Missoula Public Library, the world's best new public library in 2022.

Systematic and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) have awarded the Public Library of the Year, honoring new and innovative public libraries. The award is given each year to the world's best public library, a newly built public library that combines functional architecture with creative IT solutions and incorporates local culture with digital development. The Missoula Public Library, the 2022 winner, had three guiding principles from the design phase: sustainability, flexibility and sustainability. The building includes an energy-saving air distribution system and is heated by geothermal energy. The new library focuses on collaboration and creativity. In the architects' vision, by achieving the highest level of sustainable design, the new library-museum complex in Missoula is designed to endure for generations. They found inspiration for the library's design in the surrounding nature: the staircases, walls and furniture are clad in wood, and the purple interior color is a tribute to Montana's state flower, Lewisia rediviva (bitterroot). The central main staircase between floors is reminiscent of climbing a mountain, and each of the floors offers different activities and options. On the top floor, visitors can enjoy magnificent views of Sentinel Mountain from the library's rooftop terrace. The building is inviting and responsive to changes in technology, user interests, collection diversity and the environment. This network of library, museum, science center and community center blends Missoula's rich heritage with state-of-the-art innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]