Lawrence County Public Library

OPN Architects

Recognitions: Impact Awards 2023

Project Description

A feasibility study conducted by OPN Architects in 2017 outlined a vision for the future of the Lawrence County Public Library, built on the desire of library leadership to include greater innovation by transforming opportunities into reality. The primary goals emerging from the study were to design a library with a retail centric service model, optimize staff work spaces, and remove barriers and walls to create a 21st century flexible, participatory library. The Feasibility Study provided a foundation for designing a library that is inspirational, collaborative, flexible, and adaptable for future generations within the Lawrence County Community. Shaped by the goals of clarifying needs of the library, strategically creating better efficiencies and expansion opportunities, incorporating programming trends into the library design, and establishing a preliminary cost estimate, a preferred concept emerged to provide a framework for the renovation of the Lawrence County Public Library. The expansion and renovation embraces a contemporary, transformational, warm, and open design to complement the existing architecture and evolving civic/community needs. The project seeks to enhance the quality of services to the community, create greater operational efficiencies, transform the institution internally, and embolden services for the youth of Lawrence County. Spaces are re-organized along a primary north-south circulation path. This path physically and visually enhances connection to all spaces in the library. Renovations included: a new entrances from the street and parking lot, an enhanced Children’s area with program room, a reconfiguration of collections spaces to reduce shelving height and increase visual connectivity, the addition of collaborative and flexible community centered spaces, and the introduction of several collaborative study spaces.