Burton Barr Central Library facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Burton Barr Central Library |
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| General information | |
| Type | Public library |
| Location | 1221 North Central Avenue Phoenix, Arizona 85004 United States |
| Coordinates | 33°27′45.00″N 112°04′23.50″W / 33.4625000°N 112.0731944°W |
| Construction started | 1989 |
| Opened | 1995 |
| Owner | Phoenix Public Library |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 5 |
| Floor area | 26,000 m2 (280,000 sq ft) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architecture firm | bruderDWLarchitects |
The Burton Barr Central Library is the main library in Phoenix, Arizona. It's the biggest and most important library in the Phoenix Public Library system. The library is named after Burton Barr, who was an important leader in Arizona's government for many years. This huge library holds about 1 million books and other items!
Contents
History of the Library
The idea for this library came from a special vote in 1988. It was built to replace an older library from the 1950s. That old building is now part of the Phoenix Art Museum.
Cool Design Features
The Burton Barr Central Library was designed by DWL Architects and Will Bruder. It opened its doors in May 1995. The building has five floors and is super big, about 280,000 square feet.
Inside, you'll find a cool open space in the middle. It has three fast elevators and a grand staircase with five levels. People call this staircase the "crystal canyon."
The roof of the library is special. It's inspired by Buckminster Fuller's "tensegrity" designs, which use tension and compression to create strong, light structures. The library also has special shades on the north side and moving panels on the south side. These help control the sunlight and keep the building cool.
The entire fifth floor is a giant reading room, about 1 acre in size! Every year, on the summer solstice (the longest day of the year), the library holds a celebration. On this day, the sun shines through the skylights. It creates circles of light that go all the way down to the ground floor lobby. It's a really cool sight!
What You Can Find Inside
The Burton Barr Central Library has many different areas for everyone.
The Great Reading Room
The main reading room on the fifth floor is one of the largest in the United States. It's a huge space, about 1 acre big. This room has lots of study areas and holds most of the library's nonfiction books.
hive @ central
On the second floor, you'll find "hive @ central." This is a special place for people who want to start their own businesses. It's open to everyone and offers free help and services.
Arizona Room
Also on the second floor is the Arizona Room. This area has a special collection of books and materials about Arizona and the Southwestern United States. You can learn about the history, culture, and geography of the region, from ancient times to today.
College Depot
College Depot is a free center that helps students plan for college. It's located at the library and has advisors who can help you with college applications, finding money for school (financial aid), and scholarships. They offer workshops and one-on-one meetings.
Teen Central
Teen Central is a 5,000 square-foot space just for teens aged 12 to 18. It's on the fourth floor. Here, you can find workshops, computers, and study areas. There's also a "living room" where they show movies. Besides books, CDs, and DVDs, Teen Central even has its own art gallery!
Children's Place
The Children's Place is a large area on the first floor, about 10,000 square feet. It has a story time room, an auditorium, and an outdoor garden just for kids. There are plans to make this area even bigger in the future!
MACH1
MACH1 is a "maker-space" located on the fourth floor. It offers free programs for everyone. You can learn about things like video game design, coding, video editing, science, and robotics. It's a great place to get hands-on and create!
Rare Book Room
On the fourth floor, you can visit the Rare Book Room. It has a collection of 3,400 special and old books. You can even take free tours to see them!
Central Gallery
The Central Gallery is an art exhibition space on the first floor. It shows off amazing artwork by artists from Arizona who don't have their own art gallery yet.
Awards and Recognition
The Burton Barr Central Library has won many awards from local, national, and even international groups. Some of these include:
- 1995 Honor Award from the AIA Arizona
- 1997 Award of Excellence from the AIA and the American Library Association
- 1995 Best New Building from Phoenix New Times
In 2008, the library was chosen as one of the Phoenix Points of Pride. This means it's considered one of the most important and special places in Phoenix. In 2010, it also received a special "LEED Silver" award. This award recognizes buildings that are designed and operated in an environmentally friendly way.
