Shepherdstown Public Library
This project has been 20 years in the making and involved extensive community involvement. The library serves as a major hub for the community and supports traditional library functions, STEM learning, and community gathering needs. The facility is designed to be accessible and flexible, so it can evolve with the needs of the community. Sustainable features have been woven throughout and are intended to be used as teaching opportunities. The Shepherdstown Public Library has occupied the iconic market house building at the center of downtown Shepherdstown for 100 years.
Begun in 1922 by the Shepherdstown Women’s Club, the Shepherdstown Public Library is housed in one of the oldest buildings in town. The Old Market House once housed the town’s market, fire department, town council, public whipping post and pig pen. The existing site was formerly a brown field/dump that was remediated with grant funding for the new library. Despite it’s original condition
the site was cost effective, is situated near a local elementary school, and now offers plenty of parking to visitors. The new facility provides plenty of space to house the entire book and media collection, plus several meeting and special-purpose rooms.
Client
Shepherdstown Public Library
Location
Shepherdstown, WV
Size
8,909 sf
Program
Children's reading room including a young adults section, adult reading room, community room, exterior patio, and a media lab.
Completion
2022
Sector
Educational + Cultural
Masterplanning
Team
Internal Team: Charles Alexander, Jessica Damseaux, Patrycja Hollis, Grace Pak
Design Team: Gordon (Civil), Structural Concepts (Structural Engineer), Henry Adams (MEP Engineering), Triad Engineering (Geotechnical), Convergent Technologies (Low Voltage), Doyle Construction (GC), Iris22 Productions LLC (Photography)
Construction consists of wood framing with continuous insulation, high-heeled scissor trusses for robust roof insulation, and a rain screen with masonry and fiber cement siding facade. The project also included a green roof and infrastructure for Solar Panels. Recycled wood from the walnut trees that stood where the library now stands provided seating for some of the onlookers at the opening ceremony. Friends of Shepherdstown Library promoted their new Giving Circle donation program. The Giving Circle program will help fund the community garden planned to go next to the library.
Hali Taylor, SPL Director“Libraries are no longer just places for books; they are information centers.”
Shepherdstown Public Library is a one-story, 9,000 SF new construction project. The project consists of 2 large reading rooms for children and adults, after hour community room, an exterior patio for outdoor community events, and a media lab. Reading rooms tailored to children, young adults, and adults provide an engaging environment for everyone in the community. The adult section is separated from the children’s room and both spaces are surrounded by smaller rooms that can accommodate a variety of activities, both noisy and quiet, without interrupting patrons in the main rooms. The conference space comes equipped with multiple televisions, a separate kitchen, and access to the outdoor patio, so it can be used for both meetings and receptions.
