Serving Up More than Just Books
Newly Renovated Lawrenceburg Library Offers Residents a Reading and Relaxation Oasis
Walk through the grand entrance of the public library in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, and you might not even realize you are in a library. In addition to providing the typical fiction, non-fiction and reference materials available at any library, the Lawrenceburg Public Library also serves as a coffee bar and a lounge, an art gallery and a high-tech computer lab.
It’s a lot different than the library that started out in 1915 as the Carnegie Library, changing its name and doubling its original size in the ensuing 92 years. The library reopened its doors in August 2007 after an expansive $6 million renovation, which doubled its footprint a second time. SHP Leading Design (SHP) designed the new 34,000-square-foot library complex, which includes the refurbished original library building and a newly constructed addition with a breezeway connecting a renovated railroad depot.
“In the past, residents would come in, grab a book and go home,” says Sally Stegner, the library’s director. “The main intent of the renovation was to create a place where people would come and sit down, read a book and get to know each other and the community.”
Laptops, Lattes and Local Artists
The heart of the library is the lounge area, which provides a comfortable space for readers to enjoy books. The lounge’s coffee shop further encourages patrons to “pull up a chair and stay awhile.” A two-sided fireplace, which overlooks the courtyard, makes it hard to leave.
“While the lounge serves as the main reading area, lounge chairs are placed throughout the library so that a comfortable place to read is only an arm’s length away,” explains Patti Sumner, project manager for SHP. “To tell you the truth, I don’t think I’ve ever installed that many lounge chairs or tables in a library.”
Learn More
The library’s previous computer lab had outdated equipment and was located on the second floor, making it inconvenient for users to seek help from the main desk on the first floor. The new lab features the most up-to-date technology, is twice the size of the original and has been relocated to the first floor.
“Now library staff at the main desk can easily help users log in, print or answer any other questions,” says Stegner.
To further encourage learning, electrical outlets were installed at every table throughout the library for users to plug in laptops. In addition, free wireless Internet access is only a mouse-click away.
The library also has a gallery corridor for showcasing the work of local artists.
“We really take pride in showing local artists’ work, and what better way to foster appreciation of the local art community than by putting it on display?” asks Stegner.
Expanded Areas for Children and Teens
Like most libraries, the Lawrenceburg Public Library was always focused on serving children and teens. The new design enhances this service with areas for age-appropriate events such as movie nights, games, children’s book clubs and reading times.
“The teen and children’s areas were limited to a few aisles in the original structure,” explains Riggs. “We tripled the children’s area and installed booths for reading.”
The children’s area also has computers loaded with educational software, plus tables of varying height to accommodate children of all sizes.
Teenagers also have a dedicated space. “Prior to the renovation, the teen area was a little nook built out of bookcases,” says Stegner. “Now there is a nice area for teens to congregate. The teen area has vibrant colors and its own computers so teens can hang out with their friends.”
A Gathering Place for the Community
Lawrenceburg embraces its strong sense of community, and the library design reflects that. The historic Lawrenceburg railroad depot—adjacent to the library—was acquired and incorporated into the new library complex. While the trains are no longer running, the building is far from silent. It now serves as a learning facility, and community groups can reserve the depot for educational, cultural or charitable activities.
“We wanted the community to be able to use and congregate in the railroad depot,” says Bob Riggs, SHP project architect for the Lawrenceburg Public Library project. “The large, open space can accommodate a considerable amount of people and can be cordoned off for simultaneous events.”
The courtyard between the railroad depot and the library is also used for festivals, art exhibits, the Taste of Lawrenceburg and other community activities. The courtyard includes several memorials to friends of the library such as a sculpture of two children reading on a bench honoring a local judge, and a large Victorian urn commemorating the “Friends of the Library” director.
Where the Past and Present Meet
One of the library’s most popular areas is the research room. “The history and genealogy room is important to the community as both a research tool and a chronicle of the past,” explains Stegner. “By expanding these areas, we enable more people to do research on the community and their family histories.”
Learn More
This meeting of the past and present is apparent in the design as well, which incorporates several elements from the original building.
“There was a large stained-glass window that was a focal point of the original library,” says Sumner. “We created a viewing area around it, and now it is part of the audio/video and children’s areas. When people come to view presentations, the stained-glass window is part of the experience.”
Original elements are part of the exterior, too. Because the existing library used beige brick and the railroad depot had a red brick exterior, SHP combined these elements when planning the new design. The lower level of the addition was built with beige brick, and the two-story portion of the addition features red.
“One of the design goals was to give the community something they could take pride in, a crown jewel for the downtown Lawrenceburg area,” says Riggs. “The library is across from a very prominent and historic courthouse, and the library mirrors that elegance and regal feeling.”
A Special Place
The renovation has had a significant impact on library attendance. Stegner estimates prior to the renovation the library saw about 280 visitors a day. Now it averages 425 per day. And that’s exactly what Stegner wanted to accomplish.
While residents have a hard time agreeing on the most significant element of the new library, Stegner thinks the most awe-inspiring change was the redesigned library entrance.
“There was nothing significant about the original library entrance, but the new two-story entrance is emphasized by large wooden beams and trusses,” she says. “When you walk through the new entrance, you have to stop and take it all in. Coming through this entrance, you know you are walking into a special place.”