LCBA Feature: Maplewood Memorial Library

Designed by Sage and Coombe Architects, the newly reimagined Maplewood Memorial Library is a 32,000-square-foot, all-electric, community-first civic space that is 33% larger than before and features the addition of a second floor. The library is the first LEED Gold-certified library in New Jersey.

It is built within the library’s historic footprint, a renovation and significant expansion that respects the past while boldly embracing the future. This $24 million project was made possible through a mix of state, local and private funding. The Library was awarded an $8.3 million grant through the New Jersey Library Construction Bond Act, and the municipality contributed $12 million. In addition, the Maplewood Library Foundation raised more than $2 million from donors.

Design That Reflects Community Values

Rooted in equity and transparency, the building welcomes all through a restored 1955 entrance that visually links Baker Street to Maplewood Memorial Park, originally designed by the Olmsted firm. On the park side, a wide, elevated ramp ensures equal access for all — no stairs, no separate entries. The building reflects a “civic choice” in every element.

Active and Inclusive Public Space

The design promotes active engagement, featuring light-filled stairways, open circulation, and visual energy. Inside and out, the library encourages movement, exploration, and discovery. The space is “built for books,” with reading nooks, ash wood floors resembling rough-cut pages, and windows that open like the leaves of a good book. A fully-glazed second-floor reading room overlooks the park with a frit that both limits solar gain and protects the birds — depicting local flora and fauna.

Indoor/Outdoor Harmony

An outdoor reading terrace with Adirondack chairs, second-floor views, and seating along glass walls blur the line between inside and out, making the library feel like a treehouse — especially for birdwatchers. This corrects past designs that walled off the park, enhancing the building’s role as part of a larger civic landscape.

Flexible, Purpose-Built Spaces

● Teen Room with floor-to-ceiling windows is a sanctuary just for teens with commanding views of the park
● Children’s Room celebrates early learning with a layout that invites discovery
● Community Room with 200-person capacity and a separate entrance, which operates independently after hours — illuminating the community
● Maker Space empowering hands-on learning with 3D printers and work benches, all in a room with state-of-the-art air filtration
● Local History Room with historic Maplewood resources and boardroom seating
● Nesting over the community room, a run of stepped seating connects the first and second floors — the Forum — a flexible, energizing space for informal events and collaboration
● Ten Quiet Study Rooms for individuals that can be reserved by small groups looking for private space to read, study, and work

Sustainable + Resilient

Solar panels offset 58% of energy use; mechanicals are elevated to avoid flood damage; planted roofs manage stormwater. Materials from the original structure were preserved wherever possible. Windows are bird-safe, and native landscaping supports biodiversity.

A Library Like No Other

From wooden trusses honoring original architecture to the signature windows framing views to the park like a living painting, this couldn’t be anything other than a library. Every inch is purpose-built, community-centered, and future-ready.

Check out the photo gallery of the renovations below! You can also take a Green Education Tour of the sustainable features of the new Library building.

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