Public Libraries: New $65 Million, 138,000-Square-Foot Slover Library Opens in Downtown Norfolk, Virginia

The new Slover Library opened today (Friday, January 9, 2014) in Norfolk, VA.
From The Virginian-Pilot:

[Hundreds gathered] in the 138,000-square-foot facility to help usher in a new era for the city. The $65 million library at 235 E. Plume St. includes a 3-D printer, 130 computers, a digital media lab, free Wi-Fi, video gaming lounge and large touch-screens that can be used to search historic photos.
It also houses the Sargeant Memorial Collection, documents and photographs used for historical and genealogical research.
There’s a bistro [it seats 52] and meeting space, comfy chairs and nooks for studying.
And, of course, there are books – more than 160,000 of them – along with other items that can be borrowed. The shelves even have digital displays to access the library catalog and visitors’ accounts.
[Clip]
More than 150 students from the city’s public schools toured the library while adults scrolled through photos on touch screens.
Parents oversaw their children climbing and crawling through openings on a padded gym on the second floor.

Read the Complete Article, View Pictures
Video From The Virginian-Pilot

Two Video Reports From WKTR


From Inside Biz (via Facebook)

• Photo Tour of Facility

From the Slover Library Foundation

• Official Grand Opening Announcement, Facility Highlights

• History of the Project

Slover Library encompasses three buildings with 138,000 square feet of combined space: the renovated historic Seaboard building, a retrofitted Selden Arcade, and a modern new six-story addition that connects the Seaboard and the Selden with a three-story glass atrium and tower featuring custom ornamentation by sculptor/architect Kent Bloomer.
The library was designed by Newman Architects, of New Haven, CT, in association with Tymoff+Moss, of Norfolk, VA.

• Additional Media Coverage

Filed under: Libraries, Public Libraries, Reports, School Libraries