lens culture
The Public Library: An American Commons
RD

The Public Library: An American Commons

This project is a photographic survey of public libraries throughout the United States. There are almost 17,000 public libraries in this country. Since I began the project in 1994 I have photographed hundreds of libraries in forty-eight states. From Alaska to Florida and from New England to California the photographs show a vibrant, essential yet threatened system. Princeton Architectural Press published my book The Public Library A Photographic Survey in 2014. The Library of Congress recently purchased my entire archive from this project for their permanent collection in 2015.

Photos
23
Status
Public
Created
Oct 31, 2015
Updated
Feb 09, 2022
Categories

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Tags
#Photography #Public Libraries #America #Commons

Photos (23)

Cover
Athenaeum Library, St. Johnsbury, VT
File: Athenaeum Library, St. Johnsbury, VT.jpg
Central Library, Seattle, WA
File: Central Library, Seattle, WA.jpg
Civil War mural, Lowell, MA
File: Civil War mural, Lowell, MA-2.jpg
Desk in lobby Washington Library Chicago IL
File: Desk in lobby Washington Library Chicago IL-2.jpg
Destroyed Mark Twain branch, Detroit, MI
File: Destroyed Mark Twain branch, Detroit, MI-3.jpg
Entrance, Rainbow branch library, Las Vegas, NV
File: Entrance, Rainbow branch library, Las Vegas, NV-2.jpg
Fairplay, CO
File: Fairplay, CO.jpg
Grafton, NH
File: Grafton, NH copy 1-2-2.jpg
Eminence, MO
File: IMG_2137 copy.jpg
Interior, Evansville, IN
File: Interior, Evansville, IN.jpg
Katrina damaged library, New Orleans, LA
File: Katrina damaged library New Orleans LA.jpg
Librarians, Tool Lending Library, Berkeley, CA.jpg
File: Librarians, Tool Lending Library, Berkeley, CA.jpg
Library built by ex-slaves, Allensworth, CA
File: Library built by ex-slaves, Allensworth, CA.jpg
Library, Death Valley National Park, CA
File: Library, Death Valley National Park, CA.jpg
Mulberry St. branch, New York, NY
File: Mulberry St. branch, New York, NY007.jpg
Reading Room, New York, NY
File: Reading Room, New York, NY.jpg
Ricks Library, Yazoo City, MS
File: Ricks Library, Yazoo City, MS.jpg
Rifle training class, West Wendover, NV (diptych)
File: Rifle training class, West Wendover, NV (diptych).jpg
Sculpture, library and cliffs, Springdale, UT
File: Sculpture, library and cliffs, Springdale, UT-2.jpg
Stairway, Midland, TX
File: Stairway, Midland, TX.jpg
Super Bingo, Family Dollar and Mockingbird branch library, Abilene, TX
File: Super Bingo, Family Dollar and Mockingbird branch library, Abilene, TX.jpg
View of library and Wasatch Mountains, Main Library, Salt Lake City, UT
File: View of library and Wasatch Mountains, Main Library, Salt Lake City, UT.jpg
Yarborough branch, Austin, TX
File: Yarborough branch, Austin, TX.jpg