Kansas City Library's Community Bookshelf

One of the most striking features of downtown Kansas City, MO, is the facade of the parking garage for the Central Branch of the public library. Covered in signboard mylar, the garage appears to be a row of books lined up on a shelf except in this case the “books” are 25 feet high and nine feet wide.

The garage behind the “books” was constructed in 2006 in response to the need for additional downtown parking. Community input was requested on ways to beautify the new structure and ultimately the idea of a bookshelf evolved.

Community members and patrons were asked to vote on the titles to be displayed and the ones chosen reflect a wide range of famous literature. Titles of the 22 volumes (here’s a full list) represented include “The Lord of the Rings” by J. R. R. Tolkien and “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury among many others.