Le Mars Public Library

Le Mars, Iowa

The City of Le Mars, the Library Board of Directors, a Community Task Force, and FEH DESIGN all came together to study the immediate and future facility needs for the 7,600 sf library, which was originally designed as a supermarket. Over the past 40 years, the library’s footprint and a majority of the furniture, has remained the same, until now.

The design features a new vestibule addition that allows for a more efficient layout inside. Natural daylighting was achieved by adding nine windows throughout the building. The original white painted CMU was repainted with a vibrant gray and the Stucco was replaced with stimulating gray and dusty blue fiber cement board to help make the library pop.

Along with the reconfiguration of all the spaces within the footprint, new finishes and furniture were added . The more efficient layout/furniture gives the library room to grow their collections by an average of 22%. The children’s collection is the highlight of the space with a tree for the entrance, a Lego® area, a magnetic wall, a mini ice cream truck play structure, and a puppet show stage.

MEP ENGINEER  EDA, Inc.    /    GENERAL CONTRACTOR  Wiltgen Brothers Inc.    /    PHOTOGRAPHY  Matt Downing Photography