Vancouver Public Library

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Vancouver Public Library

Established 1869
Location Vancouver, British Columbia
Branches 22
Collection
Size 2,700,000+
Access and use
Members 395,000
Website Vancouver Public Library

Funded by the City of Vancouver, the Vancouver Public Library is the third largest public library system in Canada, with over 395,000 cardholders and more than 8 million item borrowings annually. The central branch opened in Downtown Vancouver on May 26, 1995 and cost 106.8 million CAD to build. It currently holds over 1.3 million items.

Contents

[edit] Vancouver Library Square

The interior of the library's central branch

Consolidating Vancouver Public Library's Central Branch, Federal Office Tower, and retail and service facilities, the Library Square occupies a city block in the eastward expansion of downtown Vancouver. Centred on the block, the library volume is a seven-story rectangular box containing book stacks and services, surrounded by a free-standing, elliptical, colonnaded wall featuring reading and study areas that are accessed by bridges spanning skylit light wells. The library's internal glass facade overlooks an enclosed concourse formed by a second elliptical wall that defines the east side of the site. This generous, glass-roofed concourse serves as an entry foyer to the library and the more lively pedestrian activities at ground level. Public spaces surrounding the library form a continuous piazza with parking located below grade. The building's exterior is often said to resemble a Roman Colosseum.

The Library Square Project was the largest capital project ever undertaken by the City of Vancouver. The decision to build the project came after a favourable public referendum in November 1990. The City then held a design competition to choose a design for the new building. The design by Moshe Safdie was by far the most radical design and yet was the public favourite. The inclusion of the office tower in the design was required in order to pay for it and as part of a deal with the federal government to obtain the land; the federal government has a long term lease on the high rise office tower portion of the project. Construction began in early 1993 and was completed in 1995. The general contractor was PCL Construction. Moshe Safdie had partnered with the local architect Downs/Archambault (now DA Architects + Planners) on this project. The company that made the actual stonework was Architectural Precast Structures or APS.

In addition to its function as the central branch of the city's public library system, the one square block project also includes an attached office high-rise, retail shops, restaurants, and underground public parking. The Library building has a rooftop garden designed by Vancouver landscape architect Cornelia Oberlander. As of 2006 the garden was closed to the public.

[edit] Location

Vancouver Public Library is located in Vancouver
Vancouver Public Library
Vancouver Public Library in Metro Vancouver

The building is located in the eastern portion of the Vancouver Central Business District. The address of the library is 350 West Georgia Street, and the Federal office tower is addressed at 300 West Georgia Street. Level 8 and 9 are leased to the Provincial government. Their address is 360 West Georgia Street.

The Square is bordered by Robson Street, Homer Street, West Georgia Street, and Hamilton Street. Across West Georgia Street is Canada Post. Across Hamilton Street is the CBC Regional Broadcast Centre Vancouver. Across Homer street is the The Centre in Vancouver for the Performing Arts, (formerly The Ford Centre for the Performing Arts) also designed by Moshe Safdie as a complementary building to library square.

[edit] Transportation

[edit] Bus and SkyTrain

There are many local bus routes that route past Library Square including the 5, 6, 8, 15, 17, and 20. (See the List of bus routes in Metro Vancouver)

The two nearest SkyTrain stations are Granville Station and Stadium-Chinatown Station and are each within a few blocks of Library Square.

[edit] Bicycle Access

Library Square has three public use bike rack stations:

  • One on Hamilton by the Federal Office Tower (between Georgia and the Library's book drop)
  • One on Georgia by the Library Square Public House (a street level restaurant/pub in the Federal Office Tower)
  • One on the South Plaza (off Homer Street near Robson Street)

The South Plaza station is the better-used and visible spot. It is also the largest and will accommodate more bicycles than the other two stations.

[edit] One Book, One Vancouver

One Book, One Vancouver is a city-wide book club sponsored by the Vancouver Public Library. Titles are selected by the library staff, who vote for one of four titles presented by the One Book, One Vancouver Organizing Committee.

[edit] Image Gallery

Overview of library interior

Library Square

[edit] Statistics

Library building (including retail, daycare, and parking)

  • 9 stories
  • 37,000 square metres (398,000 square feet)
  • the 1.5 million books, periodicals, and other reference materials are moved through the building by vertical and horizontal conveyors
  • 51 km of cable are laid throughout the building, including a fibre optic backbone
  • seating capacity: 1200+
  • 700+ parking stalls and many bicycle racks
  • top 2 floors currently leased by the British Columbia government and scheduled for future library expansion
  • approximate cost: CAD $107 million

High-rise

  • currently occupied by the Canadian government
  • approximate cost: CAD $50 million

[edit] Trivia

 Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (June 2008)
  • The building has appeared in the movies The 6th Day, Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever, and The Game, as well as in episodes of television series including Battlestar Galactica, The Dead Zone, TekWar, Smallville and Tru Calling.
  • The rooftop garden contained in the original blueprints and shown in postcards and photographs, although shown covered in plantings, was never completed and is only accessible via a ladder from the eighth floor.
  • Designed by the same architect, the downtown location of the Salt Lake City Public Library has a very similar design. This is clearly apparent in the main foyer and the sweeping outer facade
  • The Vancouver Public Library was closed from July 26 to October 23, 2007 due to a strike by CUPE 391, the library staff's union. This was the first time the library union had been on strike in its 77 year existence.
  • The Vancouver Public Library is home to the Word on the Street Vancouver festival, held on the last Sunday in September.

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 49°16′47″N 123°06′56″W / 49.279719°N 123.115625°W / 49.279719; -123.115625 (Vancouver Public Library)

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