2025IFLA BT PLOTY BadgeThe “Public Library of the Year” award is presented by IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations) with the aim of honouring new public libraries. Baker & Taylor is proud main sponsor of the award.

The award is presented to a library somewhere in the world, that has best managed to combine open and functional architecture with sustainable and creative IT solutions and has included both digital developments and local culture.

To be eligible for the award, the library must be newly built, have added a significant extension, or be located in a building that has not previously been used as a library.

The award ceremony will take place as part of the 89th IFLA World Library and Information Congress (WLIC) held from 18-22 August in the Congress Centre in Astana, Kazakhstan. The winner of the award receives US$ 5,000.

Shortlisted applicants for 2025

New Canaan Library, New Canaan, Connecticut, United States
New Canaan Library ticks all the boxes of what makes a really great and welcoming new library for an entire community. The programming of the building gives you a feeling of a nice, light, and welcoming public living room, where the local citizens can meet up for a various of activities. There simply seems to be something for everyone.

The Mid-Century modern construction ties beautifully to the surrounding community and connects the library with the use of locally quarried stone to the downtown New Canaan village. The building is designed as an open, flexible framework for community use. Everything is designed with a human-scale and with a great sense of connectedness to the outside. This is especially true with the inviting views into the building from the streetscape and different gardens and plazas alongside the library.

Every decision in the project aims to consider energy efficiency and the human impact on the environment and is clearly conveyed in a diagrammatic section drawing. For example, the architects integrated energy-efficient systems, renewable energy, eco-friendly materials, and durable furniture, that would last through years of frequent use. The interior is bathed in natural light, with abundant natural materials and finishes, creating a classically modern and neutral palette.
Architects: Centerbrook Architects and Planners

Gabrielle-Roy Library, Québec, Canada
Gabrielle-Roy Library is a great example of how a creative renovation of an existing library building can bring new life to a local community. Rather than just tearing the existing library down to establish a new library, the renovation and expansion of Gabrielle Roy completely transforms the existing structure into a modern, inspiring library. It does so while integrating a wide range of sustainable features and notably minimizing waste and reducing the need for new resource extraction by adapting the existing structure.  While the old building appeared gated, passive, and not well connected to its environment, the renovation distributes public functions throughout the building with a lovely connection with the streetscape through its glazed street façade and an outdoor balcony.

The project’s community-centred approach to the library design has contributed strongly to the success of the new library. The concept of ten thematic hubs distributed across the four levels of the library reflects the co-design process engaged in with the community that supports a range of valued services, programs and collections. This is well-exemplified on the main floor, where there is a notably strong connection externally toward the community and internally with functions that are engaging and civically minded. The central skylit stair serves as an atrium and is graced by a stunning public art component.

The library offers a wide range of possibilities. The users have access to a music studio, a projection room, a fab lab, and an arts workshop to name a few. This rich program allows the library to move from a quiet repository of books to a real social hub, a true ‘third place’ adapted to its local community.
Architects: Saucier + Perrotte | GLCRM Architects Consortium

Heping Library, Shanghai, China
Presented as the first 24-hour park library in Shanghai, Heping Library stands out as a beautiful contextually inspired library with nicely integrated indoor and outdoor spaces. The library is nestled within Heping Park and is programmed in a way that visitors are given the feeling of being in the middle of a garden while visiting the library.

The Heping Library was originally an unused building of the park. During its renovation, the design team preserved the original structure as much as possible, redefined the spatial relationships within the existing framework and prioritized the use of local materials, significantly reducing material consumption, transportation costs and construction expenses. The main structure is integrated into the park system through corridors, surrounded by plants, which provides seasonal habitats for birds, making the library an integral part of the park’s ecological network.

The library consists of two separate buildings: a general hall and a children’s hall.  The architectural concept is inspired by the image of an “open book”, symbolizing its 24-hour availability to the public. The General Hall features a gracious Chinese pagoda-style interior and is designed with the concept of “Nature Discovery”, incorporating elements such as rivers, rocks, forests, and mists from nature into its layout and material design. The children’s hall, on the other hand, is inspired by the theme of “Starry Dreams”, using visual elements such as light and shadow, clouds and wind, blue sky, and green fields, as well as the innocence and imagination of children. There is an excellent use of forward-thinking technologies throughout the facilities.
Architects: Adam Lau    

Assessment criteria

The following six criteria constitute the assessments performed by the international jury:

  1. Interaction with the surroundings and local culture: Including how the architecture reflects – or considers – the local culture of the community. How it provides visibility in the urban landscape and interaction with surrounding buildings and open spaces. Does the library serve as a driver of connections or movements in the local context? Can the library function as a “living room” for the community with access for all?
  2. Architectural quality: Including how each space of the library works in terms of functions and logistics. How is the architectural concept implemented and designed on different scales within the building? How does the architecture affect the library user experience?
  3. Flexibility: Including how the library spaces are designed and organized to inspire the users’ own activities and support new activities and synergy across various spaces of the building. Can the library spaces be easily modified and used for various functions and activities? For example, does the library include special areas such as makerspace facilities for workshops, a stage or study facilities? How are these used?
  4. Sustainability: Including how sustainability principles have been incorporated into the library design and operations, such as by reducing the quantities of resources used, using local materials in the construction process, using renewable energy resources, or minimizing ongoing operational costs etc.
  5. Learning & social connection: Including how the library offers a diversity of pathways to education and how the interior design supports the development of individual, social, cultural, and economic needs. How is the furniture and the programming of the interior design executed? How does the library appeal to different demographics, age groups and encourage various learning formats or co-creation? How does the learning spaces of the library interact with the rest of the building?
  6. Digitisation & technical solutions: Including how digital communication and the accessibility of the library content are integrated within the library space, using methods that include mobile technologies. How are design, aesthetics and interaction used as the basis for this digitisation? Has technology been used in any innovative and creative ways to create experiences for the library users within the building?
  7. How does the library reflect the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and IFLA’s Vision: Please add reference-specific SDGs where relevant.

See also Frequently asked Questions

Previous Award winners

The jury

The Public Library of the Year Award 2025 jury consists of the following:

Members of the IFLA Public Libraries Section

  • Raneetha Rajaratnam, Director, National Library Board, Singapore
  • Martin Memet Könick, Library Director, Landskrona City Library, Sweden
  • Traci Lesneski, CEO & Principal of MSR, USA

Members of the IFLA Metropolitan Libraries Section

  • Flippie van der Walt, District Library Manager for the City of Cape Town, South Africa
  • Pablo Bruno D’Amico, Board Member, Asociación de Bibliotecarios Graduados de la República Argentina (ABGRA), Argentina
  • Siobhan Reardon, Principal Riverfront Associates, LLC, USA

Members of the IFLA Library Buildings and Equipment Section

  • Chair: Jakob Guillois Lærkes, Library Director, Gladsaxe Municipal Libraries, Denmark
  • Margie Kirkness, Manager Libraries & Museum, Shellharbour City Council, Australia
  • Elisabeth Martin, Principal, MDA Designgroup Architects & Planners, USA