design Archives | American Libraries Magazine

Photo of Fulton County (Georgia) Library System's Central Library in Atlanta

2022 Library Design Showcase

By Sallyann Price | September 1, 2022

Environmentally sound Fulton County (Ga.) Library System, Central Library in Atlanta The interior design of the renovated downtown Central Library prioritizes accessibility, flexibility, and transparency, with large windows, multipurpose collaboration spaces, and a two-story atrium wrapping around a central staircase. The building, which is LEED Gold–certified, also emphasizes sustainability. By renovating instead of building entirely … Continue reading 2022 Library Design Showcase →

2022 ALA/AIA Library Building Awards

September 1, 2022 The following libraries are winners of the 2022 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 United States. Projects may be located … Continue reading →

Show and Tell

By Mark Aaron Polger | September 1, 2022

Interior signage includes identification signs for service points, office room numbers, elevators, stairways, restrooms, entrances, and exits; directional signs; signs for orientation (call number ranges, floor directory); and regulatory signs (fire exits, fire alarm pulls). Exterior signage usually includes signs for site identification, entrances, exits, parking (and accessible parking), and directional signs. At its most … Continue reading Show and Tell →

A Carrel and a Corral

By Patty Conway | September 1, 2022

In January, images of some unusual new workstations at Fairfield Area Library—part of Henrico County (Va.) Public Library (HCPL)—went viral on social media and across national and international news media. What caught people’s attention: the way the desks with attached play areas for babies and small children allowed adults to work comfortably at computers while … Continue reading A Carrel and a Corral →

David Vinjamuri talks about ethnographic design in libraries

Avoid the Cookie-Cutter Library

By Carrie Smith | June 30, 2022

At “Ethnographic Design: Creating Culturally Centered Library Spaces,” Huberty and David Vinjamuri, adjunct associate professor of marketing at New York University, discussed how they apply ethnographic design in new libraries and remodeling projects. They were joined by community librarian Julie Retherford from Chetco Community Public Library in Brookings, Oregon, who shared her experiences from a … Continue reading Avoid the Cookie-Cutter Library →

Taming the Wild Web

By Laura Solomon | May 2, 2022

Whether or not a library wants a specific element on its site may be irrelevant; the web design and user experience fields are now based on the science of usability, not subjective judgments. Back in the early days of the web, a fair amount of design work happened in a vacuum, lacking real guidelines and … Continue reading Taming the Wild Web →

Meeting Every Maker

By Abigail L. Phillips and Amelia M. Anderson | May 2, 2022

Acknowledging that gap, our research team set out to explore the accessibility of public library makerspaces. We did this through focus groups with disability advocates and stakeholders, with grant support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Every makerspace is different, we learned, but there were some common themes in our discussions with participants. … Continue reading Meeting Every Maker →

2021 ALA/AIA Library Building Awards

By Phil Morehart | September 1, 2021 The following libraries are winners of the 2021 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 United States. Projects may be located … Continue reading →

Librarian's Library by Araceli Mendez Hintermeister

Design Inspiration

By Araceli Méndez Hintermeister | September 1, 2021

100+ Ideas to Inspire Smart Spaces and Creative Places By Elisabeth Doucett Doucett invites librarians to find inspiration in the spaces around them to create a more engaging and inviting experience for patrons. Through short, standalone chapters, the author guides readers on the ways in which they can attract new patrons and welcome … Continue reading Design Inspiration →

A floor plan for furniture removal at Hennepin County (Minn.) Library’s Eden Prairie branch. Illustration: MSR Design

Virus-Responsive Design

By Lara Ewen | September 1, 2020

Traci Engel Lesneski, CEO and principal at Minneapolis-based national architecture firm MSR Design, which has worked with hundreds of libraries across the country, says libraries are ideal spaces for innovative design solutions. “It’s not a stretch to think about the ways that libraries have modeled what’s next in the world,” she says. “Libraries can talk … Continue reading Virus-Responsive Design →

Exploring Speculative Design

By Carrie Smith | January 27, 2020

Jung and Renee Albrecht-Mallinger, senior design researcher at IA Collaborative, hosted a reading group at a collaborative art space in Chicago to address climate change through speculative design, with an end goal of creating an art piece that would engage people and get them to think more deeply about the topic. Jung spoke about the … Continue reading Exploring Speculative Design →

