A couple of years ago, I created a new logo for the library in Henrico County, Virginia. The library started to use the design for its social media accounts and iOS app, and has now adopted it as the defacto branding on its website.
For the expanded usage, I’m demanding free library Wi-Fi, and access to a bazillion books.
The labor was difficult, but the baby’s doing well. Here are my pages:
Last week at the Virginia Library Association conference in Williamsburg, I had a chance to talk briefly with the engaging folks at Tappe & BCWH Architects. (They are well-dressed folks, too. But then, they were surrounded by librarians, including me. Ahem.) I gushed all over their booth about the job they did rehabbing Henrico County’s Gayton library. Then: Nasty, crippling-depression-inducing 1974 elementary school, with a book-drop. Now: Apple store meets book-filled yacht. Today I went by there again, and almost bought an iPhone 5 and some of those new earbuds. But the library left the Pump Road harbor and I had to wave goodbye, with pathos.
Sometimes people complain that good design is a luxury for public buildings. But it’s not. When one is in a public space, one should feel that something important is happening there. (See how I used the word “one” there, twice? Don’t you feel enobled?). If people think public spaces are an afterthought, how can we really expect more from our communities, our governments and our public conversations? Thanks, Henrico citizens who voted for the 2005 bond referendum.
Don’t be fooled by the building’s exterior, by the way. It still says Bicentennial-era elementary school. But we can’t have everything, I suppose.
Take a flickr tour.
Copyright Tappe & BCWH Architects.
I’m a big fan of Virginia writer (and fellow Roanoke Times alum) Madelyn Rosenberg. She and I have both talked in the past about children’s books, and ideas for creating them. Well, Blacksburg-bred Madelyn has made her picture book print debut in a BIG way in 2012, with TWO swell picture books: “The Schmutzy Family” (Holiday House) and “Happy Birthday Tree!: A Tu B’Shevat Story.” Here’s a nice breakdown on the books, and here’s Madelyn’s way-cool site! Congrats, Mad!
How Troy, Michigan saved their library.
There really isn’t anything else to be said about the inherent awesomeness of this:
I have seen the future, and if it’s not MagicTown specifically, well then the virtual world/picture book coolster kids literacy ‘n’ fun website is at least stretching the present like Silly Putty.
Feel-good love letter to libraries from the New Quarterly (via Utne). Take your mobile device to a library before reading, please.
I stumbled across this intriguing 2007 lecture by John Leslie King, W.W. Bishop Professor at the University of Michigan School of Information. King has some fascinating observations on libraries, colleges and technology. What stuck with me were his ideas about how libraries are positioning themselves – stupidly, in his view – as cultural centers (which spend $) instead of knowledge/skill centers (which generate $). A lot of public libraries are rebranding themselves as centers of culture; maybe they should be concentrating more on touting the job-seeking help, information literacy assistance, and other skill-set training they provide.
Copyright 2012. All rights reserved
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