Libraries have long served as beacons of inspiration for communities across the globe. They provide access to a wealth of information, as well as a place for people to receive resources and programs that may not be available to them anywhere else. Just as humans adapt and evolve intellectually and physically, the environments we occupy must do the same. Libraries are no exception to this rule.
Four short years ago, the world learned the necessity for public places to be flexible, as we faced a global pandemic. In the first century BC, Roman architect, Vitruvius declared the three essential aspects of good architecture as firmness, commodity, and delight. Commodity, or utilitas, here means proper use of space. Although the order of application of the Vitruvian principles has long been debated, commodity is naturally the most agreed-upon element as buildings are created to provide space for some purpose or function. How the purpose and function of spaces such as libraries should best be expressed to serve their communities is an ongoing challenge for architects.
This summer my children and I have been participating in the Live Oak Public Library system’s Summer Reading Challenge. We decided at the beginning of summer to participate together by doing a nature study where we spent each week learning about a specific habitat. Once a week we visited different library branches to collect picture books, themed stories, and scientific books on our selected environment. We’ve explored the deepest fathoms of the ocean and identified our native fine feathered friends.
The habitats of animals provide for their specific needs in a specific time and a specific place. If the habitat is missing necessarily elements (no water for a frog to lay eggs), isn’t built at the right time (a nest must be built before a bird can lay eggs), or isn’t built in the right place (polar bears can’t live in the rainforest), it can prove detrimental to the creature’s existence.
Our created community environments, like libraries must also consider along with the Vitruvian principles address these simple questions: What specific needs should a library meet? How are those needs likely to change over time, and how are the building location and the design of the facility encouraging meeting these needs in this place?
As our society continues to advance in technology, communication, and scientific discovery, we must consider how this knowledge will reach and impact both the current and future generations. Libraries have long acted as a conduit for the exchange of information and ideas; a place to read a book, participate in a program, learn a new skill, or attend a community meeting. The “delight” that libraries spread should naturally be reflected in the architecture of these spaces. The architectural design of our libraries must remain flexible enough to accommodate the shifting needs, the changing times, and the evolving environments we are surrounded by, yet the applied firmness, commodity, and delight must inspire a timeless quality.
GMShay is excited at the opportunity to partner with the Live Oak Public Library system to explore how these questions might be answered and how the libraries in Chatham, Effingham, and Liberty Counties can continue to serve our communities.