Library Standards

Standards, guidance and best practice for library planning, design and operation

Library Architecture and Design Publications

Hickerson, H. Thomas, Lippincott, Joan K, and Crema, Lenora. Designing Libraries for the 21st Century. Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries, 2022

Khan, Ayub, and Thebridge, Stella. Better by Design: An Introduction to Planning and Designing a New Library Building, Second Edition. London: Facet Publishing, 2022

Miersch-Sü., Ines. Libraries and Their Architecture in the 21st Century. Munich: DeGruyter Saur, 2021

Schlipf, Fred. Constructing Library Buildings That Work. Chicago: ALA Editions, 2020

Schlipf, Fred, Huberty, Joe, and Moorman, John A. The Practical Handbook of Library Architecture: Creating Building Spaces that Work, Second Edition, Chicago: ALA Editions, 2024

Stara, Lauren, and Kruse, Kelsey. Planning Library Spaces: A Practical Guide for Library Building Projects. New York: Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited, 2025

Stewart, Christopher. The Academic Library Building in the Digital Age: A Study of Construction, Planning, and Design of New Library Space. Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries, 2010

Van Uffelen, Chris. Buildings for Books: Contemporary Library Architecture. Salenstein: Braun, 2023

Wong, Lillian, Lushington, Nolan, and Rudorf, Wolfgang. Libraries: a Design Manual. Basel: Birkhauser Verlag, 2019

Worpole, Ken. Contemporary Library Architecture: A Planning and Design Guide. London: Routledge, 2012

Standards

ISO/TR 11219:2012” Information and documentation - Qualitative conditions and basic statistics for library buildings — Space, function and design https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#iso:std:iso:tr:11219:ed-1:v1:en

2021 International Building Code https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/IBC2021P2

American Institute of Architects. Architectural Graphic Standards. 12th edition. AIA, 2016

IFLA Library Buildings and Equipment Section. IFLA Library Building Guidelines: Developments & Reflections. K. G. Saur, 2007. https://repository.ifla.org/handle/20.500.14598/1405

IFLA Public Libraries Section. Standards for public libraries. K. G. Saur, 2017.

McMorrough, Julia. Materials, Structures, and Standards: All the Details Architects Need to Know but Can Never Find. Gloucester, Mass. : Rockport Publishers, 2006

Neufert, Ernest. Architects Data. Sixth edition. Wiley Blackwell, 2023

Sannwald, William W. Checklist of Library Building Design Considerations, Seventh Edition.Chicago: ALA Editions, 2024

State Library of New South Wales. People Places: A guide to planning public library buildings.Sydney: State Library of New South Wales, 2022 -
https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/people_places_may_2021.pdf

Watson, Donald, and Crosbie, Michael J. Time-saver standards for architectural design: technical data for professional practice. Eight edition. McGraw-Hill, New York [N.Y.], 2012

Whole Building Design Guide. Department of Defense. United Facilities Criteria. UFC 4-740-20 Libraries. 2023. https://www.wbdg.org/dod/ufc/ufc-4-740-20

Miscellaneous