Next Saturday, April 11th, the Columbus Metropolitan Library system will celebrate the opening of its latest rebuilt branch in Whitehall at 4445 East Broad Street. The new building, designed by local architect Jonathan Barnes, will feature over 20,000 square feet (nearly three times larger than the old branch) of space dedicated to learning, reading, information and gathering space.
“The old building was built in 1959, so this will be a welcome breath of fresh air for the community,” said CML Marketing & Communications Specialist Ben Zenitsky. “All of our new buildings feature similar elements — a lot of natural light, flexible design and adaptable space — we’re really building libraries for the 21st century.”
While the same number of books have been retained in the branch’s circulation, the expansion allows for more computer terminals, meeting and community rooms, a large dedicated children’s area, a teen area, and a small recording studio available for reservation. The branch will also feature a drive-through window for reservation pickups, a first for the system.
The renovation of the Whitehall branch follows last year’s launch of the new Driving Park branch. Eight other locations are either currently undergoing renovations or awaiting planned renovations. The grand opening on April 11th will kick off with a ribbon cutting at noon, followed by entertainment, refreshments and music.
For more information, visit www.columbuslibrary.org.
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All photos by Walker Evans.
