Independence Public Library
Independence, Kansas1907 Carnegie Library
The Independence Kansas Public Library is housed in a 1907 Carnegie Library which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2003, the City of Independence passed a Quality of LifeĀ bond issue, which included, among other projects, an expansion and renovation of the existing library.
Our design team was selected to provide design services for the project, and to shepherd it through the complicated process of obtaining Kansas State Historical Society review and approval of the addition. Seven alternative design approaches were developed during a two day charrette with library board members and staff, appointed and elected city officials, and interested citizens. Those alternatives were narrowed to four, then to one, based on review of functional, aesthetic, financial, and historical preservation criteria.
The library, which opened in January 2007, consists of a three story library building connected to the existing Carnegie library at each level. The new building's design features are distinct from the Carnegie but compatible with it in scale, form, and materials. Organizationally, the design allows the existing spaces to continue to contribute to the library's mission while locating the bulk of everyday library functions in a modern new building.