OPENING MINDS

Opening Minds represents both the physical and digital aspect of modern libraries while conveying the vast, inclusive nature of its purpose. The honed granite panels are sandblasted with titles and quotations from publications in a linear layout interspersed with the 1’s and 0’s of binary code. With 493 pieces of text, many gathered from librarians, staff, and community members, the breadth and depth of the text strives to represent the broad social, cultural, and ethnic diversity of our country and our world. Text geared toward small children is purposely located at the bottom of the columns. The library is a physical sanctuary, a place to escape to another world or satisfy one’s curiosity. It is also a community space for physical, cultural, and educational connection, as well as providing a mental connection to a tapestry of information from the minds of people in the past, present and the imaginations of the future.