Library Now Officially Complete
McPherson Sentinel, February 23, 2010
The last items on the punch list for our building project have been completed, the last issues resolved, and the last payment mailed to the general contractor. One year after the new library opened, our renovation and expansion project is now officially complete.
As the numbers go, we know that the number of people walking through the doors, checking out items, registering for new cards, using the Internet, and attending children’s programs has increased significantly as a result of the opportunities provided by the new building. And this trend continues.
More importantly, how well, after a year, is the new building functioning? I am happy to report to you, the public who are paying for it, that the areas and features of the new library are working exactly as we intended.
We now present six regularly scheduled children’s programs each week, as well as several special programs each month in our children’s program room. The room makes these programs possible by giving us the ability to do the prep work for each program in advance. And when no programs are underway, we can lock down that area and not worry about staffing it.
Walk past the Parent & Toddler Room and you may see parents reading to toddlers, who enjoy the kid-sized furniture and huge stained glass window.
If you visit the McPherson Room, you will likely find someone camped out at the microfilm machine looking at old newspapers. You may see some people seated at the large library table researching local history or some of our volunteer genealogists assisting someone with discovering their family tree.
Walk past the audiovisual area and you will see patrons browsing our greatly expanded selection of DVDs, audiobooks, language courses, and music on CD. A bank of Internet and word processing terminals is nearby, available for use by the public. And if they are all in use, you can easily make a reservation for the next one available.
You may see some young adults using our teen area, studying or reading in one of the café style chairs, browsing our young adult collection, or using one of the computers reserved for use by teens.
Look around the library and you will see people reading in one of our many comfy chairs, studying at one of our tables or carrells, or using our wireless network to access the Internet on their laptop computers.
This is what we envisioned when we were planning and building the facility, and it has been very gratifying to both the library staff and board of trustees to see that vision become reality. In the process of touring groups through the building, I am often asked what features of the building I would change if I had it to do over again. Though I have given that question considerable thought, I cannot think of any significant changes I would have made. It’s perfect, and we love it!