Architect Allen Bacque with MBSB Group presented the current renovation plans for the Main Library to the Library Board and Building Committee at a public meeting on Monday, April 20th. The Library staff, Board, and Building Committee are currently reviewing the plans, suggested colors and carpets, and budget estimate and hope to take action on moving forward within the next few months.
The Main Library facility was opened in January 1973. It has held up well over the years. As part of the renovation, major infrastructure improvements - including a new HVAC system, sprinkling the facility, and bringing other systems up to today's building codes - will occur. In addition, the third floor will be renovated to include public collections - adult non-fiction, reference, genealogy - as well as a computer/technology classroom. The second floor will house the adult popular collections and fiction collection, as well as media (DVDs, CDs, audiobooks). The first floor will house the Children's Department and the Teen Department, as well as a space for people to have a snack while studying or visiting the library. The large meeting room will be relocated to the 2nd floor and smaller meeting and study spaces will be available on all three floors. The Friends of the Library will accept donations and sort for their booksales in dedicated space accessible on the first floor of the library. The Main Library is also the headquarters facility for Administrative and Technical staff as well as equipment that serves the 10 facility library system.
The renovation project will take approximately 24 months, including move out, demolition, renovation, and move in. The current main library will be closed during this process. The Library Administration is currently investigating options for a temporary, small facility to provide library service to the area during the construction, as well as options on keeping much of the book collection available to the public. Several have questioned the availability of collections such as genealogy during this time. We hope to relocate such collections to other Lafayette Public Library locations to keep them available to the public during the renovation. We will let you know once we have the details.
The architect's fly-by rendering of the exterior and interior spaces can be found on YouTube .
The architect's PowerPoint presentation to the Board / Building Committee can be found here
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2 comments:
Excellent posts.
Don't know if this will reach anyone. I would like to request, when the Main Library is being remodeled. Please put the outside book drop about 12 inches lower than the one at the Southside Branch. I have yet to see one woman be able to drop books into the slot without getting out of the car, because it is so high.. Only a man can reach it... Thanks..
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