Recap: Sneak Peek at Denver Central Library’s Future

About the tour:

Have you ever wondered about how the Denver Public Library receives new items, moves thousands of materials between its 26 locations and deals with donated materials? Did you know that the Central Library is among several DPL locations slated for updates under the Denver GO Bond? On Tuesday, March 5, 2019, tour guide Jennifer Hoffman, Manager of Books and Borrowing, took us for a behind-the-scenes look at the lifecycle of library items and a sneak peek at the exciting renovations planned for Denver’s iconic Central Library.

About the site:

On March 25, 1995, the Denver Public Library re-opened in its spectacular new home, the Michael Graves addition to the Burnham Hoyt building, stepping into a world of modern and efficient “library heaven” as City Librarian Rick Ashton called it. World renowned Architect Michael Graves teamed with the Denver firm of Klipp Colussy Jenks DuBois, “created a signature building… a dynamic blend of formal and informal spaces, community rooms and quiet reading rooms, a playful Children’s Pavilion and museum quality galleries.”

The Library’s seven-story exterior is finished in limestone and pre-cast concrete with copper accents throughout. The interior is curly maple. In soft southwestern colors of buff, red and green, the building materials “will weather well to give us that wonderful character we associate with the passage of time,” said architect Graves.

Image courtesy of Denver Public Library.