Collaborative Library Design: From Planning to Impact

Talking about why collaboration is so important is one thing—but taking an in-depth look at the ways it works (and sometimes doesn’twork) in real-world design projects is both more revealing and instructive. Award-winning architect Gisolfi does exactly that in this essential new book, presenting detailed case studies of ten design projects from public, academic, and school libraries that identify paths to success as well as hazards to avoid. Inside, library planners, designers, and administrators will find practical guidance directly applicable to their own undertakings, regardless of size or complexity. This book

• examines ten library design projects from a range of institutions, such as an academic library recovering from a fire, a high school library transitioning into the 21st century, and a public library that was transformed over many decades from a one-room schoolhouse to a 48,000-square-foot building;
• includes plentiful illustrations, photos, diagrams, and plans that explain the buildings;
• presents essays for each project written by the board member or academic administrator who participated and contributed to the planning, and the architect who lead the design team;
• features honest evaluations of each project from a librarian responsible for the day-to-day operation in the new space, complete with observations of how patrons now use the facility; and
• offers a closing essay discussing new trends in library design that will help assure the library’s position as a vital civic institution.

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.