North Canton Public Library

About North Canton Public Library

As a library, art gallery, art studio, literacy center, and an essential community partner, North Canton Public Library is a unique community asset. Located in North Canton, Ohio, the library acts as a hub for people of all ages to study, gather and discover. 

The Design Challenge

Despite the library's popularity and high book circulation, it was struggling to find sufficient space to support meetings and programs. We were challenged with finding a way to engage with community members to collaboratively develop a library improvement plan. 

Our Design Solution

We collaborated with the library to design a community-based discovery process that would engage their patrons. By leading the community through a series of focus groups, we assisted them in identifying the North Canton community’s top priorities and developed a comprehensive plan to position the library as the focal point of lifelong learning in their area. 

Through the analysis of their existing building, we discovered a substantial amount of underutilized space. Because of this, only 35% more space (6,000 square feet) needed to be added to the building to support their programs. 

With the goal of fostering community collaboration, learning, and development: we included maker spaces created community meeting spaces, tutoring rooms, dedicated children’s program space, teen space and an entrepreneur space allowing opportunities for visitors to interact. In the entrepreneurship space, members can explore business startup ideas and proto-typing opportunities, and Teens can utilize the library for studying, learning and collaborating. The children can utilize their space to make new discoveries and play together while being closely monitored by parents.

The new design shifts all public gathering and meeting spaces to the street side of the building, establishing an exciting and lively presence on one of North Canton’s busiest streets. This strategic plan embraces the community and positions a beloved community institution at the center of community building in North Canton for years to come.