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New Darien LibraryThe New Darien Library * Preliminary Building Plans (June 2006)
o View from Parking Lot and from the Front (Post Road) o View from Southwest (Hecker Ave.) and from Northeast (Nielsen's Florist) * Preliminary Building Sketches (June 2006) * Case Summary * Plans for the New Darien Library * Storm Water Management Photos of and about the new Library Watch the library going up on our New Library Construction channel New Building Update September 2008 In the News * Biofiltration in Storm Water Management (Terrain, Summer/Fall 2007) It's 1/10/10! What does that mean to us?Written by Barbara T. on 01/10/2010It means a lot! One year ago today, we opened the New Darien Library. It was a day to remember!
It's been a year to remember, too! Here's a dizzying glimpse ~ For even more great visuals and information, check out the Microsoft Surface in our Children's Library for an interactive tour. (Read all about it right here.) I'm still considering...is it our birthday or our anniversary. I think, both. Happy Birthday! Happy Anniversary! Thank you, Darien! Darien Library. It's for you! Onto Year Two! Darien Library: A hands-on experience with our Microsoft Surface!Written by Alex Hylton on 01/08/2010
Photo sets include:
So stop on by, and enjoy this fun, social and exciting experience like you’ve never had before.
Happy New Year! Happy Old Year!Written by Barbara T. on 12/31/2009So, today, we teeter on the edge of the New Year, and it's impossible for us to not recall 2009 and our first year in the New Darien Library! We opened this building on January 10, 2009 and hit the ground running. The materials, services, assistance, resources, programs, events, opportunities, technology, support, comfort, and experiences that we've been able to provide and share have been staggering and exciting. The video, below, is a very small sample of what our year was like. Warning! It may make you a little dizzy. Still, we leave 2009 not with a stagger, but with maybe a bit of a strut. We are so proud and we know that we've barely hit our stride. Darien Library. It's for you! Happy New Year! Happy Old Year!
Darien Library Exposed (in a good way)!Written by Barbara T. on 08/01/2009 We've been all over the place!Last month, while in Chicago for the ALA (American Library Association) Annual Conference, it was extremely exciting (and very cool) to see copies of Library Journal's 2009 Design Issue (that's US on the cover!) on display throughout the convention floor! July was a bit of a "WOW" month for Darien Library and we are very happy to share this news with you, our members...the most important part of the Darien Library equation! First, I'll share the latest news - announced last week, Darien Library has been selected as a Green Building of America Award-winning project and will be featured in the upcoming special Real Estate & Construction Review - Northeast Green Success Stories edition. Darien Library project (submitted by A.P Construction Company) was one of more than 2,500 nominated projects. To read more, click on the attachment at the bottom of this article.
Darien Library also recently won the top award from the Connecticut Green Building Council (CTGBC) for Institutional/Public Building. The CTGBC Awards are for current work that has been completed, ideally in Connecticut, but not limited to that if the design firm is from Connecticut. Darien Library, submitted by Peter Gisolfi Associates, won the award for Most Intriguing institution. The Library is projected to be the first LEED Gold certified library in New England based on the selection of its site, water efficiency, energy use and atmosphere, use of materials, and indoor environmental quality. It was also awarded points for the building’s innovation. For more details, click here. ...AND last, but not least, though we told you back in March about our own John Blyberg being the 2009 recipient of the LITA/Brett Butler Entrepreneurship Award for his development of the Social OPAC application suite, the award ceremony took place last month at the ALA conference. The LITA/Brett Butler Entrepreneurship Award, established in 2004, is given to recognize exemplary entrepreneurship by providing an innovative product or service designed to meet the needs of the library world through the skillful and practical application of information technology. Social OPAC (http://thesocialopac.net), also known as SOPAC (for Social Online Public Access Catalog), is a suite of open source software (OSS) tools that brings the power of social computing and Web 2.0 to library catalogs. To read more, please click here. We share with you our pride. We share with you our gratitude. Thank you, Darien for being such strong supporters of your award-winning Darien Library! Top Connecticut Green Building Award!Written by Barbara T. on 07/24/2009
The CTGBC Awards are for current work that has been completed, ideally in Connecticut, but not limited to that if the design firm is from Connecticut. Darien Library, submitted by Peter Gisolfi Associates, won the award for Most Intriguing institution. The Library is projected to be the first LEED Gold certified library in New England based on the selection of its site, water efficiency, energy use and atmosphere, use of materials, and indoor environmental quality. It was also awarded points for the building’s innovation.
According to the announcement from CTGBC, there were several major design highlights of Darien Library:
• Geothermal wells used as both heating and cooling source
• Heavy Mass to provide thermal comfort
• Choice of materials to minimize maintenance
• Located on a Brownfield site and incorporated water conservation on site for grey water usage with the building
• Automated material handling, eliminates wasted effort by staff
• A circulation system that allows any visitor to orient themselves without fear of getting lost.
“The Darien Library is remarkable because it is intrinsically sustainable. The sustainable features are embedded within the architecture of the building and the landscape architecture of the site,” according to Peter Gisolfi (pictured above. left), Principal, Peter Gisolfi Associates of Hastings-on-Hudson, NY, who led the design team.
Patterns (Traffic and Otherwise)Written by Barbara T. on 07/17/2009 |
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January 10th, 2010 will mark the one year anniversary since the New Darien Library opened its doors. To commemorate our fascinating journey leading up to the occasion, take an interactive media tour with the "Darien Library Media" application on the Microsoft Surface table in the Children's Library. This hands-on activity lets you explore some of our many photo sets from the 
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The bricks were made in Virginia (known historically for its brick artisanship, all the way back to the early 1600s) and are actually being glued into an asphalt base by the workmen. This unique process ensures that these special walkways will stand up to the harsh extremes of New England summers and winters for generations to come. Step right up, walk right in, but please be careful around our entryways this week!
Three Weeks Ago, We Opened the New Darien Library
Written by Barbara T. on 01/31/2009It was a day that will go down in our history as one of the best. It is now our great pleasure to share with you some very special moments from our Grand Opening.
Do Tell!
Written by Barbara T. on 01/21/2009
"Beautiful!" "Amazing!" "Awesome!" That's mostly what we're hearing from members as they visit their New Darien Library. The most frequently heard word punctuates the air, whether in a shout, a sigh, a giggle, or a gasp..."Wow!"
We'd love to hear more. Please add your comments by clicking below. Do tell!
Before and After
Written by Barbara T. on 01/13/2009I love "Before and After" photos. Whether it be for fashion, fitness, (hair, and makeup(!)) or decorating, I'm a sucker...so you can imagine my delight in presenting the "Before and After" of our new corner of the world!
Before and After
Quite an improvement, wouldn't you say? And just think of what you're not seeing...the environmental remediation of the site; the removal of years of contaminants from petroleum and other chemical spills.
As I was going through photos, I also came across shots taken last January and thought I'd share.
January 2008 to January 2009
The time difference is exactly one year and four days! Remarkable!
Now please, come inside out of the cold, and enjoy your New Darien Library.
Darien Library, 1441 Post Road, Darien, Connecticut, 06820-5419 · 203-655-1234Directions and Contact Information. AIM & Y!M: deweydarien