Gone are the days of dimly lit quiet spaces with dusty stacks and heavy wood tables. The Mid-Continent Public Library’s North Oak Branch is a perfect example of how libraries have transformed into vibrant, multifunctional community hubs.
“North Oak is unique in that it is our only split-level branch,” says Megan Penland of Helix Design and Architecture. “That was really driven by our site constraints. It’s a long, narrow site, so we ultimately decided that a split level would work really well, footprint-wise.”
Helix led the interior design while local architectural firm Sapp Design crafted the exterior, infusing a unique theme into the library’s concept while embracing the split-level build. “We looked at it three-dimensionally as the top level being the tree canopy, the mid level being the tree house and then the lower level being like the forest floor,” Penland says. The natural theme also shaped the color palette, featuring wood tones, green accents and even window film designed to mimic dappled light coming through tree canopies.
One of the library’s standout features, which earned a shoutout in Library Journal’s 2024 Year in Architecture, is the children’s section. It includes three “houses” built into the wall and an upholstered snail motif that kids can snuggle into to read a book. “The children’s area was limited in its footprint because we were trying to accommodate a certain collection size,” Penland says. “We opted to do something that was more up against the wall versus some of our other children’s areas, which are free-floating spaces.”
Many of MCPL’s Helix-designed branches showcase themed interiors, often inspired by the library’s surroundings or specialty programs. For example, the Green Hills Library Center in the Northland has a culinary space offering cooking classes and community kitchen facilities. Helix designed the interior to complement this theme, incorporating produce-inspired seating and fixtures in the children’s area, along with a chandelier made from coffee cups. “East Independence was inspired by a lantern,” Penland says of the branch, which is nestled in a heavily wooded area. “The vestibule area has this really cool beacon lantern light fixture in it, and the overall design has a camping feel.”
GO: Library crawl, anyone? Mid-Continent Public Library North Oak Branch, 8700 N. Oak Trafficway, KCMO5
