By Rich Larson
The Northfield Public Library is preparing for a significant renovation project that will bring major improvements to its children’s department and other areas of the building, thanks to a federal grant administered through the Minnesota Department of Education.
Northfield Director of Library Services Natalie Draper said the project is designed to enhance spaces that support workforce education and telehealth services while also modernizing portions of the library used most frequently by families and children.
To accommodate the work, the library will close from Aug. 17 through Aug. 22. During that week, contractors will complete some of the loudest and most disruptive tasks, including removing existing carpet and beginning demolition work in the children’s department. Staff will remain busy behind the scenes, relocating collections and preparing temporary service areas.
The renovation will include new shelving, new carpeting and a refreshed layout throughout the children’s section on the first floor. Because the entire children’s collection cannot be housed in temporary locations during construction, only a smaller browsing collection will be available in the library’s atrium. Some materials will be inaccessible for a period of time, although patrons will still be able to request items from other libraries in the SELCO system.
Construction will also affect library programming. With the children’s area undergoing renovations, the library’s meeting spaces will be used for storage and collection staging. As a result, most library programs will move to alternate locations through much of August, September and October. Community members are encouraged to carefully check event locations before attending programs.
Additional changes are planned for the second floor. The library’s four-person study pod will be relocated, and several genre collections will be rearranged to create more cohesive browsing areas and quieter reading spaces. Library staff will also reuse existing shelving where possible as part of a broader effort to improve accessibility, visibility and flexibility within the building.
Draper said the project represents a rare opportunity to make substantial improvements without drawing on the library’s operating budget. While some furnishings may receive support from the Friends of the Northfield Public Library, the renovation itself is funded through the grant.
Library officials expect construction to be completed by the end of the year and hope to welcome patrons back into the newly renovated spaces as early as November.
Rich Larson is the owner and General Manager of KYMN Radio. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
