After six months of construction and renovations Downers Grove Public Library officials unveiled an updated facility promising 21st century services to the community.
During an Oct. 18 dedication ceremony celebrating the end of major renovations, Downers Grove Mayor Martin Tully said the library has a “deep and rich history” as a keystone of the community. Over the past year Downers Grove has earned a number of accolades including one of the 50 best places to live and raise a family, according to Livability.com. Tully said the Downers Grove Public Library is one such reason.
“We want to thank you for helping Downers Grove be a great place to live, work, play and thrive,” Tully said.
Tully also congratulated the library leadership for financing the $2.2 million renovation with library reserve funds and financial gifts.
Kathleen DiCola, president of the library board of trustees, thanked residents for putting up with some inconveniences such as noise and “constantly moving resources” during the six month project.
For more than 100 years the Downers Grove Public Library has been a staple of the community, and recent renovations and updates will ensure the library will continue to meet community demands, said Rick Ashton, library director. Although the current library building is only 15 years old, Ashton said the library was designed for a patron in the 1990s, not 2014.
The $2.6 million renovation, initially planned in 2012, began in April and was nearly complete by the Oct. 18 dedication ceremony. New lighting, carpeting, furniture and bright spacious areas create an inviting facility. Ashton said there were still a few small projects left to be completed, such as fixing a window pane and adding a door knob.
But the updates go beyond aesthetics with a greater emphasis on technology to enhance both customer service and community needs.
A new automated checkout and return system not only checks in the various types of media, but also sorts them by the media type. Melanie Mentz, the library circulation manager, said the system is a great benefit for the patrons because it cuts down on the amount of time it takes for returned items to be restocked on the shelves.
“What used to take a few days we can now handle within a few hours,” Mentz said.
In addition to those customer service improvements, the renovated library features an area dedicated to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) training. During the renovation celebration more than a dozen children worked on robotics projects with library staff members. Library officials have been working closely with the village’s school districts to select collection items that will assist school children with their course work, Ashton said. Another upgrade includes the construction of two soundproof rooms used for musical recording and mixing. Staff member Dale Galiniak said some of the computer programs available can teach patrons basic musical skills such as how to play the guitar.
“It’s sort of like Guitar Hero, except it teaches you how to play the chords on a real guitar,” he said.
In addition to teaching musical skills, the rooms can be used by musicians looking to record and mix their music demos.
Library patrons looking to hone basic computer skills also have a room available for training.
“We have courses that cover all the basics, from how to use a mouse, to using the Internet and more,” Ashton said.
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The updated library also features improved WiFi, new study areas, a more spacious young adult section, a vibrant children’s area featuring a tot-sized play café, additional display areas, a café for adults and, of course, stacks of books. However, Ashton said the library’s traditional collection has been pared down some due to changing patron wants.
The community reaction during the dedication celebration was electric, with random complimentary comments such as “how neat,” “this is awesome,” and “what a great job” echoing throughout the facility.
Ashton was clearly pleased with community reaction.
“We’re very excited about the new library and what we have to offer the community. Throughout this process the word ‘destination’ was key,” he said.