Libraries are no longer simply storage facilities for books. In the last decade they have expanded beyond their physical structures to become multimedia portals, through which entire communities gain access to new methods of research, communication and entertainment. Architects worldwide have responded to this developing need, balancing lively and functional interior spaces and distinctive facades, marking out these buildings as points of access to a modern world, with spaces that continue to promote the reading of books in a calm, focused environment. This volume from the Masterpieces series presents outstanding examples of revolutions in library design and renovation, an architectural challenge to strike the finest balance between functionality and aesthetics.