design showcase Archives | Page 3 of 3 | American Libraries Magazine

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 →

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 →

2015 Library Design Showcase

By Phil Morehart | September 1, 2015

Renovating History The John Hay Library, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island Built in 1910, the John Hay Library at Brown University was brought into the present with recent renovations. In addition to enhanced research spaces in the main reading room and special collections room, the library added a new ADA-accessible entrance and safety and security … Continue reading 2015 Library Design Showcase →

The 2014 Library Design Showcase

By Phil Morehart | September 3, 2014

Welcome to the 2014 Library Design Showcase, our annual celebration of new and newly renovated libraries. These libraries are shining examples of innovative architecture that address user needs in unique, interesting, and effective ways. Open Spaces Frederick E. Berry Library and Learning Commons, Salem (Mass.) State University The new learning commons at Salem State is … Continue reading The 2014 Library Design Showcase →

AIA/ALA Library Building Awards

By Phil Morehart | September 23, 2013

The following libraries are winners of the 2013 Library Building Awards, sponsored by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and ALA’s Library Leadership and Management Association. For the past 50 years, the biennial award has recognized distinguished accomplishment in library architecture by an architect licensed in the United States for any library in the US … Continue reading AIA/ALA Library Building Awards →

Building the Future

By Phil Morehart | September 4, 2013

Welcome to the 2013 Library Design Showcase, AL’s annual celebration of new and newly renovated libraries. These libraries are shining examples of innovative architecture that addresses user needs in unique, interesting, and effective ways. Rooms with a View Spartanburg County (S.C.) Public Library—Middle Tyger Branch Middle Tyger library’s renovation took full advantage of the … Continue reading Building the Future →

Library Design Showcase 2012

By Greg Landgraf | March 8, 2012

As the transformation of libraries continues, it follows that the physical structure would have to transform as well to support changes in services, missions, and audiences. The 2012 Library Design Showcase highlights the best in new and newly renovated library buildings, divided into sections that each focus on one architectural aspect. Sections will be posted … Continue reading Library Design Showcase 2012 →

Library Design Showcase 2012: Small Projects, Big Impact

By Greg Landgraf | February 28, 2012

Plainfield (N.J.) Public Library Small Projects, Big Impact: A rainforest theme carries through the renovation of Plainfield Public Library’s Children’s Library, which serves a community with no movie theater or themed recreational sites. Thatched huts provide quiet reading areas, while a built-in puppet stage is camouflaged within a 60-foot rainforest mural. The space can also … Continue reading Library Design Showcase 2012: Small Projects, Big Impact →

Latest Library Links

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Anita Sundaram Coleman writes: “The ALA Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy Working Group has released a draft guidance document for libraries. This is a good document. It says, in one quiet clause buried in its appendix, that AI should enable ‘human flourishing—including mental and social wellness.’ But neither it nor we may know what that means yet. That’s what this section is for. Before we delve into flourishing, we need the rule: ‘Question the chatbot back on everything. Verify anything that carries your name. Triangulate, with other AI tools and with non-AI sources.’”

Infophilia: A Positive Psychology of Information, May 9
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A new report from PEN America found that 3,743 unique titles were removed from at least one school library or classroom during the 2024–2025 school year. “In the last school year, we found a surge in the banning of nonfiction titles. We documented bans on over 1,100 unique titles that are educational or informational books for young people—textbooks or reference texts on a wide range of subjects, history books, biographies, and autobiographies.” The most common topics in banned titles included violence, death and grief, and empowerment and self-esteem.

PEN America, May 7
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Nominations are being accepted through September 1 for ALA honorary membership, the Association’s highest honor, which is bestowed on a living person whose contribution to libraries and/or librarianship, or a closely related field, is so outstanding that it is of lasting importance to the advancement of the whole field of library service. Honorary members are elected for life by vote of the ALA Council upon recommendation of the ALA Executive Board. Newly elected honorary members will be formally recognized at the Opening General Session during the 2027 ALA Annual Conference and Exhibition.

ALA Governance Office, May 6
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Jessica Brownley writes: “As we observe Mental Health Awareness Month, I’ve been thinking about the role libraries play in supporting the emotional well-being of children in library programs. In a recent art program, a participant became frustrated when their painting did not turn out the way they expected. They stopped following instructions, changed their work, and eventually became tearful. These kinds of moments are not unusual in library spaces. Emotional reactions can show up quickly and may seem big compared to the situation—but they are very real for the child experiencing them.”

ALSC Blog, May 6
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Brett Bonfield writes: “When it comes to the ALA’s more than $66 million endowment, we trustees are mindful of the ethical impact of the Association’s investments. That’s where ESG, or environmental, social, and governance, investing comes in. ESG investing refers to the practice of incorporating environmental impact, social issues, and corporate governance into investing decisions. This column will answer the primary questions that endowment trustees are asked about ESG investments and how ALA approaches them.”

American Libraries Online, May 11
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Dan Montgomery writes: “While the commemoration of ALA’s 150th anniversary kicked off in January, ALA staff and member leaders have been building momentum toward its largest in-person celebration, the 2026 Annual Conference and Exhibition in our hometown of Chicago. I feel honored and privileged to be here in this moment as we celebrate this Magnificent Milestone! (Did you catch my Chicago pun?) I invite you to join your colleagues at Annual to observe our past, reflect on our present, and envision our future.”

American Libraries column, May
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Anne Ford writes: “For 150 years, ALA has shaped the landscape of libraries and the profession itself—but its leadership has often reflected the racial and gender biases of society at large. For this special anniversary issue, American Libraries spoke with eight barrier-busting Association leaders about their struggles, triumphs, breakdowns, and breakthroughs. The stories and lessons they share reveal how diversity fuels and transforms the power of libraries everywhere.”

American Libraries feature, May

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