BPL Children’s Library

For the new Children’s Library, five distinct zones reflect expanding programs and resources for Early Literacy, Storytime, Collections, “tweens” and programs to serve all ages. Bright, colorful graphics and interior design integrate elements found in celebrated Boston literature, public art and parks. Together, these features tie the experience of the library to the context and culture of the city. A gestural white line wraps around the space to thread together the different zones and experiences available within the library. The youngest users play alongside ducklings, frogs and swan boats. The Storytime space reflects the architecture of Boston’s Back Bay with three-dimensional, kid-scaled rowhouses with stoops, doors, windows and integrated lights and bookshelves. A graphic of Curious George fishing in Boston Harbor greets visitors at the Program Room entrance. The “tween” space includes bookshelves and study areas beneath a graphic of the Zakim Bridge, a metaphor for the transition older kids make to Teen Central on the opposite side of the floor. The whimsical Children’s Library has outpaced expectations for circulation, readers, program attendance and patron interactions while inspiring exploration, discovery and learning for its young users.