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Central 100:
A Library, a Century,
a Public Experience
—Central Library’s 100th anniversary brought together a century of architecture, collections, people and public service. LAPL had developed the historical research and curatorial direction. WeAreGiants worked with Library staff and specialist collaborators to turn that material into a connected experience across galleries, publications and the building itself.
The challenge: Make a century accessible
Central Library’s centennial brought together a century of collections,
architecture, services, and stories from across the Library. LAPL had
the research, objects, and curatorial vision. Our challenge was to make
that wealth of material inviting and understandable to visitors, whether
they knew the building well or were discovering it for the first time.
The ideas also had to work in real spaces. Displays needed to accommodate objects, lighting, power, accessible paths, and the practical demands of fabrication and installation, all while feeling like parts of one connected experience.
The ideas also had to work in real spaces. Displays needed to accommodate objects, lighting, power, accessible paths, and the practical demands of fabrication and installation, all while feeling like parts of one connected experience.
Development and planning images
Light of Learning:
Eleven books, eleven departments
Eleven books, eleven departments
LAPL’s curatorial team envisioned its subject departments as books. Working with Library staff and specialist collaborators, we developed that idea into eleven human-scale displays. Each has a cover and spine that give its department a distinct identity. Inside, concise stories and images sit alongside an illuminated case holding books, archival materials, and objects selected with
department staff.
We spent time with subject librarians learning what makes their work distinctive, then helped choose and shape stories that visitors could explore at a glance or in greater depth. A shared visual and physical structure brings the books together, while each department’s collections and character make its book its own. Getting there meant resolving the details of display, lighting, power, accessibility, and fabrication as part of the design.
department staff.
We spent time with subject librarians learning what makes their work distinctive, then helped choose and shape stories that visitors could explore at a glance or in greater depth. A shared visual and physical structure brings the books together, while each department’s collections and character make its book its own. Getting there meant resolving the details of display, lighting, power, accessibility, and fabrication as part of the design.
Spine of the System
What does it take to keep a public library working? Spine of the System brings the departments and people behind Central Library’s public spaces into view. We worked with staff to shape their stories into an exhibition that combines historical and contemporary photographs, selected objects, and clear explanations of work visitors rarely get to see.
Some of that work is difficult to capture in a photograph. With the departments, we developed scenes that could make it visible, then art directed a series of illustrations by Jose Pimienta. His drawings give the exhibition another way to show the people, decisions, and daily effort behind the Library’s services.