FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LOUISVILLE (April 26, 2023) – Every year, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) partners with the American Library Association to honor the best in library architecture and design. The AIA/ALA Library Building Award is the only award that recognizes entire library structures and all aspects of their design, and the Louisville Free Public Library’s Northeast Regional branch was one of five libraries nationally to receive the award for 2023.
Designed by JRA Architects of Louisville, Meyer Scherer & Rockcastle Ltd. of Minneapolis, MKSK Studios of Louisville, and library staff, Northeast is the last of three regional libraries to be completed as part of LFPL’s ambitious 2008 master plan. The library expands next generation services and programming to previously underserved areas of the Louisville metropolitan area. Conceived as a pavilion in a park, the building offers sweeping views of the adjacent 13.5 acre park and historic site. The eco-friendly, LEED* Gold-certified facility houses more than 100,000 books and features meeting and study rooms, spaces for teens and children, a maker lab, recording studio, and demonstration kitchen.
“Here at the library we have recognized for a long time what an outstanding library facility this is. We can see it ourselves, and we hear about it from our library patrons all the time,” said Library Director Lee Burchfield. “I’m delighted to see the building and the team that created it getting the recognition they deserve.”
Since opening in June of 2019, the nearly 40,000 square-foot Northeast Regional Library is one of the busiest libraries in the LFPL system. An average of 19,500 people visit Northeast each month and checked out more than 573,000 books and other materials in the past year.
If You Visit
The Northeast Regional Library is located at 15 Bellevoir Circle. Hours of operation are: Sunday: 1–5 p.m., Monday–Thursday: 9 a.m.–9 p.m., Friday and Saturday: 9 a.m.–5 p.m. The Library hosts a variety of free programs, classes, and events every month for adults and youth including weekly storytimes and monthly book discussion groups. Search the library’s online calendar at www.LFPL.org/events for upcoming program dates and times.
*About LEED
LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, an internationally recognized green building certification system providing third-party verification that a building was designed and built sustainably and with low environmental impact.
LEED certification takes into account all aspects of design, construction, and operation – from the building site, to construction materials, to how energy efficient the building is. The Northeast Regional Library incorporates advanced “green” technologies and architectural design to save energy and minimize impact on the environment. Green features include geothermal heating and cooling, daylight harvesting interior lighting, environmentally-friendly furniture and flooring, and energy efficient windows and fixtures. The design team also preserved nearly all the mature trees on the site – maintaining the site’s natural beauty while reducing the project’s carbon footprint.
In 2009, the Newburg Library became Metro government’s first LEED-certified building. Northeast is the most recent LEED-certified library, joining the Southwest, South Central, Fairdale, and Newburg branches.
