Eye-Popping Show-Stopping Libraries starts out by recounting the beginning of the relationship between the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the American Library Association (ALA) to establish the Library Building awards and traces the development of the program over the following five decades. In the next seven chapters the authors have grouped selected award-winning libraries by big themes, to explore the evolution of service innovations and design trends; most of the selected case studies include exterior and interior photographs, as well as floor plans. The final chapter offers some thoughts on what a half-century of award-winning architecture can tell us about the future of library service and library design. In the afterword the authors review the initial round of seventeen award-winning libraries from 1963, to assess how the designs have held up over time, and to describe the current disposition of the building. Three appendixes offer a chronological list of award recipients, an alphabetical list of awardees by library, and an alphabetical list by architect. The fourth and final appendix is a chronological list of jury members. This full-color, beautifully illustrated with 141 images book presents these exemplary libraries as an exploration of the evolution of library service and design. It examines the award-winning libraries by big themes to explore how service trends and design trends have evolved. Documentation of featured library buildings (including photographs and plans) is an important element.
Anders C. Dahlgren is president of Library Planning Associates and has devoted his career to library planning and design concerns. As a public librarian and library director, he became involved with facilities planning and design. For 14 years, he served as consultant for public library construction and planning for the Wisconsin state library agency, during which time he conferred with two-thirds of the state's 380 public libraries. As a consulting librarian with Library Planning Associates, Inc. he has consulted with more than 150 libraries, in 25 states, and four countries. Two of his projects have been recognized by Library Journal as Library of the Year, three by LJ as a New Library Landmark, and two by the American Institute of Architects with an Honor Award. Charles G. Forrest is Principal, 21CL Consulting, LLC, and has over thirty-five years of experience in academic and research libraries. After nearly a decade with the University of Illinois libraries, first in Chicago, then at the flagship campus in Urbana-Champaign, he moved to Emory University in 1988 where he held a series of administrative positions in the Emory Libraries, including director of instructional support services, director of planning and budget, and director of library facilities. Charles served as library project manager for many library construction and renovation projects at Emory until his retirement in May 2016.
