Debt: Our Common Problem Monday, January 12-Monday, February 16 7pm Halifax Central Library free English poet and priest George Herbert recorded the aphorism, “speake not of my debts, unleffe you meane to pay them” in a publication from 1640. Apparently, it was as unacceptable to gab about your bff’s Visa bill in the 17th century […]
Halifax Central Library
Posted inNews + Opinion
What’s causing sexualized violence at our universities?
A free public panel will take place Thursday night discussing the systemic causes of sexualized violence on Halifax’s university campuses. The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Public Affairs will put on “How We Live Matters” this Thursday evening at the new library. The talk will look at what’s required to create a cultural shift away […]
Posted inArts + Music
Halifax Central Library in 3D
The Halifax Central Library is having a real cool 2012-style 3D virtual tour unveiling the new library level by level this Wednesday, November 14 (Pier 21, 7-9pm, free, all ages). The event will feature presentations from the architects, music from KOJO, giveaways and refreshments, and displays showcasing community spaces like the Halifax City Space. With […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
By the books
For those of us who still love the crackling sound of a book spine, there wasn’t any bigger local news in 2010 than the announcement of the new downtown Halifax Central Library. For the past year library staff and the co-architectural teams, Fowler Bauld & Mitchell and schmidt hammer lassen, have listened to Haligonians’ dreams […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
A first look at Halifax Central Library
Last night Morten Schmidt‘s rough sketches for the Halifax Central Library were unveiled. They’re still rough, but from what we can see at this point, the early plans demonstrate a solid understanding of community and staff desires and values, without watering down its architectural interest: plenty of green space, including indoor/outdoor trees, rooftop gardens and […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Community building
This week’s Coast takes a detailed look at the intriguing possibilities for Halifax’s central library—everything from the potential for an inspiring new building with beautifully designed public spaces to the opportunities for a vigorous balance between old and new media. Our reporting celebrates what we see as a victory in the clash between town and […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Judging a library by its cover
Our cover illustration by Jesse Jacobs may look like it bounced off the set of V, but really, it represents the library of the not-so-distant future. We polled librarians, library science students and experts, travellers and book lovers to build our own vision of the modern library. Fear not, bibliophiles, books aren’t going anywhere. Though […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Space case: a new theatre for Halifax?
When Judith Hare talks about what the new central library can bring to Halifax, the list of possibilities could lap the current Spring Garden location 10 times over.The Halifax Public Libraries CEO has been with us since 1996, and she knows what the public wants: new amenities that aren’t being offered downtown by the current […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Who are the Halifax Central Library architects?
We know that the architects have already been selected for the Halifax Central Library, but it’s still all a big secret. An announcement is expected before Tuesday’s council meeting, where a recommendation report will be presented. Rumour has it that Fowler Bauld & Mitchell and Danish firm Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects have been selected, but […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
By the books: Seattle Central Public Library
If Halifax Public Libraries CEO Judith Hare had hired Rem Koolhaas to do our library, the diamonds up the arses of people like Herald editors, Peter Kelly and Darrell Dexter would have suddenly gotten much harder. At least, that’s what happened to many folks in Seattle when Koolhaas’ name appeared on the design list for […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
More library lessons learned
Pictou-Antigonish Regional Library Why ask a librarian from rural Nova Scotia for advice? Well, city slicker, because Eric Stackhouse, chief librarian of the Pictou-Antigonish Regional Library, is a few steps ahead of us. His library system, along with a local architect and multiple community partners, are in the homestretch of building a new 16,000-square-foot library […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Channeling history
The wind’s whipping pedestrians into shape, insisting they play its game of Dodge the Debris. Another kind of detritus tells a story of the city. Susan McClure, HRM archivist since 2005, calls it “the byproduct of people’s activity.” For Dawn Sloane, some of those byproducts could end up in a Halifax history museum. “What we […]