Marilyn J. Praisner Library will be the next of the MCPL branches to get a “refresh.” Wondering what a refresh is? It is a mini-renovation which includes updated interior design, improvements to the bathrooms, and upgrades to some of the mechanical or electrical underpinnings of branch infrastructure as well as less noticeable things. Check out some of the past refresh projects at other branches. (Our neighbors at White Oak Library were the most recently refreshed.) Praisner Library will be closed for several months while the contractors do their work. We do not yet know when we will close but the time is coming soon. We expect work to start sometime this winter. As soon as the date is set, MCPL will share closing details with the community. (FYI: Staff do not have any “insider information” on the closing date. We are waiting excitedly to find out, too.)
Our branch has been preparing for the refresh since the beginning of this year, but you probably have not noticed anything different… until recently. Over the last few months, staff have been busy in the stacks and around the branch. Some parts of the collection shifted into new locations and others will be shifted soon. Our preparation also means taking away outdated and unused materials, closely evaluating the condition of materials, and taking out things that are falling apart or damaged, a process we call “weeding.” Some sections of the collection have been shifted and condensed to make space so other sections can be moved. It was a little disorienting to see a swath of empty shelves in the middle of the library while all this was happening! Have no fear, those sections did not stay empty for long (the next paragraph explains why). Staff are happy to help you find what you need, so visit the Information Desk if you discover that your favorite section has been moved.
The biggest change so far is that our Teen collection has moved from its home on the tall wire racks just outside the Quiet Study Room to the center stacks between children’s books and adult books. It was a BIG moving job that took four staff most of one day to complete. Once the wire racks were empty, staff disassembled and removed them. The change is wonderful! In the first few hours after the racks were removed, several customers remarked to staff that the space feels so much more welcoming and open.
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| Teen collection in its original location will full shelves. |
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| Empty wire fixture that once held the Teen collection. |
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| Empty space after the fixture was removed |
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| Chairs moved into the space where the Teen collection used to be, creating a new conversation area. |
Everything will look even better once the refresh happens. Watch for updates here on the Praisner Library blog, we will be posting news and information all the way through the process.
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| Tina Deifallah Praisner Library Manager |