Harold Washington Library
Encyclopedia
The Harold Washington Library Center is the central library for the Chicago Public Library
System. It is named for former Mayor Harold Washington
. It is located just south of the Loop 'L'
, at 400 S. State Street
in Chicago
. It is a full service library and ADA
compliant. As with all libraries in the Chicago Public Library system, it has free wifi
internet service. It is approximately 756640 square feet (70,294.2 m²).
.
, Auditorium
and the Monadnock
buildings. The bottom portion is made of large granite blocks. Red brick makes up the majority of the exterior. These two portions draw on the Beaux-Art style.
The pediment
s and most of the west side facing Plymouth Court are glass, steel and aluminum with ornamentation hearkening to the Mannerist
style.
In 1993, the roof was ornamented with seven large, painted aluminum acroteria
designed by Kent Bloomer with owl figures by Raymond Kaskey. The acroterium on the State Street side depicts an owl
, the Greek symbol of knowledge. The acroteria on the Congress Parkway and on the Van Buren sides contain seed pods, which represent the natural bounty of the Midwest
. The acroteria angularia each contain an owl perched in foliage.
On the divide between the granite blocks and the brick portions are wall medallions that have the face of Ceres and ears of corn.
On the north, east and south sides of the build are five story tall arched windows. Between the windows are rope friezes.
. The north public entrance on Van Buren is just east of the CTA Harold Washington Library-State/Van Buren
stop, served by the Brown, Orange and Pink Lines and the Purple Line Express. The corridor goes east then south then west and opens south to the lobby.
The east and south public entrances open directly to the lobby. The west public entrance opens to the offices. The west corridor goes east then south to open at the lobby.
in 1977, where the central library had been housed, much of the library's collection was placed into storage. A debate on a new central library ensued and continued throughout most of the 1980s, frustrated by a lack of funding. Upon his election in 1983, mayor Harold Washington supported the construction of a new central library. Finally, in 1987, a design competition was held that drew five prominent entries from Arthur Erickson
, Hammond, Beeby and Babka, Helmut Jahn
, Dirk Lohan, and SOM
. The entries were narrowed down to two finalists: Helmut Jahn's glassy, modern design and Hammond, Beeby and Babka's postmodern design that took elements from nearby historic buildings. Notably, Jahn's design was to have arched over Van Buren Street onto the area that is now occupied by Pritzker Park, incorporating a new elevated station on Chicago's Loop
. As these elements were deemed too expensive, along with the rest of Jahn's design, the Hammond, Beeby and Babka design won the competition.
With the support of Harold Washington and Chicago's wealthy Pritzker family
, ground was broken at the chosen site at Congress Parkway and State Street, covering an entire block. Upon the building's completion in 1991, the new Mayor Richard M. Daley
named the building in honor of the now-deceased Washington, an advocate of reading and education among Chicagoans as well as an advocate of the library's construction. Since completion, the library has appeared in the Guinness Book of Records
as the largest public library building in the world.
Chicago Public Library
The Chicago Public Library is the public library system that serves the City of Chicago in Illinois. It consists of 79 branches, including a central library, two regional libraries, and branches distributed throughout the city....
System. It is named for former Mayor Harold Washington
Harold Washington
Harold Lee Washington was an American lawyer and politician who became the first African-American Mayor of Chicago, serving from 1983 until his death in 1987.- Early years and military service :...
. It is located just south of the Loop 'L'
The Loop (CTA)
The Loop is the two mile circuit of elevated railroad that forms the hub of the 'L' rapid transit system in Chicago, Illinois. The Loop is so named because the railroad loops around a rectangle formed by Lake Street , Wabash Avenue , Van Buren Street , and Wells Street...
, at 400 S. State Street
State Street (Chicago)
State Street is a large south-north street in Chicago, Illinois, USA and its south suburbs. It begins on the Near North Side at North Avenue. For much of its course, it lies between Wabash Avenue on the east and Dearborn Street/Lafayette Avenue on the west...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. It is a full service library and ADA
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is a law that was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1990. It was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H. W. Bush, and later amended with changes effective January 1, 2009....
compliant. As with all libraries in the Chicago Public Library system, it has free wifi
WIFI
WIFI is a radio station broadcasting a brokered format. Licensed to Florence, New Jersey, USA, the station is currently operated by Florence Broadcasting Partners, LLC.This station was previously owned by Real Life Broadcasting...
internet service. It is approximately 756640 square feet (70,294.2 m²).
