This artwork was for a new library in New Orleans that replaced one that was destroyed when the levies failed after Hurricane Katrina. The project is unusual in public art because the artist used actual library patrons as models for the paintings. The paintings are highly accurate portraits of the models and people will recognize them. Jeff Whipple wanted to use local residents as models to put the focus on the strength of the community, which has survived the devastating floods. That local connection has a much different and strangely powerful impact in the community. The children of the children depicted in the paintings will see these paintings in this library. The models for the paintings were selected from dozens who volunteered to be photographed by Jeff Whipple in May, 2011. Whipple asked each model to act like they were reading a book and show various expressions like excitement or fear or happiness. He took 960 photographs and selected 16 to use in the eleven paintings. Everyone who participated in the photo sessions will also feel a direct connection with the public artwork. For continuity, all the backgrounds are in the same painting style. The backgrounds in the larger paintings are in analogous colors with low contrast imagery related to the library's resources and a quote from an author.