Architecture and Buildings

For Brooklyn PL, Planned Sale of Branches Promises Opportunity, Provokes Concern

By Norman Oder on April 22, 2013 3 Comments

BPL, one of three systems in New York City and the country’s fifth-largest library (by population served), has suffered consistent underfunding of capital needs, with its 59 locations facing a $230 million backlog of deferred maintenance, barely dented by the $15 million annual allotment of capital funding.

Their solution: sell two aging libraries that occupy valuable land, and work with real estate developers to include libraries in residential towers. It’s not uncommon for urban libraries to consider mixed-use buildings, though few face the real estate froth characteristic in Brooklyn.

Filed Under: Architecture and Buildings, Budgets & Funding Tagged With: BPL, Brooklyn Public Library, real estate

DC Mayor Proposes Central Library Renovation, Seven Day Operation

By Bob Warburton on April 8, 2013 2 Comments

It’s been a surprising and energizing spring for the Washington, DC, library community as Mayor Vincent Gray publicly endorsed two of its top wish-list items during his March 27 budget introduction: a proposed $103 million overhaul of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, the city’s landmark central branch, and a 25 percent bump in total system funding earmarked for keeping every facility open seven days a week.

Filed Under: Architecture and Buildings, Budgets & Funding Tagged With: Washington DC

NCSU’s Groundbreaking Hunt Library To Be Dedicated

By Meredith Schwartz on April 2, 2013 Leave a Comment

On April 3, North Carolina State University will officially dedicate the James B. Hunt Jr. Library. Named for North Carolina’s governor from 1977 to 1985 and 1993 to 2001, the library will also house the Institute for Emerging Issues, a public policy think tank established by Hunt.

Filed Under: Academic Libraries, Architecture and Buildings, Future of Libraries, Technology

Stephen King To Help Fund Library Roof Replacement

By Michelle Lee on March 29, 2013 Leave a Comment

Writer Stephen King is known for many things: suspenseful storytelling, horror tales, and literary rock band music. But another long-time role is now capturing worldwide attention: library philanthropist. The Bangor Public Library announced last week that Stephen and his wife and fellow author Tabitha King will donate $3 million toward the library’s $9 million renovation, redesign, and capital campaign, as long as the library can find other funds to reach the rest of its goal.

Filed Under: Architecture and Buildings, Budgets & Funding, People Tagged With: Stephen King

Libraries Open Doors, Data to Digital Art Displays

By Shari Held on March 19, 2013 3 Comments

Libraries are showcasing interactive, data-driven digital art that brings what’s typically behind the scenes into the light. This January, hundreds of people attended the grand opening of an addition to the Teton County Library in Jackson Hole, WY. The big draw was “Filament Mind,” a stunning digital art installation utilizing more than five miles of fiber-optic cables, cut into 1,000 pieces, and 44 LED illuminators.

Filed Under: Architecture and Buildings Tagged With: art, data, design, digital art

DC Library Advocates Butt Heads over Redevelopment

By Bob Warburton on March 7, 2013 Leave a Comment

A plan to replace an aging library in Washington, DC’s West End as part of a massive private development has opened a rift between some unlikely foes: the D.C. Library Renaissance Project (DCLRP), a library advocacy group founded by Ralph Nader, which has gone to court seeking to halt the project, and several neighborhood groups, led by West End Library Friends, who want ground broken as soon as possible.

Filed Under: Architecture and Buildings, Litigation, Organizations & Consortia

NYPL, Brooklyn Merge Technical Services

By Meredith Schwartz on February 22, 2013 Leave a Comment

The New York Public Library (NYPL) and Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) will integrate their tech services departments, the libraries announced last week, saving BPL $2 million per year and NYPL about $1.5 million.

Filed Under: Architecture and Buildings, Library Services, Managing Libraries Tagged With: BPL, nypl, technical services

SF Law Library Sues City for Space

By Meredith Schwartz on February 15, 2013 Leave a Comment

The San Francisco Law Library filed a lawsuit against the City and County of San Francisco, CA, on February 6. The case, filed in San Francisco Superior Court, alleges that since 1995 the city has violated both City Charter section 8.103 and state law, which requires the city and county of San Francisco to provide proper funding and adequate space for the library.

Filed Under: Architecture and Buildings, Litigation Tagged With: San Francisco Law Library

PA Grants $3.7 Million for Library Facilities

By Meredith Schwartz on February 15, 2013 Leave a Comment

Pennsylvania’s Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund awarded more than $3.7 million in grants to 15 public libraries across the state, Governor Corbett’s administration announced on February 14. The funds will be used to finance repairs and upgrades to library facilities. Through a competitive grant process, applicants could qualify for up to $500,000, which must be equally matched. This year’s recipients were chosen from among 28 applicants.

Filed Under: Architecture and Buildings, Budgets & Funding

Columbus Library Funding Notes Sell Out

By Meredith Schwartz on February 12, 2013 Leave a Comment

Columbus Metropolitan Library, 2010’s LJ Library of the Year, launched its Library Fund Library Facilities Notes Sale on Nov. 15, 2012, to help fund its 2020 Vision Plan. Notes are a shorter-term, more flexible debt instrument than bonds, and can be sold in smaller amounts. The notes sold out in three hours, the library said in a statement, with three times as much interest than the amount of notes available.

Filed Under: Architecture and Buildings, Budgets & Funding Tagged With: Columbus Metropolitan Library