design showcase Archives | American Libraries Magazine

Show Us Your Beautiful New Library

By Phil Morehart | January 2, 2019

We are looking for shining examples of innovative library architecture that address patrons’ needs in unique, interesting, and effective ways. Previous submissions have ranged from stunning restorations of historic Carnegie buildings to vacant structures that have been repurposed into libraries to high-tech facilities with audio and video production studios. If your library is on the … Continue reading Show Us Your Beautiful New Library →

2018 Library Design Showcase

By Phil Morehart | September 4, 2018

Dewey Decibel Podcast: New Library Design

August 31, 2018

First, Morehart speaks with Jim Stufflebeam from Sapp Design Architects about the new library in Joplin, Missouri, which has become a symbol of rebirth for the town after it was devastated by a tornado in 2011. Next, Derek Jones from the architecture firm Perkins + Will talks about the Route 9 Library and Innovation Center in … Continue reading Dewey Decibel Podcast: New Library Design →

Prince George's County (Md.) Memorial Library System, Laurel Branch Library. Photo: Sam Kittner

Show Us Your Beautiful New Library

By Phil Morehart | January 2, 2018

We are looking for libraries that are shining examples of innovative architecture and that address patrons’ needs in unique, interesting, and effective ways. Previous submissions have ranged from stunning restorations of historic Carnegie buildings to vacant structures that have been repurposed into libraries to high-tech facilities with audio and video production studios. If your library … Continue reading Show Us Your Beautiful New Library →

2017 Library Design Showcase

By Phil Morehart | September 1, 2017

Welcome to the 2017 Library Design Showcase, American Libraries’ annual celebration of new and renovated libraries. These are shining examples of innovative architectural feats that address user needs in unique, interesting, and effective ways. Renovations and expansions dominated this year, showing that libraries are holding on to and breathing new life into spaces already cherished … Continue reading 2017 Library Design Showcase →

National Library of Latvia, Riga Architect: Gunnar Birkerts Architects, Gelzis-Smits/Arhetips Photo: David Oldham

AIA/ALA Library Building Awards

By Phil Morehart | September 1, 2017

The following libraries are winners of the 2017 Library Building Awards, sponsored by the American Institute of Architects and the American Library Association’s Library Leadership and Management Association. The biennial award recognizes the best in library architecture and design and is open to any architect licensed in the United States. Projects may be located anywhere … Continue reading AIA/ALA Library Building Awards →

Last Chance for 2017 Design Showcase Submissions

May 1, 2017

We are looking for libraries that are shining examples of innovative architecture and that address patrons’ needs in unique, interesting, and effective ways. Previous submissions have ranged from beautiful restorations of historic buildings to vacant structures that have been repurposed into libraries to colorful kids’ sections and high-tech facilities with audio and video production studios. … Continue reading Last Chance for 2017 Design Showcase Submissions →

Wow Us with Your New Library

By Phil Morehart | January 4, 2017

American Libraries is now accepting submissions for the 2017 Library Design Showcase, our annual feature celebrating new and newly renovated or expanded libraries of all types. The showcase will appear in the September/October 2017 issue. We are looking for libraries that are shining examples of innovative architecture and that address patrons’ needs in unique, interesting, … Continue reading Wow Us with Your New Library →

2016 Library Design Showcase

By Phil Morehart | September 1, 2016

Welcome to the 2016 Library Design Showcase, American Libraries’ annual celebration of new and renovated libraries. These are shining examples of innovative architectural feats that address user needs in unique, interesting, and effective ways. New construction dominated this year’s submissions, but renovated and repurposed spaces were a close second, showing how today’s libraries are both … Continue reading 2016 Library Design Showcase →

ALA/IIDA Library Interior Design Awards

By Phil Morehart | September 1, 2016

The following libraries are winners of the 2016 Library Interior Design Awards, sponsored by ALA and the International Interior Design Association (IIDA). The biennial competition honors international library interior design. Winners demonstrate excellence in aesthetics, design, creativity, function, and satisfaction of the client’s objectives. The competition is managed by the Library Leadership and Management Association … Continue reading ALA/IIDA Library Interior Design Awards →

