Archicritic Lynn Becker didn't wake up yesterday wanting to bash Harold Washington Library—something that observers have done for years—but rather to contrast it to directions other cities are taking with their central libraries. Seattle is the main focus, which debuted the country's first interpretation of the 'future tech-driven library', expressed in flighty modernism. We missed our shot at that in the '80s, opting to "board the short-lived Post-Modern express". If there's one bright light amidst architectural myopia and draconian cuts, it's new library chief Brian Bannon's advancement of new technology resources. [ArchitectureChicago PLUS]
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