Architecture
The building was designed by the architectural firm of Hammond, Beeby and Babka, now known as Hammond Beeby Rupert Ainge, Inc., winners of a design competition held in 1987 to replace the old central library, which had been housed in the present Chicago Cultural CenterChicago Cultural Center
The Chicago Cultural Center, opened in 1897, is a Chicago Landmark building that houses the city's official reception venue where the Mayor of Chicago has welcomed Presidents and royalty, diplomats and community leaders. It is located in the Loop, across Michigan Avenue from Millennium Park...
.
Exterior
The exterior evokes the design of the RookeryRookery Building
The Rookery Building is a historic landmark located in the Loop community area of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Completed by John Wellborn Root and Daniel Burnham of Burnham and Root in 1888, it is considered one of their masterpiece buildings. It once housed the office of the...
, Auditorium
Auditorium Building, Chicago
The Auditorium Building in Chicago is one of the best-known designs of Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan. Completed in 1889, the building is located on South Michigan Avenue, at the northwest corner of Michigan Avenue and Congress Parkway. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1975. It...
and the Monadnock
Monadnock Building
The Monadnock Building , is a skyscraper located at 53 West Jackson Boulevard in the south Loop community area of Chicago, Illinois. The north half of the building was designed by the firm of Burnham & Root and built in 1891...
buildings. The bottom portion is made of large granite blocks. Red brick makes up the majority of the exterior. These two portions draw on the Beaux-Art style.
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
s and most of the west side facing Plymouth Court are glass, steel and aluminum with ornamentation hearkening to the Mannerist
Mannerism
Mannerism is a period of European art that emerged from the later years of the Italian High Renaissance around 1520. It lasted until about 1580 in Italy, when a more Baroque style began to replace it, but Northern Mannerism continued into the early 17th century throughout much of Europe...
style.
In 1993, the roof was ornamented with seven large, painted aluminum acroteria
Acroterion
An acroterion or acroterium is an architectural ornament placed on a flat base called the acroter or plinth, and mounted at the apex of the pediment of a building in the Classical style. It may also be placed at the outer angles of the pediment; such acroteria are referred to as acroteria angularia...
designed by Kent Bloomer with owl figures by Raymond Kaskey. The acroterium on the State Street side depicts an owl
Owl
Owls are a group of birds that belong to the order Strigiformes, constituting 200 bird of prey species. Most are solitary and nocturnal, with some exceptions . Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish...
, the Greek symbol of knowledge. The acroteria on the Congress Parkway and on the Van Buren sides contain seed pods, which represent the natural bounty of the Midwest
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
. The acroteria angularia each contain an owl perched in foliage.
On the divide between the granite blocks and the brick portions are wall medallions that have the face of Ceres and ears of corn.
On the north, east and south sides of the build are five story tall arched windows. Between the windows are rope friezes.
Interior
All public doors lead to the lobbyLobby (room)
A lobby is a room in a building which is used for entry from the outside. Sometimes referred to as a foyer or an entrance hall.Many office buildings, hotels and skyscrapers go to great lengths to decorate their lobbies to create the right impression....
. The north public entrance on Van Buren is just east of the CTA Harold Washington Library-State/Van Buren
Library-State/Van Buren (CTA)
Harold Washington Library-State/Van Buren is a handicapped accessible 'L' station serving the CTA's Brown, Orange, Pink, and Purple Lines. Originally, the station was to have direct access to the second floor of the Harold Washington Library building, but this direct connection was never built...
stop, served by the Brown, Orange and Pink Lines and the Purple Line Express. The corridor goes east then south then west and opens south to the lobby.
The east and south public entrances open directly to the lobby. The west public entrance opens to the offices. The west corridor goes east then south to open at the lobby.
- The lower level houses the Cindy Pritzker Auditorium, Multi-Purpose Room and Exhibit Hall.
- The central lobby is two stories tall. On the east side, the Popular Library is housed.
- The second floor houses the Thomas Hughes Children’s library.
- The third floor is the floor that is the entrance to the main library. The circulation desk, book check-in/check-out, computers for public use, periodicals, interlibrary loan and general information services department.
- The fourth floor holds the business, general sciences, and technology items.
- The fifth floor holds government publications, Chicago municipal references, maps, and center for the blind, visually impaired and physically disabled.
- The sixth floor holds social sciences and history resources.
