Recently relocated from a mall down the street, Jane/Sheppard now occupies the site of a former police station. I had missed the grand opening last April, so I was excited to finally visit the branch a week ago and enjoy its refreshing newness. Even the carpet smelled new!
Built in the shape of a glass cube by Cannon Design, the simplicity of Jane/Sheppard’s visual impact appealed to me. Despite a floor space of only 7,000 square feet, the interior felt uncluttered, calm, and airy. An antidote to claustrophobia, it was very easy to breathe freely in this elegant branch. The combination of abundant glass, sunlight, and subtle whites and greens led me to two similes: a translucent piece of key lime pie and a classy paperweight for a giant (who likes key lime pie).
A small number of patrons dotted the libraryscape, so it wasn’t hard to find a place to sit and look around. I chose a long booth with a wide table designed to accommodate laptops. I’d never seen booths like these in a library and found them quite innovative. What’s more, a broad range of seating needs were met at this welcoming branch, including nice low chairs for magazine readers facing Sheppard Avenue, a window seat on the west wall, and cushioned blocks in yellow, red, and green for the smaller kids. Crouched near the blocks were three dense, low-to-the-ground animals in dark grey leather: an elephant, a hippo, and a rhino.
Reluctantly rising from my comfortable booth, I left Jane/Sheppard with a sense of appreciation for its quiet, undemanding presence. What a successful addition to Toronto Public Library‘s infrastructure!