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Elegant, Energy Efficient - and Earth-Friendly
Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County features green architecture in several branch libraries

By Janet S. Loew, Communications/Public Relations Director, Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County

Anti-Saloon League Museum at Westerville Public Library

From every angle, inside and out, the Poland Library in Mahoning County, Ohio speaks of elegance - with a flair for Earth-friendliness. Classic Greek revival architecture with fluted columns. Walls of windows bringing in sunlight and a view of the library's natural surroundings. Floors of hardwood beams from old New England barns. A roof that looks like slate - but is made largely from recycled rubber. This library opened in December 2001 and won accolades from then-Governor Bob Taft.

The Poland Library was innovative in many ways, both in its architecture and energy-efficiency and in the use of recycled building materials. This building is the largest example of "green architecture," using recycled and reclaimable materials, in Northeast Ohio's Mahoning Valley. Since its opening, the Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County (PLYMC) has added several more new libraries with strong Earth-friendly components: Austintown, East and Springfield.

One additional feature of Poland Library’s recycling project is a whole historic building. Rather than demolishing a historic structure to build the new library, architects encased the 1846 Poland Union Seminary Dormitory and made it an integral part of the new library. Poland Union Seminary School was a cornerstone of education in the community, so it is a fitting tribute for this building to hold a place of honor in the new educational cornerstone - the Poland Library. Although he never resided in the dormitory, President William McKinley was the most famous student of Poland Union Seminary School. Through the years, that structure was also a family home.

At a 2001 Building Preview, Ohio's Governor Bob Taft Honored Poland Library
Such a unique library is the Poland Library that Governor Taft paid a visit in November and praised the facility as a "one-of-a-kind library" for finding "a way to use recyclable, environmentally-friendly materials to build a highly functional library that's energy efficient." The Governor noted, "Now that's innovative and an extraordinary achievement.

"With this new library, you'll be serving the lifelong learning needs of the people of Poland - from children to senior citizens - while at the same time instilling a strong concern for our environment and improving our energy situation," said Governor Taft. "As Governor, I applaud your tremendous service to your community and our state. Thank you for helping Ohio to become a 21st century state of excellence."

Earth-Friendly Library Uses Energy-Efficient and Recycled Materials
PLYMC’s first extensive use of recycled materials in a building project was thanks to a $400,000 grant from the Recycling Division of Mahoning County (R.D.M.C.) to support the use of recycled construction materials. In addition to the Poland Library being composed of recycled materials, another important component of this green architecture project was education, which couples with the library's mission of being a top-quality educational facility. Robert Mastriana of the 4M Company, a Boardman architectural firm, spent countless hours researching green materials for this building.

Library Director Sears, along with Harold Moore and Tim Berlekamp of the Recycling Division of Mahoning County, wanted this library to be an educational experience which serves as an example of what can be achieved with recycled materials and calls attention to the merits of green architecture. An educational display in Poland Library’s lower level exhibits many of the recycled materials used in the library, plus the history and benefits of recycling.

The project was a learning experience for the architect, too. Mastriana says, "As I learned more about recycling and energy-efficiency, I realized that for years I had been designing for 'green architecture' without calling it that -- by taking advantage of natural breezes and solar gain, using natural sunlight for heat and light, and working with many products which turned out to be made from recycled materials after all."

Another unique feature of the Poland Library is extensive use of local talent in its construction and finishing touches. "This building is not just a library," Sears said. "It is also a showcase of talent and skill that reside in the Mahoning Valley -- furnishings, tables, cabinets, cupboards, decorative ironwork, framed works of art -- were made right here in Mahoning County by local residents."

Subsequent library building projects with The 4M Company – the Austintown, East and Springfield branches – followed in Poland’s footsteps with Earth-friendly and energy-efficient materials.

Recycled materials used in the Poland Library:

SIDING - James Hardie siding composed of cement and recycled wood fibers.

ROOFING - Ecostar roofing made of recycled rubber and plastics. Virtually indistinguishable from natural slate and just as durable, yet only one-quarter the weight.

WINDOW & DOOR FRAMES - Pella windows and doors. Made of 95% recycled aluminum. Glass has 15% recycled content. Insulating glass was used for energy efficiency.

FLOORING -- Made of vintage hardwood recycled from old New England barns.

PARKING LOT -- Parking surface is composed of recycled asphalt and recycled tires.

DECORATIVE SURROUNDS -- Decorative stone window surrounds from the original Poland Library were placed in the new facility to retain a part of the past in this new library.

CARPETING -- Made from reclaimable materials.

LANDSCAPE STONE WALLS -- From old stone homes and barns.

TRIM - Exterior and interior trim is Georgia Pacific Prime Trim, composed of glue and recycled wood fibers.

RECYCLED BUILDING - A unique example of true recycling is the reuse of a historic structure adjacent to the new Poland Library site. The entire building was incorporated into the design of the new library.

http://www.libraryvisit.org/polandproject.htm