Few librarians build more than one library in their careers and renovating or building a whole new library is a very expensive investment. Thus, new or refurbished structures need to be fresh and up to date. While some librarians have the means to visit exemplary buildings as they develop their own library’s master plan, most library leaders and stakeholders won’t actually see the full range of potential projects. Hence, this unique book is both a resource and a brainstorm prompt. It helps library leaders and key stakeholders surface the ideal programmatic aspects that drive exciting design, and offer recent design solutions that have been effectively implemented. Better Library Design: Ideas from Library Journalidentifies and celebrates the top trends in library design, capturing current state and provides an authoritative overview for those planning their own projects. This is a colorful, high content survey of dynamic library building projects completed in the last five years, in both public and academic settings. Anchored by Library Journal’s New Landmark Libraries competition, here is the nation’s best examples of innovative, functional, appealing design --- all in glorious full-color so you’ll be both inspired and informed as you make important design choices.

Focusing on the practical issues which need to be addressed by anyone involved in library design, here Ken Worpole offers his renowned expertise to architects, planners, library professionals, students, local government officers and members interested in creating and sustaining successful library buildings and services. Contemporary Library Architecture: A Planning and Design Guide features: a brief history of library architecture an account of some of the most distinctive new library designs of the 20th & 21st centuries an outline of the process for developing a successful brief and establishing a project management team a delineation of the commissioning process practical advice on how to deal with vital elements such as public accessibility, stock-holding, ICT, back office functions, children’s services, co-location with other services such as learning centres and tourist & information services an sustainability in depth case studies from around the world, including public and academic libraries from the UK, Europe and the US full colour illustrations throughout, showing technical details and photographs. This book is the ultimate guide for anyone approaching library design.

A library interior design guide for architects, designers, and library planners that addresses the functionality needs of staff and design appeal for different age groups, covering signage, traffic, furnishings, materials, colors, lighting, and acoustics.

"This book will help you get your bearings as a leader, gain confidence, and learn tactical approaches from experts who have been in your shoes so you can support your team and advance your career"--Design Better website.

Library design in the 21st century has one common theme: collaboration is at the heart of innovation. Designing modern libraries is a complex process involving many stakeholders and participants. Libraries of all types work with an almost limitless range of constituent groups for input, buy-in and successful implementation. Securing support for new library buildings and renovations of libraries engages many people: library clients, community members, faculty, funding agencies, donors, governing authorities, librarians, architects, interior designers and planners. Telling the right story and getting to the end game demand carefully crafted approaches, wide-ranging skills, a unified vision and productive teamwork. The IFLA Library Buildings and Equipment Section has selected the best papers presented by award-winning architects and international thought leaders from the academic and public library sector at our recent satellite conferences and seminars: "Collaborative Strategies for Successful Library Design" (Chicago, Illinois), "What comes after the Third Place?" (Columbus, Ohio); "Key Issues for Library Space: International Perspectives" (Maynooth, Ireland); "Storage, the final frontier" (Munich, Germany) and "Telling and selling the space story" (Wrocław, Poland). The stories by the library and design professionals within this publication illustrate how powerful a role partnerships, outreach and cooperation play in a library project’s success.

Through the real-life examples in this book, readers will learn how the successful modification of existing library buildings or the creation of new buildings requires the active participation and effective collaboration of library board members, administrators, librarians, and architects.

Useful, useable, desirable: like three legs of a stool, if your library is missing the mark on any one of these it's bound to wobble.