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Reps from the Mesa Public Library\u2019s Gateway Branch accept their 2026 James Bennett Public Library of the Year Award from IFLA President Leslie Weir (center).<\/p>\n
By Andrew Richard Albanese, Editor-in-Chief<\/p>\n
The Gateway Library<\/a> (Mesa, Arizona, U.S.A.) was named the IFLA\/James Bennett Public Library of the Year<\/a> at the 90th World Library and Information Congress<\/a>, which closed this week in Busan, South Korea, while the Rami Library<\/a> (Istanbul, Turkiye) took home the 2026 IFLA Green Library Grand Scale Project Award,<\/a> for its transformation of a 19th Century historic barracks into a \u201cclimate-resilient urban commons.\u201d The Mesa Gateway Library.<\/p>\n The IFLA Public Library of the Year Award<\/a> celebrates a newly built or expanded public library that has \u201cbest managed to combine open and functional architecture with sustainable and creative IT solutions\u201d and \u201chas included both digital developments and local culture.\u201d Starting this year, Australia-based library supplier James Bennett<\/a> has taken over sponsorship from U.S.-based Baker & Taylor after the company\u2019s sudden collapse late last year.<\/a><\/p>\n The Mesa Public Library\u2019s Gateway Library beat out three other finalists, shortlisted in July<\/a>, including Library+ Caloundra (Sunshine Coast, Australia)<\/a>; the West Las Vegas Library (Nevada, United States)<\/a>; and the Xiong\u2019An Library, Hebei Province, China.<\/p>\n Designed by Rich\u00e4rd Kennedy Architects, the Gateway Library \u201ctakes inspiration from market halls from around the world,\u201d IFLA reps said, fostering \u201ca communal atmosphere where technology and cultural identity converge.\u201d<\/p>\n In a release, Jury Chair, Jakob L\u00e6rkes congratulated the entire Mesa Gateway Library team, the team at Rich\u00e4rd Kennedy Architects, and the community in Mesa, Arizona. L\u00e6rkes said all the shortlisted libraries presented in Busan represented \u201crefreshing\u201d trends in libraries, and said the Mesa Gateway Library serves as a true role model: \u201carchitecturally pleasing, well organized, both inside and out,\u201d and \u201cstrong on sustainability.\u201d<\/p>\n Recognizing the Best \u2018Green\u2019 Libraries<\/p>\n In awarding the Rami Library<\/a> in Istanbul First prize in the \u201clarge scale project\u201d category of the 2026 IFLA Green Library Awards, IFLA celebrated the remarkable transformation of a 19th-century military barracks into a stunning, world class, environmentally resilient library.<\/p>\n The Rami Library, in Instabul (credit: Rami Library).<\/p>\n The Rami Library was chosen from more than 60 entrants submitted from some 27 countries. Second place went to the Jinjiang Library, China, and third place went to Munster Technological University, in Tralee, Ireland.<\/p>\n The Rami Library is truly extraordinary. First built in 1826 as a military complex, the structure was reopened as a library in January 2023, and according to the Rami Library\u2019s website<\/a>, it is now \u201cthe largest library complex in Europe,\u201d featuring a collection of \u201cmillions of volumes\u201d as well as \u201cspecial libraries and common areas that cater to readers of all ages,\u201d all while retaining its historic and cultural identity. \u00a0Among its green features, the library complex includes thousands of square meters of green space includes state-of-the-art sustainability features<\/a> throughout, including the reuse of rainwater.<\/p>\n Now in its 11th year, IFLA\u2019s\u00a0Green Library Awards are administered by the organization\u2019s Environment, Sustainability and Libraries Section (ENSULIB)<\/a>. The 2026 Award was sponsored by Library Juice Academy<\/a> and\u00a0De Gruyter Publishing<\/a>.<\/p>\n In addition to the Rami Library\u2019s win in the large project category, IFLA also awarded a 2026 Green Library Project Award to the CEDREAC library in Cantabria, Spain. Second prize went to the\u00a0Yonghak Library, in Daegu, South Korea, and two third place winners were named: the Lien Ying Chow Library at Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore; and Parque Villa-Lobos Library, S\u00e3o Paulo, Brazil. A \u201cSpecial Recognition\u201d sponsored by de Gruyter was also given to the Library, Document Management, and Museology Services of the University of Aveiro, Portugal.<\/p>\n About the AuthorAndrew Albanese<\/p>\n
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