The design and function of modern libraries are keeping up with our changing times and needs. Once libraries, post offices, banks and city halls had their standard recognizable designs. The older library buildings were sombre, robust and stern, much like the librarian of that day.
In the eastern portion of the Vancouver, Central Business District stands the nine-story-high Vancouver Public Library. It's hard to miss with its work of art appearance, which mimics the look of a Roman coliseum. The core of the building is a nine-story rectangular box, which houses floor after floor of book stacks interconnected with escalators. Throughout, there are pieces of art, beautiful displays and service desks. All of this surrounded by a free-standing elliptical collonaded wall featuring well-lit reading and study areas. The library's internal glass facade overlooks an enclosed concourse formed by a second elliptical wall. This immense glass-roofed concourse serves as an airy entry foyer to the library and houses a row of small businesses, coffee shops and eateries. On the top of the compound is a football-field-sized sea grass roof.
Throughout the building are fields of computers; most reference materials are now available on-line. Archives that were once stored and difficult to access are now available at a keystroke. Although this library is inviting, I still prefer accessing it from my home.
Kitty-corner from the library is a city-block-sized parking lot that once housed the downtown bus depot is now the site of the new Vancouver Art Gallery.
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