North Canton Public Library
About North Canton Public Library
North Canton Public Library is a unique community asset. It’s a library, art gallery and studio, literacy center and an essential community partner. It is located in North Canton, Ohio and is a hub for people of all ages to study, gather and discover. North Canton Public Library’s purpose is to “serve the community, and to enhance the quality of life of our patrons”.
North Canton Public Library’s Project
Our architecture firm was tasked with finding a way to engage North Canton community members and make the library system more efficient. We conducted a market analysis, building assessment, maintenance master plan, and a 15-year implementation plan.
The Problem
The North Canton library was very popular and had a high book circulation. The library was struggling to find sufficient program space to support the increased demand. It was also struggling to support the demand for meeting spaces and program spaces.
studioTECHNE’s Design Solution for North Canton Library
We collaborated with the library to design a community-based discovery process that would engage their library’s patrons. We assisted them in identifying the North Canton community’s top priorities and developed a comprehensive plan to position the library as the focal point of lifelong learning in their area. We did this through leading the community through a series of focus groups and developed a comprehensive list of priorities and needs.
We began with creating makerspaces with the goal of fostering community collaboration, learning and development. We renovated the area and created community meeting spaces, tutoring rooms, dedicated children’s program space, teen space and an entrepreneur space. Members are now able to interact and collaborate with people who share similar goals. In the entrepreneurship space, members can explore business startup ideas and proto-typing opportunities. Teens can utilize this space for studying, learning and collaborating. The children can utilize their space to make new discoveries and play together while being closely monitored by parents.
We discovered, through the analysis of their existing building, a substantial amount of underutilized space. Because of this, only 35% more space (6,000 square feet) needed to be added to the building to encompass the new program additions.
The new design moves all public gathering and meeting spaces to the street side of the building, allowing the building to embrace the community and provide an exciting and lively presence on one of North Canton’s busiest streets. The master plan meets all community needs and positions a beloved community institution at the center of community life for years to come.
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