Akron-Summit County Public Library Main Library

The 247,000 SF library building project involved the addition and renovation of Akron-Summit County Library’s existing 135,000 SF Main Library Building built in 1970. The new addition negotiates the 25 foot difference in elevation between High and Main Streets. A three-story atrium along High Street affords natural light to the lower Main Street level. The building includes advanced applications of technology and communication systems.

Numerous community spaces are provided, including a 425-seat auditorium, a café, a bookstore, public meeting rooms and art exhibition spaces. An interior link to a new adjacent parking garage along High Street resolves into a new pedestrian ramp, creating protected access to the three-story addition. An outdoor amphitheater and landscaped park complete the complex.