

View more Latest Library Links