COUNCIL GROVE
LIBRARY
Time. It has always been man’s greatest adversary, man’s greatest fear. Steadily slipping away, one is never able to stop the clock. Perhaps this is why the library stands as a central institution, even in the age of technology.
Storing the records of our history, the lessons of our present, and our dreams for the future, the library stands frozen in time. Each book contains it’s own eternity, immortalized when the ink touches the page. Each reader is granted escape from reality, losing themselves in the sirenic call of literature.
So how does one make a building to house time? And how, in the pages of others’ lives, can one find their own story?
Roof
Level II
Level I
Basement
Spaces
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
Teen Stacks
Open Technology
Adult Stacks
Teen Technology
Tutoring
Study Rooms
Restrooms
Entry/Exit
Circulation Desk
Checkout/Holds
Audiovisual Stacks
Exterior Sitting Area
Cafe/Bookstore
Central Atrium
Community Classroom
Public Meeting Area
Storage
Elevator
Sunken Courtyards
Children Stacks
Mechanical
Staff Offices
Maker Space
Craft Space
Fire Stairs
Highlight the Present
As a teen, she adored the second story. Every day after school she came to do her homework and hang out with her friends while they overlooked the levels below. As an adult, equally pleasant memories of the floor filled her mind: quiet moments spent browsing for new worlds and embarking on exciting quests.
Preserve the Past
As she ages, her needs of the library grow as much as she does. She has seen the layout change and change again. Has watched the wood siding weather and fade, while seasons cycle by on the trees outside. Yet the feeling of the library remains the same. And even though her eyes can no longer handle reading, the company of friends over a warm cup of coffee still provides the same joy it did 50 years ago.
Inspire the Future
A new soul discovers the library today. It is her favorite place. Here, she can play with her friends, make crafts, and listen to stories. Stories of magic and adventures and friendship. She decides that one day she will be as strong as the characters in her books, and as caring as the librarians who read them to her.
