Long Beach Public Library

Civic

Oct 21

Client

Long Beach Public Library

The public library serves the community of Long Beach, New York where close to 90% of residents have a library card

The Library was partially destroyed by Superstorm Sandy in 2011, and subsequently rebuilt. It is not in need of reinvention to better suit the health of patrons due to COVID-19, and to reconceptualize the main floor of the library as a public and community amenity that expands what a contemporary library is used for.

Project Brief

Design Advocates was asked to redesign the 10,000sf main floor of the library, rethink the storage and shelving of books, create spaces for a wider array of library programs including quiet, personal, and technology spaces, and to integrate more public seating and space for the library community.

Design Approach

The selected design direction is an interrupted grid of shelving within which pockets of other functions are nested. The inserted public program - seating, meeting space, a place for performance - are enclosed by draperies, enabling them to be closed off or integrated into the main library space. An awkward set of existing columns is dramatically scaled up to create individual study carrels.