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Designing Libraries XIII
Bridge the gap between vision and reality at Designing Libraries XIII!
Standard Registration Fee - $545
Preconference Registration Fee - $100
Registration closes October 2, 11:59 pm ET.
Refunds will not be issued for cancellations or changes to your registration that occur after October 7.
Come to the Steel City — the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, PA — where librarians, architects, planners, designers, IT professionals, and more will forge connections and explore the future of library and learning space design. Sessions will cover digital and emerging technologies, campus partnerships and cross-functional collaboration, user-centered spaces, the library as community hub, and planning and groundwork. Keynote speakers will tackle green design and biophilia and the future of library and learning space design. The future of library design has a strong foundation here — don't miss it!
Plus, kick things off early with our October 18 preconference!
Choose from two tracks.
Post-Occupancy Evaluation: Did Our Library Space Actually Work?
You designed it, built it, and opened the doors, but did it deliver? In this interactive pre-conference session, you'll get a hands-on experience with the tools and methods of Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE): mapping real spaces, auditing your own data, stress-testing surveys, and hearing honest lessons from practitioners. You will leave with practical skills and a concrete plan to assess whether your library space is truly working.
Led by Berenika Webster (University of Pittsburgh) with presentations by Susanna Cowan (UConn Library); Shan Jiang and Matt Plecity (GBBN Architects), Gili Meerevitch (Perkins Eastman); Jenn Moon-Chung, Lily Rasnake, Kornelia Tancheva, Berenika Webster (University of Pittsburgh), Alan Schlossberg (DesignGroup Architects), and Holt Zaug (Bringham Young University - Provo).
Building and Maintaining Your Project’s Momentum During Leadership Transitions
Participants will share experiences about successfully (or not) advocating for a library project, examine approaches to leadership transition, hear valuable insights from guest speakers, and build strategies for communicating effectively, managing expectations, and sustaining momentum during periods of change. At its core, this session will focus on effective collaboration between the library, campus and community leaders, and the architects and designers responsible for broader planning.
Led by Greg Raschke (NC State University) and Elliot Felix (Buro Happold) with presentations by Emily Daly, Kelley Lawton, and Lauren Rockart (Duke University); Frances Fox (Cannon Design); and Kelly Miller-Martin, Bethany Nowviskie, and Stefanie Warlick (James Madison University) with Will Gridley (Robert A.M. Stern Architects).
Call for Lightning Talks
Do you have an interesting renovation or design-related project you want to share? Indicate your interest in providing a lightning talk in the registration form and the conference team will reach out to you to submit a formal abstract.
Submission deadline is September 2.
Conference Program
Program is tentative and subject to change
Sunday, October 18 (Noon - 8 p.m.):Preconference Tours + Evening Reception at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh - Main
Monday, October 19 (8 a.m. - 7:30 pm):Opening Keynote on Biophilia Architecture in Libraries by William Browning, Managing Partner of Terrapin Bright Greenand General Session with presentations by -Abigail Jacobsen, John Cantine, and Tony Balko (University of Pittsburgh) on the University Library System’s Hillman Library Media Labs -Shari Werb, Director of the Center for Learning, Literacy & Engagement, Library of Congress -Joseph G. Tattoni (ikon.5 architects) on the Georgetown University Pierce Reading Room renovation -Samuel Lemley (Carnegie Museum University Libraries) on The Posner Center for Special Collections renovation -Aaron Brenner and Shannon Fink (University of Pittsburgh) on Hillman Library cross-functional experiential learning spaces and Lightning Talks Tours + Evening Reception at the University of Pittsburgh’s Hillman Library
Tuesday, October 20 (8 a.m. - 1:30 pm):Closing Keynote on the Future of Libraries and the Obama Presidential Center Chicago Public Library Branch by Chris Brown, Library Commissioner of the Chicago Public Libraryand General Session with presentations by -Jason J. Battles (University Arkansas) on the University Libraries Mullins Library renovation -Brian Mathews (Elon University) on the Belk Library renovation -Elisabeth Long (John Hopkins University) on the Eisenhower Library Modernization Project -Greg Raschke (NC State University) on The Hill Library renovation -Joe Lucia (Temple University) on the Charles Library projectand Lightning Talks Optional Tours and Workshops
