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!
Monday, May 26, 2014
Central Library Reopening!
Monday, March 10, 2014
Main Library Temporary Closure
Construction and renovation work on our Central Library project is nearing completion!
In order to accommodate the reconfiguration of our new spaces, the Main Library at 85 Queen Street North will temporarily close on or about March 23, 2014 for approximately 2 months.
For the period of this closure, a temporary library offering selected services will be available for our downtown customers.
• Located at 607 King Street West (in the plaza at the corner of King St. and Breithaupt St.)
• Open regular library hours, including Sundays from 1 – 5 pm
• Featuring popular collections of books and DVDs for all ages
• Holds pick-up
• Free parking
• No after-hours book drop; but book drop at 85 Queen St. library location will remain open
Our four Community Libraries will remain open as usual during this temporary closure. In addition, our Forest Heights Library will also be open on Sundays from 1 – 5 pm during the temporary Main Library closure. Library members can borrow and return materials to any Kitchener Public Library location.
We’re almost there! The reopening of the library following this closure will mark the long-awaited transformation of our old Main Library into our new Central Library.
We want to thank all library users for their patience and support throughout
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Project Update
The renovation of the original library building is also nearing completion. All three levels are undergoing extensive refurbishment, including the construction of a new 5,000 square foot addition to the second level of the library.
As the project winds down, our excitement is building – we can’t wait to show off our fabulous new space!
Monday, December 16, 2013
Main Library Temporary Closure
On Monday, December 23rd, 2013, the Main Library will be CLOSED until approximately 4:00 pm due to
hydro work. The Main Library will
re-open again from 4:00 to 9:00 pm.
All four of KPL’s Community Library locations will remain open as usual on
December 23rd.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Construction Crane Removed
You know we’re making progress when our contractors no longer need the big equipment! The large orange crane was recently removed from our construction site.
And what a cool process it was! These guys sure know what they’re doing. The entire crane was dismantled, loaded onto flatbed trucks and hauled away in under 4 hours!
Smaller portable cranes will be used, as necessary, for the balance duration of our construction project.
We compressed the time of the crane’s dismantling a little bit for this short video.
Enjoy!
