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All images by Brock Kryton
As the flagship downtown branch of the Edmonton Public Libraries (EPL), The Stanley Milner project presented a unique opportunity to upgrade the security protection of the largest library in Edmonton with a unified security centre. The Stanley Milner is the first EPL location to use this type of technology and represents one of the largest projects in scope that Liberty has completed to date.
Liberty has outfitted EPL’s revitalized Stanley Milner Library with:
Liberty is making waves in the industry as a leader in security system unification. Unification means a single platform from which users can control multiple security systems from different providers. Rather than being forced to switch between different applications depending on the device, this system simplifies the process and blends IP security systems in a single interface.
Unified Security is an excellent choice for the library because it is customizable, versatile and adaptable to meet changing needs while maintaining simplicity. This increases efficiency, reduces security costs in training, ensures compatibility between systems, and offers the ability to upgrade hardware at any time while still maintaining functionality.
The unifying software system used in the Stanley Milner is designed for high profile locations like banks and city-wide security, which use a mix of devices including video, access control, and automatic license plate recognition.
With the ability to unify multiple systems, operators are able to make informed decisions faster and gather all relevant information from one platform. Because of the high-profile locations that use this tech, the software is equipped with enterprise-grade cybersecurity and is heavily encrypted to protect against cyber attacks.
For the Stanley Milner and its patrons, this system provides controlled access to secure areas, monitoring for all 12 partitions in the building and video for surveillance. Information gathered by the system is stored and can be augmented, migrated or deployed to the cloud for review. The system is operated through an integrated platform that is easy for EPL maintenance and staff to manage. EPL staff can monitor the ecosystem of devices in the system simultaneously and configure settings in one place through a familiar interface.
The city of New Orleans adopted similar technology for their 325 video cameras and 100 automatic license plate recognition cameras. Businesses within the city can also share access to their external video cameras, which allows operators to do full investigative work directly from the security center. Rather than having to send a police officer over to a business to obtain video footage, operators are able to search for relevant footage and dispatch remotely. The system is efficient and simple to use across the city to streamline crime prevention and reaction.
The original library constructed in this spot in Churchill Square was first named the Centennial Library. The building was a product of its time, with brutalist architecture and concrete bones. The building stood there for many years before being renamed after a library employee and enthousiast, Stanley Milner. He dedicated the Children’s Library to his late daughter, Shelley.
The library has now been open for many years and remains the largest library in Edmonton. The Stanley Milner is known not only for its expansive literature selection, but for its assistive learning options. This location has been a leader in making learning accessible for everyone regardless of previous education or disability and making the library more than books (although it has plenty of those too). The newly designated cultural and educational areas demonstrate that the library is not only a building for books, but a facilitator of learning.
The Stanley Milner renovations were conducted by architect Stephen Teeple using the bones of the original Centennial Library. It has undergone years of renovations and is now open to the public with many new features and spaces that modernize the library, including new security technology and software, completed by Liberty.
A timelapse of the most recent renovations done on the Stanley Milner shows how far it has come.
Teeple chose azengar zinc paneling on the exterior for its durability, high energy conservation and aesthetic. The shape of the building is deliberate, opening up towards landmarks in the area and relating to its context in downtown Edmonton.
The interior features local Albertan artists, bringing the library to life and connecting it with the public that it serves. The space includes a new atrium and many expanded areas which are opened and brightened with skylights, large windows and pillars. Teeple says that the layout is such that “when you flow in from the corner you can see your whole journey, it creates a connection for the community and all the services.”
The Stanley Milner is designed as an open and safe area for Edmontonians to meet, learn and create. Liberty elevates the library and protects patrons, staff and resources in the new library downtown with innovative security technology.
Renovations are ongoing and the library will feature two more spaces:
The library has been rejuvenated thanks to many donors and is now a secure space for creating and learning. Frank Zappa was right when he said “so many books, so little time” so get going and check out the Stanley Milner!