The Winter Park Public Library is future-ready with a new facility underway to open in 2021. Our 21st century, world-class facility is in its final design stages by world-renowned civic architect Sir David Adjaye, in partnership with local architecture firm HuntonBrady, in a new, nearby location next to Martin Luther King, Jr. Park. Here you’ll find more spaces, improved places and technologies that will give residents 360° access to the things that transform lives and promote literacy, creativity, school and career readiness, inspiration, culture and community engagement.
What will be NEW at the library?
- A library commons to read & socialize with a living-room feel with comfortable seating for everyone.
- An education & performance space for speakers’ series, live performances, films & story times with seating up to 150 for events and daily use.
- Three collaborative and flexible working rooms designed for formal or casual collaborative meetings complete with the furniture and technologies needed for productive group work.
- A business center for planned or spontaneous meetings to turn an idea into action, to make headway on a new project or for a breakout meeting from a larger conference room.
- New and purposeful social spaces located near age & interest-appropriate book collections.
- A computer lab with the newest software, computer education where guests can put their writing and design talents to use with hands-on instruction and support from library technology experts.
- Eight 2-person private study rooms for quiet reading, one-on-one tutoring, or two-person collaboration and conversation.
- A new automated handling system that will improve materials handling and rotate collections more efficiently.
What will be improved at the new library?
- An upgraded Genius Lab loaded with 3D printers, a studio with video and audio production equipment and staff who will help you walk away with your masterpiece in hand.
- More borrowing items including technology, fishing poles, binoculars, instruments & more as we adapt our lending resources to the demands at the new facility.
- Expanded history & archive areas with an improved Memory Lab space for better research, a new archive conservation area, a new climate-controlled space for storing valued materials and classroom space for learning.
- A 30% larger story classroom adjacent to a flex-size multi-purpose room that will double capacity for our high demand, year-round early literacy story classes and creative arts events.
Thanks to our volunteers, The Aspen Institute, residents and the City of Winter Park, our vision for a 21st century library is around the corner.
For more information about the overall City of Winter Park Canopy project, see https://cityofwinterpark.org/government/city-info/winter-park-canopy