Grand Opening Celebrated for First Public Library in Dallas, Fort Worth Area for Children and Youth

The new Reby Cary Youth Library in Fort Worth, Texas is no ordinary public library. With its activity stations, bright colors, interactive art installation and cozy cubbies, the library was designed to serve children, teens and their caregivers, as well as honor late Fort Worth civil rights pioneer and educator Reby Cary.

A recent grand opening celebration for the $5.49-million library featured outdoor games, music performances, story times, craft activities and more. The general contractor on the project was FPI Builders, with KAI serving as architect.

Named after local African American educator Reby Cary, who spent his life dedicated to learning, as well as breaking down racial divides, the Reby Cary Youth Library includes amenities such as a large outdoor sensory garden to encourage neighbors to gather at the library, a maker space which utilizes technology for creative activities and multiple study rooms. And, instead of tall-stacked bookshelves and hardback chairs typical of a traditional library, the library has lower shelving and seating designed to encourage families to read together.

During the project’s design development phase, KAI’s team immersed itself into the community to gather public input in an effort to blend the building with the historical elements of the surrounding neighborhood.

In addition to providing architectural and interior design services on the project, KAI also coordinated the civil, landscape, structural/mechanical/electrical/plumbing engineering, fire protection, audio-visual, lighting, technology and cost estimating services through various teaming partners.

The design team also worked closely with artist Creative Machines to create an interactive public art installation suspended from the ceiling called “Only Connect.” The remarkable installation is made up of over 20,000 glass marbles and cascading LED lights. Visitors can manipulate the artwork’s lighted colors and patterns through the simple touch of a button and sensor points distributed throughout the library.