The Lynden Public Library was designed to replace an outdated facility and to serve as the anchor for a 4.5-acre downtown master plan. It is the largest library in Whatcom County’s nine-branch system. In addition, it is the permanent home for the county’s reference library and serves as a community meeting place. As the architectural centerpiece for the masterplan, Lynden’s Dutch heritage needed to be aesthetically integrated into the library design using forms such as steeply gabled masonry facades, and details such as delft tile, to reflect the community’s heritage. Attention to natural light with large clerestories and comfortable reading niches create interior warmth.