K. O. Lee Aberdeen (S.Dak.) Public Library, from framing to final product. Photos: K. O. Lee Aberdeen Public Library (top three); Spencer Sommer/MSR (bottom)

How to Build a Library

By Terra Dankowski | September 3, 2019

These libraries, each completed within the past three years, are now centerpieces of their communities. They have inspired awe and appreciation, increased user engagement, received architecture and design awards—and won over some of their critics. So how did these endeavors come together? How does a beautiful building become a reality? We asked three administrators—who have … Continue reading How to Build a Library →

Latest Library Links

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Tara Murray Grove, Clara Drummond, J. Adam Clemons, and Autumn Johnson write: “Exhibitions draw people to libraries. They encourage visitors to engage with objects and media in a public space and provide opportunities for discovery within the library’s collection. Not every library has the resources to create original exhibitions, however. Traveling exhibitions, which arrive ready to set up in the library’s existing space, can alleviate some of the labor involved in creating exhibitions while providing the same benefits for the library.” This article shares three libraries’ experiences with and keys to success for hosting a traveling exhibition.

College & Research Libraries News, June
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ALA will hold its 2023 membership meeting and information session during the ALA Annual Conference June 24 at 10 a.m. Central time. For the first time, the meeting will take place in a hybrid format with both in-person and virtual participation options. The meeting is open to all ALA personal members, but participants must register via Zoom by June 17 in order to receive voting credentials. (Members who register after June 17 will be able to attend and speak during the meeting.) The membership meeting allows members to discuss issues and bring resolutions to the floor that, if passed, will be forwarded to ALA Council.

ALA Member Center
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The Freedom to Read Foundation, the First Amendment legal defense arm of the American Library Association, has joined a broad coalition of authors, publishers, booksellers, librarians, and readers in filing a lawsuit challenging Arkansas Act 372. That law that would restrict access to books in bookstores and libraries located within the state, and in the process violate the First Amendment rights of the state’s reading public. The bill was signed by the Governor of Arkansas on March 30 and is slated to go into effect on August 1, 2023.

ALA, June 2
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Tracie D. Hall writes: “I recently had the opportunity to visit with a group of undergraduates to talk about how I’ve navigated my career. The professor who invited me noted that I had taken brave professional stances. When it was time for questions, one young woman asked earnestly, ‘Do you ever get scared that you’ll make a mistake?’ ‘All the time!’ I answered. ‘But mistakes are unavoidable. Part of being a leader is not letting the fear of making a mistake or taking a chance stop you from doing what you think is right or important.’”

American Libraries column, June
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Bill Furbee writes: “It’s been five years since librarianship’s largest event has taken place in Chicago, the hometown of the American Library Association (ALA). So much, both in the profession and the world around us, has changed since then. But so much of the 2023 Annual Conference and Exhibition will feel familiar—including top-tier authors, educational sessions, awards and celebrations, state-of-the-art exhibits, networking opportunities, and compelling speakers. The conference, which will be held June 22–27 at McCormick Place, promises to showcase conversations and innovations that will help to shape the future of libraries for years to come.”

American Libraries feature, June
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Nora Neus writes: “On a recent spring Saturday morning in Uvalde, Texas, young library patrons were learning how to set off a volcano. With help from Michelle Ramirez, outreach coordinator for the Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas, kids carefully poured vinegar into a glass bottle with baking soda. Almost instantly, the concoction bubbled up and overflowed, to shrieks of joy and giggles. But the activity wasn’t just for fun. It was part of a grief counseling session for children following the massacre at Robb Elementary School on May 24, 2022, that killed 19 students and two teachers.”

American Libraries feature, May 22
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Sheree Strange writes: “Nothing beats a good podcast while doing chores, taking a drive, working out, or even making dinner. And of course, we especially cannot resist podcasts about books. We want to hear about hot new releases, indie titles we missed, and creepy books to keep us awake all night long. Not to mention those coveted author interviews and spicy opinions. Find the best bookish podcasts—and we say “bookish” because not all are limited to solely book talk. A few will cover multiple topics.”

The Uncorked Librarian, May 20

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