CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Phase 1 of a major renovation of portions of the public library have been completed. The ribbon cutting to officially open the renovation will be on Tuesday, December 11 at 10 a.m. Clarksville Mayor Jim Durrett will preside.
The public is invited to this ribbon cutting and to tour the renovated areas. There will also be a demonstration of the new book check-in and sorting machine.
The library was last renovated 21 years ago. The latest library renovation, which makes the building more updated, useful, and comfortable, was possible due to a public/private funding partnership.
A renovation of the library’s public restrooms was funded using the library’s reserve operating funds at a total cost of $180,000. The remainder of the renovation, called the Main Refresh, was funded with non-taxpayer Library Foundation monies controlled by the Library Board, totaling $300,500. The following projects were included in the Main Refresh:
- The renovation and enclosure of a dedicated teen space on the second floor including new carpeting, installation of a resilient floor for programming, and a dedicated gaming area.
- The creation of three new multi-person study/meeting rooms where the reference print collection was previously located, as well as a refresh of the current two-person study rooms on the second floor
- The creation of a quiet study area at one end of the genealogy room
- The creation of a maker space/alternative meeting room on the first floor
- The creation of a room that now houses the library’s new automated material handling sorting machine near the circulation desk and adjoining the lobby. This machine was purchased in October also using Foundation funding.
At the beginning of the project, Library Director Martha Hendricks said, “This renovation is the beginning of a new phase. The library can really begin to reflect in the physical building the changes that we’ve already made in terms of where the library is today vs. where we were. The library is becoming more of a community center, with meeting rooms being more important, for example. Brick and mortar facilities across the spectrum must upgrade to meet the demands of residents who want more when they make the decision to get in the car to drive to a place in this internet age. The Library Board, myself, and library staff also wanted to be sure that, with the likely coming of a branch library in north Clarksville, the current building has these upgrades now and is refreshed so that it remains the vibrant and distinctive place that it needs to be. This notion was definitely included in the library’s strategic planning.”
Additionally, Patterns of Progress – the large sculpture of cogs and wheels in the lobby – by artist Tom Malone has been removed from that area and has been re-installed by staff of the Customs House Museum in the new maker space room.