Editing Fisher Fine Arts Library (section)

== Historical Significance ==

The Fisher Fine Arts Library has been recognized as nationally significant for its architecture and its place in library design history. The building's expression of function through form—its ventilation tower, its separated bookstacks and reading room, its honest structural expression—anticipated developments that other architects would pursue decades later. Louis Sullivan, who briefly worked in Furness's office, may have absorbed lessons that informed his own influential work. The building's influence extends through the architects who studied it and adapted its principles.<ref name="thomas"/>

The building's designation as a National Historic Landmark recognizes both its architectural quality and its importance to American architectural development. Restoration projects have maintained the building's character while updating systems for contemporary use. The combination of historical significance and continued function demonstrates that landmark buildings can serve practical purposes while preserving irreplaceable architectural heritage.<ref name="lewis"/>