Rangeview Library District l Thornton, Colorado | Architect: Humphries Poli Architects

Anythink Any Time A whole rebranding campaign is just the beginning of the out-of-the-box facets of the Anythink Wright Farms library. Finding a home on a nine-acre plot, it blurs the lines between interior and exterior space with its open floor plan encompassing an inside-outside fireplace, a children's garden, and outdoor nooks for reading. Wiht a distinctive logo on furnishings, Anythink stands out for flexibility and sustainability. Children's area photo aby Ken Meireis; all photos by Marcus Farr

10 | The Cure for Any Identity Crisis

The New Icons The Ten New Landmark Libraries Popular Creek Public Library Palo Verde Library/ Maryvale Community Center Cesar Chavez Branch Library Hamilton Mill Branch Library Durango Public Library Sammamish Library Appaloosa Branch Library Agave Library Roseville Library Anythink Wright Farms Ten More That Will Inspire Criteria and Judges

It’s hard these days not to hear about Anythink, the refreshingly unorthodox take on library services created by the Rangeview Library District (RLD) located outside Denver in Adams County, CO. It is proving to be the cure for any identity crisis that this county’s library might have had. (See Norman Oder’s “In the Country of Anythink,” LJ 11/15/10, p. 18–22.)

As a result of a mill levy increase in 2006, RLD has been building, expanding, or renovating branches, all branded with Anythink and integrating design choices that start with how people use the space, not how to store books.

Anythink Wright Farms (AWF), the largest of the buildings and home of RLD headquarters, is an oasis-like environment—as per public input. Situated on nine acres, it nestles between two main arterials across from an elementary school and backing up to a residential area. The sense of an oasis was supported by blurring the lines between inside and outside with features like a back-to-back/inside-outside fireplace, a children’s garden, and outdoor reading nooks. A city park developed next to the library also helps, as do interior materials and finishes like maple, natural colors, and reed-and-twig-embedded resin glass accents.

Working with the elements Raised flooring satisfies RLD’s thirst for flexibility along with its quest for energy efficiency and comfort. Made of removable concrete plates affixed to steel pedestals, the floor system houses electrical and IT wiring, as well as ventilation and air distribution conduits. When changes are needed, they can be performed without disrupting walls or ceilings. Plus, air is circulated from below, thereby increasing the frequency and quality of internal air exchange, driving down heating and cooling costs and raising patron comfort.

Carefully planned from an energy use perspective, this building includes a highly efficient geothermal heating and cooling system, an automated lighting system, solar tubes, and light shelves to bring light deep inside. Harvesting daylight is a cost-effective way to optimize light and reduce energy use. Also, employing space adjacencies—grouping high-traffic areas and, separately, lower-use areas—allows heating and cooling for each to be tailored accordingly.

Designing in flexibility A hallmark of New Landmark Libraries is the open floor plan. Anythink Wright Farms employs a strategic placement of shelving, color, and wayfinding elements. The front of the library, replete with concierges to greet and assist, is for new book displays, self-service holds, and the Anythink café. Next, there are zones of books and other media on shelving. The goal was to design for self-discovery by eliminating service barriers and creating a bookstore environment. “Anythink rooms” are traditional study rooms in disguise. Self-service kiosks, at the exit, absorb 95 percent of check outs.

Anythink Wright Farms is a counterbalance to those who would question the relevancy of libraries in the Internet age. Challenging hallowed library principles, its altered service model results in buildings that feel and operate much better than a bookstore. No Dewey Decimal System for RLD; cookbooks are in the “cookbook” section. No “sssh-ing”; this is a “homey” place to gather, interact with information, or catch up with friends and neighbors.

Rangeview fulfilled its mission—“We open doors for curious minds”—by opening Anythink Wright Farms, and it has also gone beyond to showcase its award-winning philosophy for librarians around the globe.