Along the shores of Long Island Sound and in the middle of Connecticut’s Gold Coast lies the city of Westport. As one of the early colonial settlements in North America, Westport is steeped in a rich history for both English and Native American peoples. Now a vibrant community, Westport is a cultural hub for the surrounding areas and at the heart, lies its unique library. Having recently completed a massive renovation, the Westport Library is an active community space where visitors can not only check out books, but also interact with award-winning authors, host podcasts, create YouTube videos, and even attend Rock concerts. At the center of it all is a massive Radiance LED Video Wall from Digital Projection that welcomes visitors to an innovative, educational, and entertaining environment unlike anywhere else.

A Multi-Million Dollar Renovation

After 2 years and a 20.8 million dollar transformation project, the Westport Library has redefined and modernized the concept of the public library by not only providing a space to obtain information, but also to facilitate the free flow of that information as it adapts and evolves through personal interaction, community events, and content creation.

Rachel Pegnataro, director of marketing and communications for the library describes this transition, “We wanted a space that would continue to grow, evolve, and change with the needs of the community. We wanted people to feel comfortable using the space to learn, study, and connect with each other however they saw fit. We also wanted to create a future- proofed space, supported by technology and equipment that could adapt to how we study and interact with one another now, and for the years to come.”

Reaching such a lofty goal needed a top-class team of integration experts. Fortunately, the team at DNR Laboratories was more than ready for the task. Don Gamsjager, founder & CEO of DNR had this to say about the scale of the project, “To create a public library space where guests could not only have meetings and give presentations, but also produce content and put on shows is no easy task, so we started redesigning the environment literally from the ground up.”

The Largest Fine-Pitch LED Video Wall in The State

The envisioned space called for a large-scale central display that would instantly grab visitors’ attention and remain bright and resolute, even in the natural light of the contemporary architecture. For DNR, that meant creating a world class display that not only offered high-quality visuals, but also support a myriad of events and scenarios. Digital Projection was chosen due to their reputation for customer service and product quality.

Gamsjager goes on to add:

“From the beginning, we knew we had to integrate something really special, so we engaged Digital Projection, whom we knew had a fantastic design and engineering team, to come up with the correct solution. Working with DP for over 9 months through the design phase, we arrived at the right display, at the right size, at the right resolution. With top-level elegance, Digital Projection then executed the project – working with us as an integrator, on time, and on budget.”

The design culminated in the giant multi-purpose space aptly called, The Forum. Able to accommodate up to 400 guests, the Forum is an open public environment and performing arts space that can easily adapt to hosting an expo, celebrity guest talk, or live music performance. At 18 feet wide and 10 feet tall, the impact of the Radiance LED Wall is felt as soon as you enter.

Gamsjager describes the space in saying, “The LED Wall is the centerpiece of the library. When you walk in, you won’t see a traditional library setup with a counter and books – there is a counter, and the largest HD+, fine-pitch LED Video Wall in the state!”

Connecting People Among Stunning Visuals

Both guest and staff reaction to the wall has been thoroughly positive. Powered by (81) 2.5mm pixel-pitch panels, the 247’’ diagonal LED Wall generates stunning visuals to accommodate all the library’s events.

“People love it!” explains Rachel Pegnataro. “There was even one instance in which we were showing Tennis matches from the Wimbledon tournament when suddenly spontaneous applause erupted from the guests. People were really connecting – strangers getting together and just sharing an experience in a really unexpected way”.

For Westport Library, the Radiance LED wall has elevated their outreach by giving them more options to engage with their guests.

Pegnataro continues in saying, “The LED Wall is a great way to market upcoming library programs. We recently played holiday movies during the holiday book fair to set the mood, which was spectacular. Overall, the LED Wall has been an incredible tool to have at our disposal – and it’s a lot of fun as well.”

Bill Harmer, executive director for the library and the visionary behind its massive renovation, says it best in describing his choice for Radiance LED in stating:

“We knew that we needed the Video Wall to support our programming and our expanded vision that would be 2nd to none in the public library world. The display not only needed to enhance our dynamic presentations and shows, but also be the center of gravity for environment – grabbing your attention and drawing you in. We needed it to truly inspire guests and create a sense of awe when someone first steps onto the Forum space. The Radiance LED Wall has certainly done that and then some!”

For more information, visit www.digitalprojection.com/radiance-led.