City of Ashland, Ashland Community Resource Center
Located in Downtown Ashland, the Ashland Community Resource Center provides 14,000 square feet of library and community amenities. The library facility houses a large community room that can be subdivided into smaller meeting spaces, access to adjacent community offices, and a warming kitchen.
The library portion includes expanded areas for adult, young adult, and children’s collections and provides a large computer lab, two smaller study rooms, a children’s story time nook, and a dedicated genealogy room. The library also has abundant reading and study areas for patrons of all ages.
The building itself is based conceptually on the history of Ashland and how it relates to the Oxbow Trail. Material cues are drawn from the surrounding limestone ledge along the bottom of Salt Creek that provided an excellent fording site for early settlers. Materials include concrete and stone masonry along the base of the building, lending to the story of Ashland’s strong history.
Stone masonry carries up the sides of the building in patterns that allude to the limestone ledge. Brick masonry is incorporated to tie into the surrounding downtown aesthetic and Ashland’s present-day prominence. Large expanses of glass call to the bodies of water that had to be crossed by early settlers. Metal panels bring a spectacular presence to the high volumes of the building, foretelling Ashland’s promising future.
Stats and Results
| Location | Ashland, Nebraska |
| Square Feet | 14,000 |
