Improvements to lighting, seating, and shelving are on their way this winter as we work to position the library for the future. Beginning the week of February 6, we’ll be moving materials and furniture around as we tackle some long-needed projects. Plans call for updated lighting fixtures that are 75 percent more energy-efficient. This win-win project will dramatically increase the lighting levels in public spaces while saving on utility bills. We anticipate recouping the full cost of the new fixtures through energy savings in less than three years. 

 

Opening up the floor plan to maximize the use of space will provide a dramatic visual change. By rearranging shelves and removing some non-load-bearing walls, we will create more flexible space that will meet today’s needs and allow us to adjust to changing usage patterns in the future. A more straightforward shelving arrangement will make materials easier to find. new, centrally located service desks will allow for more flexible scheduling of professional staff and improved customer service.

 

Finally, our most popular materials (DVDs, Blu-rays, and CDs) will move front and center, improving access for patrons and staff alike. New shelving will make audiovisual items easier to browse. Neighboring libraries that have made similar improvements recently have seen more residents using more materials, more often.  No new loans, bonds, or tax rate increases are necessary to pay for these improvements. We have been saving for this project for several years, setting aside maintenance budget dollars in a designated building fund.  

 

The library will remain open during renovations. Many popular materials will be moved to the meeting room so that they remain accessible. Some other portions of the collection will be temporarily inaccessible as work progresses from one section to another. We anticipate needing to close for a few hours once or twice to accomplish particularly disruptive tasks. We’ll give patrons as much advance notice as we can in the library, on our website, and on our social media accounts. 

 

Just as we welcomed patrons from Ela Area, Indian Trails, and Cook Memorial library districts during their recent renovation projects, those facilities will welcome you. You’ll need your Vernon Area library card and your driver’s license and/or other proof of address when you visit them in order to register for reciprocal borrowing privileges. By June, we’ll have a newly refreshed space, open to new possibilities, and ready to meet the changing needs of our patrons and the evolving role of the library in the community.