ABSTRACT

Public libraries have strangely never been the subject of an extensive design history. Consequently, this important and comprehensive book represents a ground-breaking socio-architectural study of pre-1939 public library buildings. A surprisingly high proportion of these urban civic buildings remain intact and present an increasingly difficult architectural problem for many communities. The book thus includes a study of what is happening to these historic libraries now and proposes that knowledge of their origins and early development can help build an understanding of how best to handle their future.

chapter 1|23 pages

Introduction

part two|137 pages

Periods of Public Library Design

part three|96 pages

Thematic Studies

chapter 7|28 pages

Children’s Libraries

chapter 8|36 pages

The Library as Monument and Machine

part four|38 pages

The Past in the Present

chapter 9|36 pages

New for Old?

chapter |6 pages

Conclusion