Join JLG Architects at ALA Core Forum 2026! Rob Remark, Principal Architect, and Debbie Joy, Library Strategist, will share community engagement strategies and design solutions that led to the new Moorhead Public Library. Register for the session here: From Downtown Dreams to Funded Library: Aligning Civic Priorities and Community Needs
Aging library buildings. Stretched municipal budgets. Shifting population centers. Across the U.S., library directors face a perfect storm: greater-than-ever need for modern, accessible facilities during a time when funding is harder-than-ever to secure.
Moorhead Public Library broke the stalemate by aligning its vision with city priorities. When a downtown struggled and its aging Center Mall left residents without adequate library or recreation space, library leaders didn’t wait—they partnered with the city to reimagine what a library could be. The result: a voter-approved sales tax funding a 48,000 SF community center library that anchors downtown transformation.
Learn how to align diverse stakeholders around a shared vision, navigate the information-vs.-advocacy line during funding campaigns, and design facilities that deliver on voter expectations. The library director will share community engagement strategies and accountability frameworks; the architect will present design solutions that integrate library services with year-round recreation while catalyzing economic development.
