Municipal

Ilsley Public Library

Middlebury, VT
19,480 SF New Construction
6,950 SF Historic Renovation

After years of examining the current library building’s deficiencies, exploring community needs, and evaluating varying scopes of work, the Town of Middlebury has authorized the IPL 100 building committee to move forward with a bond vote for the construction of a modern facility that will meet the needs of the community for many years to come. The original Ilsley Library was constructed in 1924 and has long served as a jewel of Middlebury. Additions in 1977 and 1988 helped extend the services provided and improved accessibility, but each solution was limited and no longer serves to meet the library's needs. WLA, in partnership with ReArch Company, participated in a multi-phased public design competition to determine which team would ultimately be selected for the project.  Our successful design focused on maintaining the historic nature of the original structure, while creating an open and inviting library that focuses on responding to the key design pillars presented to each design team.