Named in honor of Colonel Samuel L. Slover, former Mayor of Norfolk, the Slover Library is an essential public facility for nurturing and stimulating learning and civic interaction in the community.
This project combined a renovation of the historic Seaboard Building, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and development of a new building and connecting atrium called the “Forum.” Key to this project was maintaining the historic integrity of the existing building while seamlessly integrating it with the new building. The primary donor also put forth the challenge of building the most technologically advanced library in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The end result is a 138,000 GSF, state of the art facility that will serve the community for years to come.
Project highlights include: (1) The Word Wall, a large display configuration spanning from the Forum up through the library staircase, combining technologies including an electronic mesh fabric and high-resolution flat panel displays. This digital “curtain” is capable of displaying letters, words and pictures pertinent to library activities or events, providing a backdrop of luminescence that will be seen from almost anywhere in the Forum. (2) The Cortile area, a cutting edge space showcasing interactive displays throughout. The library is host to a significant photographic archive, and making that photographic archive publicly available was one of the key considerations Content consists of a digitization of the Sargeant Memorial Collection of historical Norfolk articles, items and artifacts. (3) A multiuser, interactive display table in the forum displays happenings in the library and other city related information. This 12’ x 4’ assembled display with a touch sensitive surface allows many windows to be open at once. All the windows can be resized, and patrons can browse the entire collection with their fingers, much like a giant iPad. (4) Wall mounted interactive displays and static holographic displays located throughout the library.
The three-story Forum is a place where people can gather and events can be held. A community engagement meeting room may be used as a gallery or for banquets, presentations, and other events. Public computer labs are available to library patrons. In addition, the library houses two computer training rooms offering organized instruction. The children’s area features an interactive floor and computers. A teen lounge is also equipped with gaming and computers. Other spaces include conference rooms, group study rooms, and meeting rooms.
