Bear Valley Library is a beautiful two-story building that was designed by the company Anderson Barker Rinker Architects in 1971. Before it was built, the area was served by a library bookmobile which was put in place once a week. Now, it’s a 10,550 square foot space that locals can visit to obtain access to a variety of learning materials, printers, and electronic equipment. It’s a place that’s constantly buzzing with activity, and has a lot to offer to the community.

When our partners at Denver Millwork called us and asked us if we wanted to be part of an upcoming renovation for Bear Valley, we accepted the job with enthusiasm. Of course we wanted to be part of a project for one of Denver’s oldest and most important libraries! We had worked with Denver Public Libraries once before and it was a great experience, so we were excited to partner with them once again.

DPL wanted to give their historic space a good refresh and update it with some modern fixtures. To bring their library up to date with current trends, we created some new service points, book displays, and wall units with a contemporary look and feel. Then, working in collaboration with the Denver Millwork team, we designed a framework of personal access computer carrols. We built a total of six carrols, which were placed near the children’s section so that adults could browse the internet while their children looked at the nearby books.

While we encountered some interesting design challenges along the way, this project ended up being a valuable learning experience for our team. We are grateful for our partners at both Denver Millwork and the Denver Public Libraries.