Our four-year project is quickly coming to a close! We’re dusting shelves, moving furniture, and unpacking new items for the collection. We anticipate reopening the new Central Library on Tuesday, May 27th.
New space. New name.
That’s right, the Main Library is no more. Our newly renovated and expanded library at 85 Queen Street North is now officially known as “Central Library.”
When we reopen, the Central Library’s public entrance will once again be on Queen Street, with a 24/7 return slot located along Ahrens Street. Entrance to the library is also available directly from our shared underground parking garage. Due to reconstruction work on Ahrens Street, access to the return slot on the Ahrens Street side of the building is available only via Queen Street.
Landscaping work around our property will continue into the summer, and we’re making plans for an official building dedication ceremony on Saturday, September 6th. Watch our website or follow us on Facebook and Twitter for details. We built this library for you, so we hope you can celebrate with us!
Visit the 85 Queen Street North location soon and rediscover your fabulous new library!
Here are just a few notable features of the new Central Library:
• A two-storey atrium flooded with natural light. This atrium serves as the hub for Central Library, with an information desk, circulation desk and four new self-serve checkout stations.
• Flux, a spectacular public art installation in our atrium. This hanging art is reminiscent of book pages scattered in mid-air, symbolizing change and transformation.
• Two-storey glass curtain along the front façade, creating an expanded reading lounge with comfortable seating and a laptop bar looking out over Queen Street.
• A Children’s Library, with heated floors, bright, durable furniture, interactive literacy activities, and more space for collections. There’s even a dedicated programming space just for kids.
• Entrance to the Children’s Library is marked by a fully interactive feature wall, custom designed by the Burgeon Group and featuring quilt squares, buttons and maple leaves as symbols of our community and country.
• A multi-media resource centre and digital media lab conveniently located on the ground floor. Library customers will be able to use the media lab to create music tracks or convert old film to digital formats. There’s even a 3D printer!
• More computers for public use; increased from 55 to 84.
• A refurbished 200-seat theatre with new projection room and accessible seating. The theatre will be home to large Kitchener Public Library events, and is also available for rent.
• Modern, refurbished meeting and program rooms, also available for rent, with accommodation for groups of 20 to 150.
• 412-space underground parking garage, with access from Queen Street and Otto Street – elevator directly to the ground floor of Central Library.
• Our renovated building meets or exceeds all accessibility requirements, and anticipates AODA changes in years to come.
We’re excited about the future of Kitchener Public Library, and hope you are too!
