This month, visitors to the new Round Rock Public Library are treated to many amenities, including a large patio with downtown views, a lounge where you can sip coffee while reading, and a garden designed for children to explore.
Despite all the modern features, when you ask the library staff how excited they are to leave the 60-year-old building for new digs, they point to one thing: more space to better serve the community.
"Round Rock continues to grow and now we can really grow with them," said Michelle Cervantes, executive director of the library, outside the new facility. "We had this little plant in a very small container, it would never flower. Now we're replanting it here."
On January 28, the library will open its doors to a $29.8 million, 66,000 square foot, three-story building with an adjacent 288-space parking garage. Cervantes said the old library, which was 44,000 square meters, is closed.
Along with the additional space, the new library will offer more modern features such as an open layout, flexible meeting rooms, and training and teaching laboratories. The garage serves both the library and the city centre.
An Opening Day celebration will be held at the library from 2-6pm. Cervantes said the details of the show will be "amazing".
The new library, 200 E. Liberty Ave., is one block north of the old library.
What will remain, library and city officials say, is that it will serve as a center where people can come together, learn and enrich their lives.
"A library offers more than books; it offers community. It is a community that brings people together, provides free services and resources, and creates a safe haven for children," said Friends of the Mitchell Library member Melissa Fontenet.
A new look
Cervantes, the designers of the new building focused on the search for clean lines and a comfortable and elegant appearance, timeless and elevated above the city centre. Kathy Kincaid, vice president of membership for Friends of the Library, said the facility's visibility helps attract visitors.
Before entering the facility, visitors will find an outdoor patio. When you enter, Cervantes said, you'll see a hall where people can sit and enjoy their coffee as it can be delivered to nearby shops.
According to Cervantes, the foreground will have a neutral look, with only a few colors, variations of red.
There is a meeting room on the ground floor for library enthusiasts, church groups and other interested organizations. This place can be divided into three sections, each of which can accommodate 60 people.
“We want to use this space and make it as open and attractive as possible,” Cervantes said. "The idea of this building is to be very flexible, so we can move rooms, we can move things the way we want. As the building grows and changes and changes over the years, we can grow with it."
The second floor, colored green, blue and orange, is dedicated to children and the library will expand its services to children and teenagers.
Younger visitors can explore the outdoor Discovery Garden, which features plants native to Texas. In the same outdoor area, children will have interactive equipment such as mazes and Lincoln Logs at their disposal. Cervantes said they can also show films there.
The second floor of the Cervantes has a comfortable suite for parents with children and five classrooms, each with doors to make it larger for a group if needed.
The children's area on this floor will include an open nook, additional seating and a tech bar area. Cervantes said teenagers will have a TV area where they can play games, watch movies or "just hang out". The projects draw on input from the library's Youth Advisory Committee, he added.
Designed as a quiet space for people to work or study, the library's third floor spans two sides of the building and features a balcony that offers panoramic views of downtown Round Rock.
Cervantes said the additional space will allow the library to restore programs for all ages, including book clubs, poetry competitions and critiques.
"This is truly a community library designed to serve people from all walks of life," said Mayor Craig Morgan. "This building and the programming that takes place within it will help shape the future of Round Rock."
Cervantes said the new library's location was chosen for its proximity to city buildings such as City Hall and Prete Plaza, as well as the visitor bus route. He said residents want the library to stay downtown.
The new library is the final project in a 123.6 bond package approved by voters in 2013 that also funded a fire station, fire and police training centers, and park improvements. He won $23.2 million to build the library with 60% of the vote.
The total cost of building and furnishing the library and garage is $29.8 million. Officials said the difference between the approved cost of the bonds and the total cost of the library is made up of the city's Public Works Fund. The $13.4 million cost of the garage was covered by city sales tax revenue.
Cervantes said more than 200,000 items are being transferred from the old library to the new facility and about 10,000 new items will be added to the collection. Pending the opening of the new library, residents can access e-books, audio books, music, video and other electronic resources.
All 43 library employees will remain employed and seven more will be hired, including a janitor and a marketing director. The old library had 65,000 patrons, and Cervantes said a 30% increase is expected in the new library.
Change the old library
The Old Library, at 216 E. Main Street, opened in 1961. After more than 60 years of service, the building is slated for a $1.7 million renovation to house the Round Rock Visitor Center and the Round Rock Chamber. Artistic and cultural programs in the city.
The redesign includes changing the floor plan, ground floor access, updating the facade and reconfiguring the mechanical systems. The planning phase started in November and will last approximately 18 months.
Pending the rebuilding process, the city has 212 E. Main St. 212 E. Main Street. go to Palm Valley Boulevard. City officials said moving the house will allow for the construction of a walkway connecting Plaza Ederra and the new Library Plaza.
