The Missoula Public Library was chosen as the “Public Library of 2022” at a world library event in Dublin.
Missoula Library voted best public library of the year
The International Federation of Library Associations World Congress presented the award on Tuesday. It’s given to a newly designed library that’s excelled at combining sustainable and open architecture and incorporating learning technology, IT solutions, local culture and landscape.
The award is open to libraries all over the world. This year, Missoula bested libraries in Denmark, Latvia and Saudi Arabia.
“Missoula Public Library’s downtown flagship … is the first library in North America to win this prestigious award,” the press release states.
Missoula’s downtown location was created by the Minneapolis-based MSR Design and Montana’s A&E Design. It opened last July.
“Missoula Public Library has it all,” IFLA jury chair Jakob Guillois Lærkes said in the press release. “The building stands out for its beautiful architecture that pays homage to the surrounding landscape while offering a wealth of possibilities and serving as a meeting place for the community. It’s a library that you would relish having in your own local area. It’s a library built for the future.”