Library Buildings around the World

Rita and Truett Smith Central Public Library, Wylie, TX – USA 2010
The Outdoor Library: The new Rita and Truett Smith Central Public Library in Wylie, Texas, features both a large courtyard and a
back porch where patrons can relax. Inside, a clerestory spine allows light to permeate the facility while delineating the various
library zones.
Tom Green County Library, San Angelo, TX – USA 2008
Renovation Architect: Holzman Moss Bottino Architecture, Cost: $12 million, Size: 65,000 sq. ft.
Reuse and Restoration: The Hemphill Wells Department Store stood vacant for twenty years, but it once was the social and
geographic center of town. Private donors made it possible for the library to transform the building into a library to contribute to
the redevelopment of the downtown area. The restoration maintained the store’s overall character, but added an undulating glass
facade on street level to welcome passers-by into the library.
(http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/al_focus/photos/rom-green-county-tex-library-system-stephens-central-library)
St. Pauls Public Library System, Needs Assessment, St. Paul MI – USA 2007
New Haven Free Public Library, New Haven, CT – USA 2006
George A. Purefoy Municipal Center and Public Library, Frisco,TX – USA 2006
Client: City of Frisco, 148.000 sqf.
TEXAS CIVIC FORMALITY
The Municipal Center is Frisco’s most important civic building but its impressive monumentality was created through material and
programming ingenuity, not a lavish budget. Texas red-granite strips discarded from a quarry were re-purposed to clad ten large
columns along the front of the Complex—an economical and sustainable interpretation of classic fluted columns. By combining a
library and city hall into a single building, some facilities are shared and the Center can afford more dynamic public spaces than if
each institution was housed in its own free-standing building.
MEMORABLE INTERIORS
The public areas of the Municipal Center are dramatic vaulted spaces made more memorable by the creative use of both custom and
standard materials. The cherry-red, textured circulation desk is an easily identifiable destination for library users. Surprisingly, it is
constructed by carving bold texture into the edge of standard plywood and staining the material a vibrant color. Richly patterned
custom fabrics and flooring were used throughout the complex to unify the public spaces of both the Library and City Hall. The
large quantities of materials required throughout the complex made designing the unique finishes affordable. (Holman)
Georgia College and State University – Ina Dillard Russell Library, Milledgeville, GA – USA
2005
The Groundbreaking which expanded the building to approximately 150,000 square feet, took place Oct. 5, 2001. Principal
architects for this $19.5 million project were Cogdell & Mendrala of Savannah; associate architects were Hardy, Holzman, Pfeiffer
Associates of New York. The project was completed in June 2005.
The first phase of the project added 93,000 square feet to the existing library. GC&SU got new computer labs, study rooms, and a
cyber café known as Books and Brew. The small but bustling coffee shop brews Starbucks coffee, makes smoothies, serves muffins
and sandwiches, and is a favorite to students and faculty alike. Throughout the renovated and expanded library are such features as
33 study rooms, a 75-person auditorium, space for 450,000 volumes, technical services, and a larger space for its special collections.
Coronado Public Library, Coronado, CA – USA 2005 (s.a. Pfeiffer)
ImaginOn . The Joe & Joan Martin Center, Charlotte, NC – USA 2005
ImaginOn joins a library and children’s theater to create a place that engages children and their families with storytelling in ways
unlike any before. The new facility, with its unique programs, inspires visitors of all ages to experience the written, spoken,
and electronic word in a dynamic environment and has emerged as a new prototype for education, the arts, and entertainment.
(Holzman)
Plans for ImaginOn: The Joe & Joan Martin Center, began in 1997 when two colleagues had an idea.
Bob Cannon, the former Executive Director of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library (then named Public Library of Charlotte and
Mecklenburg County), and Bruce LaRowe, Executive Director of Children's Theatre of Charlotte each led organizations with great
programs for young people. And those programs were growing...
Bob and Bruce collaborated on how they might work together to meet the expanding needs of both organizations. Together, they
imagined a new and innovative space, a shared facility. But not just a combination library/theatre - they imagined a new type of
facility, and an original approach to education, learning and the arts. The more they thought about the possibilities, the more they
realized Charlotte Mecklenburg Library & Children's Theatre of Charlotte shared much more than a need for more space - they
also shared a powerful mission: bringing stories to life.
What came next was a unique partnership that features two state-of-the-art theatre spaces, a dedicated library space for youth 11
and under, four multi-use classrooms, a teen-only library, a multimedia production studio and an interactive exhibit space.
Together, under one roof, the Library's Executive Leadership, including Charles Brown, Vic Phillips, and now CEO Lee Keesler
have worked together with Bruce and dozens of library and theatre staff members to ensure ImaginOn's success.
Since its opening in 2005, ImaginOn has received numerous accolades and awards from its neighbors in the community and gained
national exposure during the 2012 Democratic National Convention when it was the site of filming for The Daily Show with Jon
Stewart
At ImaginOn, young people learn in many ways, through all five senses and "from the page to the stage." It is the launching pad for
remarkable journeys and endless possibilities.
OUR MISSION
ImaginOn brings stories to life through extraordinary experiences that challenge, inspire and excite young minds.
TIMELINE
August 1997: Children’s Theatre and the Public Library create the ImaginOn concept
November 1999: Voters approve bond funds for construction
October 2000: Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer of NY (now Holzman Moss) and Gantt Huberman of Charlotte selected as architects
December 2000: Launch of Programming Endowment Campaign led by Ken Lewis and Ed Shelton
March 2003: Groundbreaking
October 2005: Grand Opening!
WHO ARE THE PARTNERS?
Children’s Theatre of Charlotte
Founded in 1948, Children’s Theatre has been opening young minds to the wonders of live theater for over half a century. Today, it
continues to be one of the most technically imaginative and resourceful theatres in the country. Annually, it reaches more than
320,000 young people and families from preschool to late teens, with four strong program areas: MainStage productions;
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