American Libraries, the magazine of the American Library Association (ALA), has released the 37th annual edition of its Library Design Showcase, which spotlights the year’s most exciting new and renovated libraries. And, as usual, it’s lovely.
The institutions featured in this year’s showcase truly embody the library’s role as a third space while honoring local histories and cultures and adhering to sustainable practices. These libraries represent a range of sizes, styles, and locations, from showstopping tourist attractions to creatively repurposed buildings—including a former post office and a pizza parlor.
Here are a few of our favorites.
Cincinnati and Hamilton County (Ohio) Public Library, Downtown Main Library
This renovation reimagines the Downtown Main Library as a gathering place in the heart of the business district while celebrating the local arts and music scene. The stairs’ glass guardrails feature the names of 1,602 music recordings that span 75 years of Cincinnati’s musical heritage.
St. Louis County (Mo.) Library, Clark Family branch
A highlight of the new Clark Family branch is the Emerson History and Genealogy Center that holds the library’s extensive genealogy and local history collection. The space includes interactive family-search screens and a memory lab where patrons can record their own family histories.
Denver Public Library, Central Library
Central Library’s renovation includes safety and security upgrades and a reconfiguration that accommodates modern programs and services while enhancing the library’s role as a tourist destination. Notable improvements include the creation of the Park View Room, with panoramic views of the Denver skyline, and a reimagined central hall with open stairs sculpted to represent a folded bookmark.
Nashville (Tenn.) Public Library, Donelson branch
An ode to atomic-age architecture, the new Donelson branch is a sleek, modern structure with clean lines and a striking breeze-block wall. To foster inclusivity and accessibility, pictograms are used in wayfinding signage whenever possible, with English, Spanish, and Arabic text included when needed.
Labriola National American Indian Data Center at Arizona State University in Tempe
The renovation of the Labriola Center created a centralized Indigenous knowledge zone on the second floor of Hayden Library for celebrating and engaging with American Indian and Indigenous scholarly works and creative writing.
Lake Travis Community Library West in Spicewood, Texas
Renovations at the Lake Travis West location highlight the area’s unique country character while paying homage to the building’s previous life as a pizza restaurant. Open-table seating and pendant lights maintain the pizza-joint vibe, and the former drive-through window is now a pickup spot for reserved materials.
Chabot College Library and Learning Connection in Hayward, California
Chabot College’s four-story Library and Learning Connection is a major upgrade from its previous library, with triple the number of study rooms, double the classrooms, and a dedicated space for specialized learning communities and student services. A light-filled atrium and central staircase connect all floors, encouraging movement, visibility, and shared experiences.
You can find more photos of these libraries and peruse the other stunning facilities that make up the rest of this year’s showcase at American Libraries!
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Feature image: Chabot College Library and Learning Connection in Hayward, California, by Lawrence Anderson. Story photos courtesy of American Libraries.
