Rosemary Garfoot Library

Cross Plains, WI

The Rosemary Garfoot Public Library is what happens at the intersection of community and energy efficiency, culminating in the first LEED-certified public library in Wisconsin.

Design charrettes, focus groups, and town meetings engaged the Cross Plains community and provided feedback for the new library and community resource center, which replaced the existing 4,000-square-foot building. Discussions focused on the building serving as more than a library while being environmentally-friendly.

The result was functional, beautiful, and expandable library in which the Village of Cross Plains and the library staff can utilize to teach members of the community about sustainable design. 

The building is carefully oriented to the sunlight and is a study in how to build green. The windows provide 85 percent of the lighting during the daylighting hours yet minimize the passive solar load, or excessive heat.

The beautiful central circulation desk is a tangible product of the library’s sustainable mission. Trees removed from the lot became the desk, which anchors the library from its central position. The countertop appears to be granite but is actually recycled paper.

The floors are covered with renewable cork, insulation is made from recycled blue jeans, and carpeting is laid in removable squares for easy repair, and finishes were sourced regionally. The open layout includes intimate reading rooms for all ages, study areas, and spaces for the community to come together.