Vision for Harold Washington Library Center
Client: Chicago Public Library | Partners: Arup, Blue Cottage of CannonDesign
Opportunity
The Harold Washington Library Center (HWLC) has been a cornerstone of Chicago’s public library system for over 35 years, adapting to meet the city's and its communities' changing needs. Today, HWLC serves not only as a hub for research and information, but also as a vital resource for digital literacy, workforce development, and equitable access to services.
A recent analysis by the Urban Libraries Council confirmed HWLC as Chicago’s civic hub for access, learning, and connection. In 2024, HWLC hosted more than 721,000 visitors (up from 694,000 in 2023) of students, families, and entrepreneurs, each staying an average of 150 minutes — time spent studying, researching, and engaging with the city’s largest free public space. This activity also contributes to downtown's vitality as patrons also visit nearby businesses, increasing foot traffic and “eyes on the street.”
As economic inequality and the recent influx of asylum seekers intensified demand for public resources, HWLC’s role as a lifeline for underserved populations has become even more critical. To ensure HWLC remains at the forefront of innovation and community service, CPL Commissioner Chris Brown and his executive team, partnered with Civic Consulting Alliance, along with its pro bono partners, Blue Cottage of CannonDesign and Arup, to assess its current operations and reimagine its future and ensure that HWLC is well-positioned to reinforce and enhance its standing as a dynamic cultural and civic hub.
Action
Civic Consulting Alliance, in partnership with CPL leadership and pro bono partner Blue Cottage of CannonDesign, conducted an intensive eight-week assessment to evaluate how HWLC’s spaces, services, and operations could better align with evolving patron needs and CPL’s strategic priorities.
The team combined quantitative analysis with deep stakeholder engagement to ground recommendations in lived experience and best practices from peer institutions. This work included:
Benchmarked HWLC against leading central libraries nationwide
Analyzed program participation, visitor behavior, and space utilization data to identify opportunities to improve access, flow, and engagement
Facilitated focus groups with library staff, patrons, and social service partners to surface operational challenges and unmet needs
Convened a visioning session with Chicago’s cultural and civic leaders—including members of the Board, the Chicago Public Library Foundation, DCASE, Illinois Humanities, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, and others—to shape a shared, future-facing vision for HWLC
Following Blue Cottage’s spatial and programmatic recommendations, Arup advanced a complementary wayfinding strategy to improve navigation throughout the building—ensuring that diverse users, including students, families, tourists, entrepreneurs, and individuals seeking social services, can more easily find the resources and environments that meet their needs.
Together, these efforts informed a cohesive roadmap that reimagines HWLC as a more intuitive, welcoming, and purpose-driven civic space.
The Chicago Sun-Time’s article, “New chapter sought for Harold Washington Library as it nears 35 years old” overviews the need for new ideas and some of the opportunities coming from this work.
“Libraries are one of Chicago’s most democratic public spaces, and we have to design them that way. Over the past three years, Civic Consulting Alliance has partnered with us to strengthen how our system operates and to clarify how the Harold Washington Library Center serves as the flagship library of our system and a vital civic and cultural space for Chicago. Alongside their pro bono design partners, they helped us imagine what our spaces can be for Chicago today, moving beyond maintenance and asking how our spaces support staff, welcome partners, and invite the public in. This work ensures our libraries do not simply keep up with the city. They help lead it.” – Chris Brown, Commissioner, Chicago Public Library
Impact
Together, these efforts informed a cohesive roadmap that reimagines HWLC as a more intuitive, welcoming, and purpose-driven civic space. The Chicago Sun-Time’s article, “New chapter sought for Harold Washington Library as it nears 35 years old” overviews the need for new ideas and some of the opportunities coming from this work.
The resulting roadmap delivers actionable, data-informed recommendations that will directly improve how individuals experience and benefit from the Harold Washington Library Center. By aligning space design, wayfinding, and programming with patron needs, HWLC will be better equipped to serve as an accessible, inclusive, and responsive resource for all Chicagoans.
For visitors, these changes mean clearer navigation, reduced barriers to services, and more welcoming spaces tailored to how people actually use HWLC, whether they are studying for exams, applying for jobs, accessing digital tools, seeking social services, or engaging in cultural programming. Improved spatial clarity and intentional programming will help patrons spend less time searching for help and more time learning, connecting, and advancing their goals.
The recommendations strengthen HWLC’s role as a trusted entry point to critical resources and support. For students, families, and entrepreneurs, HWLC becomes a more effective environment for productivity, collaboration, and growth.
At a systems level, the roadmap positions HWLC to sustain its role as a national model for civic space, one that not only drives downtown vitality, but also delivers meaningful impact for the individuals and communities who rely on it every day.