Bainbridge Public Library to get ‘refreshing’ update
Published 11:16 am Saturday, May 7, 2016
The Bainbridge Public Library recently received a $100,000 grant from the Rotary Club of Bainbridge Island that will enable it to commence a crucial improvement project later this year.
The planned “refresh” is the result of extensive consultations between the library, its consumers and a specialty architectural firm. It includes six major elements:
• Meeting room changes.The solid wall that currently separates the meeting room from the rest of the library will be replaced by a sliding glass door. This change will allow for an increased seating capacity and the addition of a new study area. Aesthetically, it will mean more windows, more natural lighting and a view of the Haiku Garden.
• Reconfiguration of the main floor. Myriad improvements will expand reading areas and enable better use of space.
• Reconfiguration of the children’s area with attention to sight lines and safety details.
• Enlarged staff work spaces to better serve consumers.
• Centralized service desks to eliminate the need to switch between desks for separate transactions.
• General improvements such as improved lighting, foyer remodeling and painting.
The Rotary Club has a long history of support for the library, beginning with the first Auction & Rummage Sale in 1960. Proceeds from the sale were used to buy land for a new building.
In addition, proceeds from the 1963 sale were used to purchase the library’s furnishings, and Rotary funding supported remodels in 1981 and 1995.
Planning for this project came as a result of a 2014 survey and the realization that the last remodel took place more than 20 years ago, said Christy Givans, library board president. The board approved the project last October.
“Thanks to the excellent stewardship of the reserve fund, we will not have to replete our reserves to complete the project,” Givans noted.
She also said that the library will stay open during construction.
