By Jake Trumbo
For Now Utah
Anyone who hasn’t been to The City Library in downtown Salt Lake is in for an experience beyond expectation. Upon entering this open, airy environment surrounded by glass and high ceilings, it’s readily apparent that this facility, which is equal parts library, Internet café, and upscale shopping mall, is far from the quiet, stuffy stereotype of a public library. The City Library buzzes with activity as children hurry in after school, people walk the main concourse talking and browsing at the many shops, and students sit at comfortable private tables along the outer wall reading, studying, and sipping coffee.
Andrew Shaw, assistant manager of community affairs, is eager to spread the word that The City Library has massive appeal no matter what one’s interests are. “One thing that people who have never visited the library don’t understand,” Shaw insists, “is that it is a place for more than just books.” He enthusiastically describes the variety of other features available besides a good read — things like an in-house art gallery featuring works from both local and national artists, events and concerts like Music@Main, a free concert series presenting local bands and musicians, business seminars and counseling, and computer classes that are open to the public.
Should you exhaust all the possibilities the library itself has to offer, the vendors that line the courtyard invite you to take a look at what they have on display. Salt Lake Roasting Company, The Library Store, English Garden, and Nite Flight Comics, just to name a few, have a wide selection of items that may just pique a library-goer’s interest or make the perfect gift.
With all the refreshing additions to the traditional library fare, it’s easy to forget that The City Library is a state-of-the-art information resource with five floors of books, a music and media department staffed by experts in classical recordings to indie rock, a childrens section with playrooms built into the walls in case the little ones need to blow off steam before settling down with a story, and an amazing array of computer terminals on every floor for easy Internet access. The effort has even been made to make the library appealing to teens and young people by devoting the entire second floor to an area known as “The Canteena” —emphasis on teen—with big screen televisions, computers reserved for teens to use, an expansive graphic novel collection, and other books and magazines geared toward their interests.
The building that houses this wealth of knowledge is itself an achitectural treasure, winning numerous awards for its ingenious design and aesthetics including the Honor Award for Architecture from the American Institute of Architects. Visitors can keep a sharp eye out for quotes from famous people hidden throughout the building while being guided on an architectural tour. The City Library is a place for exploration, and Shaw stresses that its team works hard to provide patrons with “a new experience every time they come in.” Take the opportunity to visit Library Journal’s 2006 Library of the Year and be surprised. Be inspired.
Details
The City Library
210 East 400 South
524-8200
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This is definitely one of my favorite places in downtown SLC. What’s your favorite feature about Library Square?