Designing Libraries for the 21st Century Conference
The Designing Libraries for the 21st Century conference is where librarians, architects, planners, designers, information technologists, and others come together to explore the achievements and challenges of designing libraries and learning spaces for the 21st century.
History
The conference was first held at the University of Calgary in the spring of 2012, as a means of both showcasing the newly built Taylor Family Digital Library and serving as a venue to highlight key components of contemporary libraries. Tom Hickerson, at the time Vice Provost and University Librarian, University of Calgary, and Joan Lippincott, then Associate Executive Director of the Coalition for Networked Information, partnered to design the initial conference program. The late Susan Nutter provided a keynote for that conference as the Hunt Library at North Carolina State University, like Calgary an exemplary 21st-century library, was about to open. While initially conceived as a one-off conference, Tom and Joan became interested in hosting a similar conference at NCSU and Susan Nutter joined as the third partner. The conference moved back and forth between Calgary and North Carolina for seven years. The founders, including Greg Raschke, who succeeded Susan Nutter when she passed away, were interested in branching out to new venues, and Georgia Tech was the first site selected for hosting a conference that was not held at Calgary or North Carolina.
Conference Details
The use of the word “designing” in the name of the conference refers not only to the physical space of the library building but also to the interior design, the technology plan, the outdoor spaces, and importantly the programmatic functions and staffing of technology-rich academic libraries. This is not a purely architectural conference but a holistic look at the design and functionality of contemporary libraries, particularly linked to research, learning, and community. While most conference sessions highlight academic libraries, each program seeks to include examples from public libraries and cultural institutions such as museums. Conference attendees include architects, designers, planners, library administrators and program heads, academic administrators, faculty, and others. Institutions often send teams that are involved in local library planning initiatives.
The Coalition for Networked Information, North Carolina State University, and Tom Hickerson continue to act as the conference organizers in addition to the host institution.
Conference Dates
- Designing Libraries XII: University of Rochester, September 28–30, 2025
- Designing Libraries XI: North Carolina State University, October 27–29, 2024
- Designing Libraries X: University of Arizona, October 8–10, 2023
- Designing Libraries IX: Temple University, November 6–8, 2022
- Designing Libraries VIII: Georgia Institute of Technology, October 6–8, 2019
- Designing Libraries VII: University of Calgary, September 16–18, 2018
- Designing Libraries VI: North Carolina State University, September 17–19, 2017
- Designing Libraries V: University of Calgary, September 18–20, 2016
- Designing Libraries IV: North Carolina State University, September 20–22, 2015
- Designing Libraries III: University of Calgary, September 28–30, 2014
- Designing Libraries for the 21st Century: North Carolina State University, October 6–8, 2013
- Designing Libraries for the 21st Century: University of Calgary, May 16-18, 2012
Designing Libraries Book
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Hickerson, H. Thomas, Joan K. Lippincott, and Leonora Crema, eds. Designing Libraries for the 21st Century. Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries, 2022.
This book is also available as an open access edition at: https://www.ala.org/acrl/sites/ala.org.acrl/files/content/publications/booksanddigitalresources/digital/9780838936726_OA.pdf
- Hays, Lauren. “Interview with the editors: Hickerson, Lippincott, and Crema on Designing Libraries.” April 18, 2023, https://lucidea.com/blog/interview-with-the-editors-hickerson-lippincott-and-crema-on-designing-libraries.