Sustainability takes on a range of contexts in this year’s libraries, from resilience in the wake of natural disasters to thoughtful incorporation of legacy elements that speaks to both economy and a sense of history.

After a devastating tornado destroyed the Rudd Public Library, IA, in 2021, the board was determined to rebuild “stronger and better.” The new library maximizes its 1,798 square foot footprint and balances economy with durability, low maintenance, and a modern aesthetic. A restrained palette of cement board and weathered steel panels nods to the community’s agrarian roots, and large windows bring daylight into the interior, reducing reliance on artificial lighting and amplifying the sense of space. Program capacity is expanded to the outdoors through the use of 3-D printed concrete forms—the result of a collaboration between the Iowa State University Computation & Construction Lab and the design firm’s digital practice team.

Cleveland Public Library−Glenville Branch, OH; Bialosky, architect; ©2025 Christian Phillips Photography, photo.

As New Jersey’s first LEED Gold–certified library, Maplewood Memorial Library has made sustainability a priority—a need that hit home when Hurricane Ida flooded the site in 2021 as construction was about to begin. All materials in the 3,200 square foot, all-electric renovation and expansion are sustainably sourced, including exterior wood cladding and interior wood flooring—as well as brick and several structural wood trusses reused from the original building. The standing seam roof carries solar panels that offset 58 percent of energy use, and details such as bird-safe glass, native landscaping, planted roofs, and elevated mechanical systems to avoid flood damage contribute to both the building’s environmental friendliness and its resilience.

Maplewood Memorial Library, NJ; Sage & Coombe Architects, architects; Chuck Choi, photo.

Built in 1915, the Sumner Library is one of Hennepin County Library’s four historic Carnegie branches in Minnesota. The renovation stays true to the structure and character of the original—listed on the National Register of Historic Places—while reworking spaces and systems for a fully contemporary facility. The new design looks forward as well as back; an entire wing now holds a children’s/teen area that transitions from the community’s youngest to oldest youth. Reconfigured and replaced furniture and finishes, plus improved restrooms and staff space, have combined with careful historic preservation to provide a community anchor.

Sumner Library, MN, LSE Architects, architect; Brandon Stengel, photo.

The renovation of the Cleveland Public Library’s Glenville Branch features a double-height central atrium that brings outdoor light into the neighborhood workforce hub. The distinctive folded perforated metal screen filters natural light to the interior as the atrium transforms throughout the day to accommodate a range of activities, from quiet exploration to active community convening.

Rudd Library, IA; OPN Architects, architect; Alex Michl, photo.

BACK TO YEAR IN ARCHITECTURE 2025 LANDING PAGE