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Library Showcase - Laramie County Public Library

Laramie County Public Library

Cheyenne, WY

The new Laramie County Public Library

As public awareness of environmental issues continues to grow, more and more communities across the country are making eco-friendly public buildings a top priority. Laramie County Public Library, located in Cheyenne, Wyoming, is one such facility. Following the guidelines of LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), a voluntary program offered by the U.S. Green Building Council, Laramie County recently replaced its 38 year old library with a new three-story, 100,000 square foot “green” facility.

Energy conservation and carbon emissions reduction anchor the new design. Energy efficient heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and lighting reduce the amount of electricity and natural gas used. Additionally, carbon emissions from automobiles are cut by adding two bus stops within a quarter mile of the building, along with increased bicycle storage space and special parking spots reserved for carpooling patrons.

A state-of-the-art recycling program began during the construction process with the use of local, regional, and recycled building materials. According to the U.S. Green Building Council, construction and demolition waste produced by conventional building projects makes up 40% of the total solid waste stream in the U.S.

In accordance with LEED guidelines, the design utilizes native landscaping as part of a water conservation effort. By using native, self-sustaining vegetation (sumac and Russian sage bushes; wildflowers, such as the golden tickseed; and juniper and pine trees, among others), extra watering is not required. This, in addition to new plumbing equipment, reduces water consumption by 30%, compared to conventional buildings.

In addition to the library’s new environmentally-friendly design and operation, the new facility makes use of additional space by greatly expanding library services. “My Library Place,” an interactive literacy center for children has been added; additional meeting and study rooms are available; new self-check stations have been installed; and the library collection has been expanded to include additional books, audiobooks, movies, and music.

To celebrate the grand opening of the new building, the library held a celebration this past September, attended by 300 people. Dave Freudenthal, Wyoming’s governor, presented the keynote address. Aside from Mr. Freudenthal, speakers and activities were kept to a minimum, in order to keep the spotlight on the new facility. According to Troy Rumpf, Laramie County Library System’s manager of communications, “…we wanted the building to be the event and thought we’d be hurting ourselves if we tried to compete with that.”

Visit the Laramie County Library’s online calendar for a listing of events and ongoing programs, including computer instruction classes, teen gaming programs, and children’s story-time. For general information, visit www.LCLSonline.org.

Golden Tickseed, a native Wyoming wildflower used in the landscape design

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