Group 4’s Facility Master Plan for the Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library is serving as a roadmap for reinvestment in facilities countywide, from the smallest branch in Elmwood Place to the large Main Library in downtown Cincinnati. Sustainability, industry-leading excellence, diversity and inclusion, transparency, customer focus, and maximizing access were the guiding principles behind the development of the Library’s plan.

The vision for CHPL’s “Next Generation Libraries” grew out of extensive staff, stakeholder, and community engagement to determine community priorities for future programs, services, and technology. Renovated and expanded facilities will offer a full range of next generation library spaces, replacing outdated service models that no longer serve community needs. Based on actual patterns of library use and community mobility, Group 4 developed planning zones that will guide the efficient and equitable distribution of services and spaces throughout Hamilton County.

The Facility Master Plan has enabled CHPL to mobilize quickly on several high-priority branch projects, including reinvention and expansion of the Carnegie-era Walnut Hills Library and Price Hill Library. Group 4 is currently collaborating with the Library and Champlin Architects to reimagine the Main Library.