USA TODAY: LARAMIE COUNTY LIBRARY IS ONE OF THE NATION’S TOP LIBRARIES

Even though the new Laramie County Library in Cheyenne opened just six months ago, it has already received a spectacular honor.

Nancy Pearl, author of “Book Lust” and a regular commentator on National Public Radio, recently provided USA Today with a list of her 10 favorite libraries in the country. The new Laramie County Library was part of that list.

“Words can’t begin to describe what this acknowledgment means,” County Librarian Lucie Osborn said. “This recognition is for more than just the library building - it’s for our staff, our patrons and our community.”

Pearl visited the library when she was in Cheyenne last September. At that time, she was speaking at the Wyoming Library Association’s annual conference.

“What really stands out for me is the library’s second floor,” Pearl said in the article. “There’s a loft area for reading, and kids of all ages can exercise their imaginations at an interactive center where they can create their own short animated films.”

In September 2007, the Laramie County Library in Cheyenne opened a new three-story, 100,000 square foot facility that features an interactive literacy center for children created and installed by Burgeon Group, five large meeting rooms, eight study rooms, a 50-station computer center and training classroom (plus 23 more stations just for kids and teens), a new coffee house, a quiet reading area that serves as the community’s living room, expanded collections of books and audio-visual materials, multiple self-check stations, and much more.

Additionally, the library is currently awaiting word on whether they will receive silver or gold certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. If so, the library would be only the second building in Wyoming and one of just a handful of libraries nationwide to accomplish such a distinction.

“We’ve said from the beginning that we want this library to be a destination for the community and the region,” Osborn said. “I think this article does justice to the amazing work of all the people involved in this building project.”

The article is part of USA Today’s “10 Great” series, which can be found at usatoday.com.

The library is located at 2200 Pioneer Avenue in Cheyenne. For more information about the library, you can also call 634-3561.