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The libraries featured in this article--all projects competed between July 1, 2009, and June 30, 2010--harmonize with and expand into their communities. Today's library is more than the mere sum of its parts. As evidenced by these 125 public library projects and 12 academic buildings, the thinking these days is for the library to harmonize with and extend both into and beyond its community; to become a warm and welcoming place for its constituents; and to present a safe harbor for everyone who enters. These libraries embrace brilliant artwork, panoramic views through glass walls, extensive collections of varied materials, hi-tech elements of every imaginable kind, and more energy-efficient features than one can shake a bioswale at. This article presents: (1) an overview of building projects in 2010; (2) statistics on libraries; and (3) list of architects.

This paper provides a compilation of a top ten list of books for 2010. The goal was to glean the very best the great publishing tsunami has to offer with the input of librarians and trusty reviewers; the result is a mix of both the usual suspects and dark horse contenders.

Can it be only two years, as Alan Jay Lerner once wrote, "since the whole [economic] rigmarole began"? Yet libraries have weathered to varying degrees the unreliability of funding, especially with regard to programming, materials, and hours. Money earmarked years ago is seeing construction through to conclusion; state support has helped out in some cases, defaulted in others. Private contributions seem to have fallen in the wake of personal concerns. Despite the economic vagaries, the larger focus remains the constancy of the library as a place for learning and entertainment, for bringing individuals--readers, students, researchers, gamers, dreamers--together in a space created just for them, the heart of a community, a campus, a landscape. This article presents photographs and brief descriptions of various academic library building projects, completed between July 1, 2008 and June 30, 2009.

Even as libraries face the economic downturn, a record-setting number of people attended the American Library Association (ALA) annual conference in Chicago, July 9-15. The tough economy, however, was felt in the number of exhibitors, which declined from the previous record set in 2007 in Washington, DC, and in anecdotal evidence that suggested that many participants traveled on their own dime. ALA reported total numbers of 28,941, including 22,762 attendees and 6,179 exhibitors, compared to a 22,047 total in Anaheim last year and 28,635 in Washington, with more than 7100 exhibitors. Still, ALA did not tout the turnout, perhaps because news regarding library budgets and other conferences--such as the move of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) congress and the cancellation of the Ohio Library Council's annual meeting--was sobering. Authors and publishers abounded, with an ambitious lineup of auditorium speakers and many author programs--including first novelists and memoirists--presented by the Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations (ALTAFF). While certain high-profile events drew smaller crowds than in previous years, librarians looking to make the most of their services turned out in droves for programs ranging from technology to readers' advisory. Social networking forums such as Twitter enabled an informal parallel conference to occur as people traded insights from programs, things they overheard on the floor, and the facts of their daily movements. The biggest buzz concerned a canceled panel, "Perspectives on Islam: Beyond the Stereotyping," sponsored by ALA's Ethnic & Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table (EMIERT). The Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said that three panelists withdrew in protest over the participation of Robert Spencer, whom CAIR calls "one of the nation's leading Islam-bashers." An online debate grew over how the panel was formed and when the panelists were informed of Spencer's role.

If the resort city of Anaheim, California, home of Disneyland and its "imagineers," marked a departure from the urban reality of the typical American Library Association (ALA) annual conference, it was impossible, at this 2008 meeting, to avoid urgent library issues. How do libraries maintain their value and cultural presence as users turn to the Internet? How do library products and library catalogs change? The emergence of such products as EBSCO's simplified interface and the social discovery service BiblioCommons signal change, as does ALA's $1 million grant from the Verizon Foundation, which also sponsored the conference's first-ever gaming pavilion, to study the impact of gaming on literacy. The buzz about digital downloads of books, audiobooks, and DVDs was louder than ever, even as books on paper dominated publishers' booths and programs. In this article, the authors report on the ALA 2008 conference and discuss the need for library "imagineering" on creating new catalogs, engaging users, and navigating technology.

The year in architecture offered grand facades, creative collaborations, and calamities overcome and viewed as opportunities. This article features 168 public building projects and 21 academic facilities completed between July 1, 2006, and June 30, 2007 that provide a glimpse of the future. Many libraries reported here achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, while still others incorporated sustainable design principles into their projects. Daylighting ("controlled admission of natural light through windows to reduce or eliminate electric lighting"), air quality upgrades, renewable resources, water reuse principles, low-voltage lighting fixtures, energy efficiency, and native plants are just some of the checklist items for an ecofriendly facility. A listing of the 168 public library projects and 21 academic buildings is included.

