New directions in library design include integrations and partnerships with community entities such as schools and art galleries.  These designs begin to become mechanisms for paradigm shifts in educational and community design strategies.  The Sand Creek branch of the Pikes Peak Library District afforded such an opportunity, as much out of necessity as innovation.

Located in an existing storefront space, the facility provides a central element that contains checkout as well as community and educational instruction rooms.  A cafe and informal learning areas line the storefront.  Acting as a de-facto community art gallery that serves both community and school district functions, individual study corrals along the far wall also act a display space.  Ample daylight hallmarks the space and provide enough daylighting to significantly reduce the need for artificial lighting during the day.  The project exhibits ways of providing a large circulation space, needed for any library facility, while allowing patrons to find individual, private space within a public forum.  A special Youth Room anchors the project near the Cafe.