We have been excited about this library from the first day we starting working on the Humphries Poli design team.  HPA envisioned this library to be Plains and Planes.  Given its location near the airport and the agricultural focus both past and present, it was a wonderful inspiration for development.

Programming and then space planning included a blending of two library styles:  Family (focusing on children coming to the library with parents and care-givers) and Contemporary (young professionals, technology-saavy).  It was exciting to blend these two into spaces that met diverse needs:  solo, duet and family computer stations; adult fiction crossing through the children’s area to serve needs of care-giving adults; children’s discovery pods; quieter reading and study spaces; teen and collaborative areas; community room that will open up to children’s for overflow and special programs. 

After Beth and I finished programming and I completed the space planning, Mary began work on the furniture.  She worked on a special design for the family computing stations (…and after observing how it has been used since the library’s opening, it is working great!), she found furniture that was flexibile, in some cases moveable and often memorable.  The benches near the entrance resemble airplane propellers.  Mary even “found” a cockpit simulator that the United Airlines Training Center donated to the library for one of the children’s Discovery Pods.  Pssst….we have seen adults climbing into it to “take it for a ride”!

We are so pleased to learn that Westword has found this library to be wonderful as well! 

You can read their article at http://www.westword.com/bestof/2011/award/best-new-city-facility-1770510/

You can take a peek at the library at  http://denverlibrary.org/bond/green-valley-ranch-branch-library