Now that the American Library Association annual convention in New Orleans is over, I have had time to reflect on what the 5 days meant to me. At first blush, the ALA convention was a frenzy--with several thousand librarians scurrying around to find the perfect class or to network with someone… Read full post »

On April 19, MS&R employees in Minneapolis were treated to a lunch time visit with Juhani Pallasmaa (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juhani_Pallasmaa.) He is a world class architect and author of more than 30 books .

He has been engaged in architectural, product, and graphic design… Read full post »

MS&R (www.msrltd.com) has been retained by Drexel University to renovate and adaptively reuse the former ISI office building at 3501 Market Street and the former daycare center at 3401 Filbert Street (in Philadelphia, PA,) to house its arts and design programs.  As planned for the ISI b/… Read full post »

In the last 72 hours, there has been a continuos stream of 1's and 0's proclaiming the pros and cons of the new iPad. The rhetoric follows the camps. Those who have apple juice in their veins see it as the next best variety from the apple farm. Like any new… Read full post »

Imagine being in a city without a quiet place to listen. Imagine being in a city that only allows running. Imagine standing still and listening to the sound of running--running to, from and around the noise of the city. Now, think about a quiet place where running is only done for… Read full post »

I have always been an optimist--believing that if I imagine an outcome I can influence the present. To many this might seem a bit pollyanish (Eleanor Porter's classic 1913 children's book.) I prefer to think of myself as one of Borges' imaginary beings (see "The Book of Imaginary Beings." ) Perhaps… Read full post »

For the past several months I have been pondering what is on the mind of many people: Can we survive as a civilization without the printed word on paper? I know this question, by itself, poses many other questions. I have heard from many people that I am too worried about… Read full post »

The bi-annual convention of the Public Library Association is in full swing in Portland, OR. Besides the usual programs on providing better services, working smarter and staying ahead of the curve, the buzz is about the devastating impact of the economy on libraries. Particularly important to many is… Read full post »

MS&R (www.msrltd.com) recently completed a new library for the Newburg community in Louisville, KY. American Libraries has published a great article on the impact of this library on the lives of the residents. Note, in particular, the 200+ teens coming to the library everyday and the children (ma… Read full post »

This article reveals the tip of the iceberg in the world of content preservation and access. This mania/euphoria over e-content has a very dark side that we are not facing--which is logical when one considers the short attention span of e-consumers. This article in the year 2060 will probably be reve… Read full post »

As early as 1879, W.F. Poole stated “Avoid everything that pertains to the plan and arrangement of the conventional library building.” James Bertram, Carnegie’s Secretary stated:“..to obtain for the money the utmost of effectiv (sic) accommodation, consistent with good ta… Read full post »

This is my first post. I am a library architect who cares deeply about the tradition of the free public library in our society--and not just from a self-interest point of view. As we move faster and faster towards a digital-only world, the impact on our physical world will be profound.… Read full post »