This article presents the highlights of the 2007 American Library Association (ALA) annual conference held at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. Hundreds of librarians showed up early for a day of service, volunteering in libraries, schools, and other Washington-area institutions. As the conference wound down, some 2000 librarians and library advocates traversed the corridors of Congress on June 26 wearing red "Support Libraries" t-shirts. Events at the conference also included a professional debate that discussed the question: "Do libraries innovate?" and panel discussions on library wikis and "top tech trends."

The standalone PDA seems to be dying, but the prominence of smart phones and similar devices are opening new doors for ebooks. The digital music and ipod phenomena bode well for what could happen with e-text publishing, with content and hardware easier to use just as new open standards are beginning to emerge. Mobile, portable, wireless, handheld, personal--these are the qualities readers want in their electronic devices, and this is what the market is finally delivering, both in all-in-one devices and in dedicated e-readers. Many workable and desirable hardware solutions now exist for taking advantage of electronic texts on the go. Ebooks are being read on ebook readers as well as on almost any other kind of electronic gadget. PodReader is an open source application that facilitates making electronic documents readable on an ipod. These are print books on iPods, not audio ebooks. Gaming devices, such as Sony's PlayStation Portable (with a relatively large 4" screen) and Nintendo's Gameboy, are also being used to read ebooks. In this article, the author looks at the latest ebook devices and what they mean for librarians.

The temperature may have been sweltering and the logistics a challenge, but that didn't stop the American Library Association (ALA) in Chicago from drawing more attendees than ever before. The 27,800 who came, including 6,731 exhibitors, set a new record, topping the previous record of 26,542 in 2001 in San Francisco and the Chicago totals of 24,000 in 2000 and 24,500 in 1995. Numbers alone do not capture the high energy of this show, one of the best in years. ALA did have some trouble handling the crowd. Both attendees and exhibitors criticized the confused and disorganized--bordering on dangerous--process of onsite registration, which left many waiting a full hour to sign up. Sessions ran the gamut, yet there was a distinct focus on the future, including the usual anxiety about whether libraries would keep up. ALA inaugurated a new president, Michael Gorman, who, perhaps unfairly, has gained the most notice for his cautions on blogs and digitization. Meanwhile, the new wave of librarians--and some veterans--made this the most-blogged library conference so far, with blog entries gathered on a first-ever conference wiki (http://meredith.wolfwater. com/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page). While turnout at ALA membership meetings remained paltry, those sessions were the only place for members to introduce some highly political stances later adopted by Council, including a condemnation of the war in Iraq and defense of materials related to sex.

People look at one billion dollars in one of two ways: if it is the result of the long, hard effort of years of fundraising, they rejoice; if it signifies an astronomical budget deficit, they cringe. How, then, should people respond as a community to reaching the $1 billion mark ($1,242,436,438, to be exact) in this year's spending for public library construction? One would suppose with a bit of both: elation at the availability of such wealth and trembling at the enormous cost of building today. The 203 public library projects completed between July 1, 2003 and June 30, 2004 share features beyond the exorbitant prices in the 21st century. The 36 academic projects include the other half of those joint-use facilities, plus a number of specialized schools of law, music, science, and hotel management. This year's architectural picture remains bright, even if one does get a bit glassy-eyed when looking at the dollars involved. Still, technological adaptability, teen centers, high-tech systems, and expanded community service have their price. Now that these buildings are completed, with all that glorious innovation, people will rejoice and come to the library.

Examines how librarians are customizing their services and collections for handheld computing. Discusses the widest adoption of PDAs (personal digital assistants) in libraries that serve health and medical communities; PDA-friendly information pages; the reference focus; journals and databases; lending materials; publicity; use of PDAs by library staff; integrated library system (ILS) vendors getting into the act; and future outlooks. (AEF)

This annual review of library buildings focuses on new academic and public library buildings as well as additions and renovations. Library Buildings 2001 includes costs, book capacity, seating capacity, a six-year cost summary that includes fund sources, and a list of architects. (LRW)

Library construction continues to thrive as money allows for new and remodeled buildings. This year's 197 public projects alone account for $543 million. The 81 new buildings join 116 additions/remodels and 35 academic libraries. Five tables provide statistics on new buildings and additions/renovations by name of institution and by state and community. (AEF)

Presents statistics on public and academic library construction for new buildings, as well as for additions and renovations. Information is provided on funding sources, costs, size, book capacity, and seating capacity. A directory of architects, numerous photographs, and a list of buildings in progress are also included. (LRW)

With the exhibits at New York's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center open just two days, the show floor at this year's BEA was a real free-for-all, with lots of traffic from the moment the doors opened on Wednesday, May 26. But for LJ's review editors, it was worth enduring stubbed toes and rattled nerves to find fresh and interesting titles. In this article, the authors describe their personal favorites.