Construction Begins on Library Facelift
The Olney Community Library and Arts Center was first built 46 years ago, in 1979, and for 46 years there were no major renovations or construction on the library, until now. Construction will begin on Nov. 1 and will mark the start of a brand new library.
The most recent addition to the library is the glass wall put up between the children’s side of the library and the town’s side.
“The school and city used to share ownership of the library, but last year the school took it over completely, and since our library is open to the public, the glass wall allows some safety for kids to be able to check out books while not interfering with the public side; it keeps the books separated and easier to control,” Rebecca Esparza, librarian, said. “The door on the children’s library side will be only accessible to students and staff during the day because in the remodeling, the Cubs’ Den will actually be on the children’s side instead of in the public area; however, after school is let out, then both doors will be open to the public.”
According to Lori Cox, library director, everything in the library will be different, and every part of the building will be touched by something new.
“We are going to get all new furniture and shelving, new flooring, fresh paint, and, of course, the student side will be separated and will become the Linda Daws Center for Young Readers,” Cox said. “Linda was the children’s library aide for 29 years and she recently passed, so we wanted to dedicate that side of the library to her. And we’re also going to have some really neat new patterns of fabric and cool chairs to sit in.”
The total cost of the library’s renovation is going to be over $300,000, but fundraising and grants have helped cover the cost.
“We got a grant from the Tocker Foundation in Austin and they work with rural libraries and they offered us this transformation grant; and then we had to go out and get more grants and we just built on that,” Cox said. “The library was built in 1979, and the shelving and furniture haven’t been changed since then, so they’ve been here for a good while. We wanted to make the library a more welcoming place and update it to where people will come in and use it more than what they have in the past.”
The biggest change to the library is the entrance to the east doors, which will be only accessible to students and teachers with key cards. The public will be allowed in the student side of the library after school hours and when no students are using it.
“We’ve always had the public and the school combined, and now for safety reasons, we can’t do that anymore,” Cox said. “It’s going to be the biggest change for the public and the students too. Sadly, we don’t live in the same world that we lived in when this building was built in 1979, and we have to think about keeping our kids safe in a crazy world right now.”
The main goal for the renovation is to modernize and update the library.
“I’m excited for new paint, we need some new color on the walls,” Esparza said. “And the new furniture like the chairs and tables; and I’m just excited to have an updated place. Especially the new shelves that will have a bottom shelf that tilts instead of just being flat, so the books on the bottom shelves will have a better chance of being checked out and will be easier to see and to grab.”
Much of the construction will take place over Thanksgiving and winter break.
“The library will be closing on Nov. 1 to pack everything up and move everything out so that they can paint and add floors, and then the new shelving and things are supposed to arrive in December,” Esparza said. “And then we plan to open back up tentatively on Jan. 5 when school starts back, and we’ll have an open house sometime in early February.”
After renovations, the library will look very different, but the changes will benefit both the students and the community.
“I think I’m going to miss how it looks now because I grew up with this library, I lived right across the street from the library and this is all I remember of it,” Cox said. “It’s what I’m used to, but I’m super excited for all the new changes and to see five years of fundraising come to fruition. I’m a little overwhelmed with all the work that has to be done but I’m excited.”