"Big Books" by Tim Samoff is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
The Kansas City Public Library is a sight to see! At about 25 feet high by 9 feet wide these huge books line the parking garage. Called the “Community Bookshelf” 22 spines and 42 titles are present including: Romeo And Juliet, Catch-22, The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn, Invisible Man, The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz, Little House On The Prarie, Fahrenheit 451, Tao Te Ching, The Republic, To Kill A Mockingbird, A Tale Of Two Cities, and Lord Of The Rings.
The building was a former bank. Inside is a scaled-down version of the Bookshelf as well as a “film vault” located in the actual vault and complete with a 35-ton steel door. The remodel cost nearly $50 million which included adding current technology to the building and a 5th floor. It was completed in 2004.
The library has a long history and began in 1873 with just one set of Encyclopedia that was held on a single bookcase. The collection now spans 9 physical locations and includes a digital collection.
If you would like to see the Kansas City Public Library Bookshelf, head to 10th Street between Wyandotte Street and Baltimore Avenue. To see more of Kansas City’s unique architecture, check out my post on the Kauffman Center or discover another crazy building here.