- The seventh floor holds literature and language resources as well as a work by acclaimed PolishPolesthumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
sculptor Jerzy KenarJerzy KenarJerzy S. Kenar is a Polish-American sculptor in the United States. Kenar works in wood, bronze as well as in an Acrylic-based composite.Born on January 19, 1948 in the town of Iwonicz-Zdrój, he left Poland permanently in 1973 for Sweden...
. - The eighth floor holds visual and performing arts resources, music practice rooms, and audio/visual rooms.
- The ninth floor holds the winter garden, which may be rented for social functions, special collection and preservation department, the Harold Washington archives and collections and exhibit halls.
- The tenth floor is not open to the public. It houses library offices and technical services.
History
The Harold Washington Library opened on October 7, 1991. After the refurbishment of the Chicago Cultural CenterChicago Cultural Center
The Chicago Cultural Center, opened in 1897, is a Chicago Landmark building that houses the city's official reception venue where the Mayor of Chicago has welcomed Presidents and royalty, diplomats and community leaders. It is located in the Loop, across Michigan Avenue from Millennium Park...
in 1977, where the central library had been housed, much of the library's collection was placed into storage. A debate on a new central library ensued and continued throughout most of the 1980s, frustrated by a lack of funding. Upon his election in 1983, mayor Harold Washington supported the construction of a new central library. Finally, in 1987, a design competition was held that drew five prominent entries from Arthur Erickson
Arthur Erickson
Arthur Charles Erickson, was a Canadian architect and urban planner. He studied Asian languages at the University of British Columbia, and later earned a degree in architecture from McGill University.-Biography:...
, Hammond, Beeby and Babka, Helmut Jahn
Helmut Jahn
Helmut Jahn is a German-American architect, well known for designs such as the US$800 million Sony Center on the Potsdamer Platz, Berlin, the Messeturm in Frankfurt and the One Liberty Place, formerly the tallest building in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Suvarnabhumi Airport, an international...
, Dirk Lohan, and SOM
Skidmore, Owings and Merrill
Skidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP is an American architectural and engineering firm that was formed in Chicago in 1936 by Louis Skidmore and Nathaniel Owings; in 1939 they were joined by John O. Merrill. They opened their first branch in New York City, New York in 1937. SOM is one of the largest...
. The entries were narrowed down to two finalists: Helmut Jahn's glassy, modern design and Hammond, Beeby and Babka's postmodern design that took elements from nearby historic buildings. Notably, Jahn's design was to have arched over Van Buren Street onto the area that is now occupied by Pritzker Park, incorporating a new elevated station on Chicago's Loop
The Loop (CTA)
The Loop is the two mile circuit of elevated railroad that forms the hub of the 'L' rapid transit system in Chicago, Illinois. The Loop is so named because the railroad loops around a rectangle formed by Lake Street , Wabash Avenue , Van Buren Street , and Wells Street...
. As these elements were deemed too expensive, along with the rest of Jahn's design, the Hammond, Beeby and Babka design won the competition.
With the support of Harold Washington and Chicago's wealthy Pritzker family
Pritzker family
The Pritzker family is one of America's wealthiest families, and has been near the top of Forbes magazine's "America's Richest Families" list since the magazine began in 1982....
, ground was broken at the chosen site at Congress Parkway and State Street, covering an entire block. Upon the building's completion in 1991, the new Mayor Richard M. Daley
Richard M. Daley
Richard Michael Daley is a United States politician, member of the national and local Democratic Party, and former Mayor of Chicago, Illinois. He was elected mayor in 1989 and reelected in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, and 2007. He was the longest serving Chicago mayor, surpassing the tenure of his...
named the building in honor of the now-deceased Washington, an advocate of reading and education among Chicagoans as well as an advocate of the library's construction. Since completion, the library has appeared in the Guinness Book of Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
as the largest public library building in the world.
See also
- Chicago architectureChicago architectureThe architecture of Chicago has influenced and reflected the history of American architecture. The city of Chicago, Illinois features prominent buildings in a variety of styles by many important architects...
- Chicago Public LibraryChicago Public LibraryThe Chicago Public Library is the public library system that serves the City of Chicago in Illinois. It consists of 79 branches, including a central library, two regional libraries, and branches distributed throughout the city....
- List of museums and cultural institutions in Chicago
External links
- Harold Washington Library home page
- Chicago Public Library home page