Fayetteville Public Library facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fayetteville Public Library |
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| Country | United States of America |
| Type | Public |
| Established | 1916 |
| Location | Fayetteville, Arkansas |
| Coordinates | 36°3′42″N 94°9′53″W / 36.06167°N 94.16472°W |
| Branch of | formerly Washington County Library System |
| Collection | |
| Items collected | Books, audio books, CDs, DVDs, videos, maps, e-books, parenting kits |
| Size | 245,000 items |
| Access and use | |
| Access requirements | Resident of Washington County, Bentonville, or Rogers |
| Circulation | 1,000,000+ |
| Other information | |
| Director | David Johnson |
| Staff | 40 |
| Website | http://faylib.org/ |
| Phone number | 479-856-7000 |
The Fayetteville Public Library (also called FPL) is a fantastic library in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It's not just a place to find books; it's also a really special building! The library has a special "silver" certification for being Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design friendly. In 2005, it was named "Library of the Year" by Library Journal magazine. It was also called an "American Landmark Library" by TravelSmart. This means it's one of the most important and recognized libraries in the country!
Contents
The History of Fayetteville Public Library
The Fayetteville Public Library first opened its doors in 1916. Back then, it was located in the basement of the new Washington County Courthouse. It only had two rooms, which quickly became too small for all the books and visitors.
Moving to a New Home
In 1937, the library moved to the City Administration Building. This new spot gave it more space. However, after World War II, Fayetteville grew very quickly. More people meant the library needed even more room.
Building a Bigger Library
People in Fayetteville started raising money for a brand-new library building. In 1959, a spot on East Dickson Street was chosen. They approved $255,000 for the building. Architect Warren Segraves designed the new library.
The new building was officially opened on June 4, 1962, by Senator J. William Fulbright. Over the years, more land was bought next to the library. By 1989, the library had grown to 31,500 square feet (2,930 m2)! This large building also housed other library services.
A Modern Library for Today
In 1999, some library systems split up. The Washington County Library System moved out of the FPL building in 2000. That same year, the people of Fayetteville voted to approve a sales tax increase. This money would help build an even newer, bigger library.
In 2002, a huge gift of $3 million was given by Jim Blair. This gift honored his family members. Just two months later, construction began! The amazing new 88,000 square feet (8,200 m2) building opened in September 2004. It cost $23 million to build.
The Library Building: A Green Design
The Fayetteville Public Library building was designed by Meyer, Scherer and Rockcastle, Ltd. It opened in October 2004. This library was the very first building in Arkansas to register with the U.S. Green Building Council in 2001. It earned a silver LEED certification in 2006. This means it's super friendly to the environment!
Eco-Friendly Features
To get its green certification, the library used many smart, eco-friendly ideas.
- It was built close to the Fayetteville Historic Square. This helps people walk or bike instead of driving.
- During construction, almost all the old materials were recycled or reused. This meant less waste!
- Any trees that had to be removed were used for furniture or given to local parks.
- The library has a special "green roof" and uses cool roofing materials. This helps keep the building cooler, reducing the "heat island effect" by up to 20 degrees.
- Rainwater collected from the roof is stored underground. This water is then used to water the plants outside. This saves about 500,000 US gallons (1,900,000 L) of water every year!
- In 2009, the library got a grant to install 10 kW solar panels. These panels help create clean energy for the building.
Images for kids
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Fayetteville Public Library's expansion, seen here at night.