Wow Us with Your New Library

By Phil Morehart | January 4, 2016

We are looking for libraries that are shining examples of innovative architecture and that address patrons’ needs in unique, interesting, and effective ways. Previous submissions have ranged from beautiful restorations of historic buildings to vacant structures that have been repurposed into libraries to colorful kids’ sections and high-tech facilities with audio and video production studios. … Continue reading Wow Us with Your New Library →

AIA/ALA Library Building Awards

By Phil Morehart | September 1, 2015 The following libraries are winners of the 2015 Library Building Awards, sponsored by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and ALA’s Library Leadership and Management Association. The biennial award recognizes distinguished accomplishment in library architecture by an architect licensed in the United States for any library in the US or abroad. The awards were presented at … Continue reading →

Latest Library Links

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Dami Lee writes: “Twitter is rolling out a new desktop design July 15 that adds more customization options and a completely rearranged navigation experience. The redesign has been open to testers for the past few months, but it will be available to everyone over the next few days. Unlike previous redesigns, however, opting into the new experience will be mandatory, and there will be no legacy Twitter to fall back to. The biggest, most noticeable change is that the top navigation bar has been moved to the left sidebar, which contains bookmarks, lists, your profile, and a new explore tab.”

The Verge, July 15
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J. D. Sartain writes: “Protecting yourself from online scams is a fact of life now. According to the FBI’s 2018 Internet Crime Report, internet scams from 2014 through 2018 cost consumers $7.45 billion. Scams include nondelivery of products ordered, identity theft, credit card fraud, and denial of service attacks. Other threats include ransomware, malware, scareware, and viruses, along with a few dozen other categories of crime. I got hit with ransomware twice and learned from the remedies I tried, as well as the experiences of friends who were hit. Read on to see what I did. We wrap up with a checklist that will help you fend off online scams of all kinds.”

PC World, July 16
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Chris Hoffman writes: “Windows PCs freeze for a variety of reasons. One instance might be a fluke, but repeated freezes suggest a problem you’ll want to fix. Here’s how to unfreeze and recover a stuck PC—and stop it from freezing again. Sometimes, all you have to do is wait a few seconds—the PC might get hung up while doing some work and unfreeze itself a few seconds later. If a full-screen application freezes and prevents you from leaving it, press Alt+F4. This closes the application if a game, for example, is experiencing graphical problems, but it won’t work if it has frozen completely. To see if the computer is still responding, press Ctrl+Alt+Delete.”

How-To Geek, July 16
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Wallace High School in Silverton, Idaho, has banned the graphic novel series The Walking Dead and removed all copies from its library, despite the review committee’s recommendation to retain the books. The ban includes asking students not to bring the comic to school grounds and plans to change students’ access to interlibrary loans. Following a complaint, Principal Chris Lund convened a review committee to make a recommendation to the school board. The committee voted overwhelmingly to keep the series in the school library, but Superintendent Bob Ranells ignored the committee and removed the comics from the school library.

National Coalition Against Censorship, July 15
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Libraries across the country are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing this July with a variety of programs, but how many library professionals can say they’ve worked on the first archive that was sent to the moon? Paul Jones, professor at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s School of Information and Library Science, is one of a few who worked on the Lunar Library, a 30-million-page archive in the size and shape of a DVD. Jones, who will be retiring from UNC in 2020, spoke with American Libraries on his contribution to the Lunar Library and his 40 years in information science and journalism instruction.

American Libraries Newsmaker, July 16
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Elgin and Glencoe, Illinois, recently were welcomed into Dementia Friendly America, said Mary Ek, interim project director for the network. If you think dementia doesn’t affect your family or friends, you’re missing the big picture, says Glenna Godinsky, a staff member at Elgin’s Gail Borden Public Library, whose initiatives in the past year led to the city’s inclusion as a dementia-friendly town. A dementia-friendly advisory council in Elgin includes the library, the mayor, an elder law firm, home care providers, a state senator’s office, a hospital, the police department, and the fire department.

Arlington Heights (Ill.) Daily Herald, July 5
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Elizabeth Pelayo writes: “As we close down our school libraries and think ahead to the next school year, all of us are thinking about our summer reading list. What will we bring home to read? What should we read first? How can we balance professional reading and reading for fun during summer break? All these questions call to us as school librarians and book lovers. Here are five tips to manage the large task of summer reading lists.”

Knowledge Quest blog, July 16

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