The Library Design Collaborative is a joint venture team working with the East Baton Rouge Parish Library and BREC to develop the parish’s new main library in Independence Park. This new 126,000 sf main branch library serves as a focal point of the community park in which it is sited. The project was a collaborative effort of the Library System, Parks and Recreations System, and the City of Baton Rouge. The site includes the main library, a cyber cafe, teaching and botanic gardens, soccer fields and children’s playground and aquatics facility.

The main reading room is a large two-story space with full height views to the park and outdoor educational areas. This extensive natural lighting allows lower energy usage and enhances the quality of the indoor environment.

Zoned spaces provide users with a variety of patron-specific experiences. The main branch library includes a teen zone with gaming opportunities, a colorful children’s area, the parish-wide genealogy center, a large community meeting room, with public computers and soft seating throughout.

Many design strategies were incorporated to achieve a LEED Gold or Silver Certification including site sensitive building orientation, daylight harvesting, selection of interior materials with recycled content, use of energy efficient glazing systems, efficient plumbing fixtures, and geothermally assisted heating and cooling.

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