ohn Gillum started working for the Austin Public Library system in 1979, the year what's now the John Henry Faulk Central Library opened.
At the time, the city was less the half its current size. The library system used computers to manage its circulation, but personal computers weren't considered an essential service, so libraries weren't designed or wired to accommodate them. Internet access was first provided in 1995.
Much has changed in the past 32 years, and now Gillum is helping plan and build the City of Austin what he said he hopes will be the most advanced library in the U.S. The city's "library of the future" will provide the same information and community services that residents need from traditional libraries, with a focus on innovation and flexibility, he said.
"We realize we're going out on a limb," Gillum said. "We want to do our best job, and that means we do everything we can to prepare for change. We're trying to future-proof it."
That means shelves will be on casters, so that any space can be transformed as needed, Gillum said. Displays will draw visitors to new materials, including books and magazines, as well as digital media. The library will have meeting rooms and amphitheaters to host community gatherings.
The $120 million facility will be built using bonds initially approved in 2006 and will open on Halloween 2015, if all goes according to plan, Gillum said. The 200,000-square-foot library will be a few blocks west of City Hall and will serve as the hub for the Austin system's nearly two-dozen branches.
http://www.statesman.com/news/local/...t-2058739.html