The library is another example of the controversial reception of Brutalist architecture. On one hand it was named one of Ottawa's three ugliest buildings, on the other hand it won the Award of Merit from the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada six years after its inauguration. The architect distances the building from its curtain wall dominated surroundings by rendering the entire façade in exposed concrete.

The Ottawa Public Library building by George Bemi will not be used in its original form for much longer. The library will move to a new building called Ādisōke, which is scheduled to open in 2026. The collaborative project between Diamond Schmitt and KWC Architects will house not only the Ottawa Public Library, but also Library and Archives Canada. The future of the old brutalist building is uncertain.

This building was included in the red list, published in our exhibition catalog SOS Brutalism: A Global Survey (September 2017). After a status review on September 23, 2024, it is still classified as red (endangered) in the online database.