West Branch Library welcomes the public

The Dayton Metro Library’s West Branch will open to the public on Monday, Feb. 7, at 9:30 a.m. The 24,000-square-foot building is West Dayton’s new asset offering library services, partnership opportunities, and community meeting space.

Amenities in the West Branch include: a Community Room (available before and after Branch hours); two, four-person quads, five tutor rooms, and two conference rooms; a quiet reading room; an adult area with a cozy fireplace; an outdoor patio with an interactive Percussion Play area; a “Shine” themed children’s area with a Nintendo Switch gaming system and dedicated tween space; a TeenEDGE area with a PlayStation 5; a technology lab and tech studio; AWE computer stations for early literacy development; numerous public computers, tablets, and industrial-grade Wi-Fi; and laptop lending.

Additionally, the Branch is home to five original art installations as part of the ReImagining Works projects from artists James Pate, Cedric Michael Cox, Kevin Harris, Susan Byrnes (collaborating with Rodney Veal and Brianna Rhodes), and a joint work by Willis “Bing” Davis and his son Derrick Davis.

Patrons can also look forward to the Westside Makespace, a project of Co-op Dayton, who will have a one-year residency in the Branch’s Opportunity Space. Westside Makerspace will be providing workforce development and entrepreneurship opportunities.

The West Branch location is 300 Abbey Avenue, Dayton (right at Route 35), a historic area of West Dayton that is home to both Paul Laurence Dunbar and the Wright Brothers. The West Branch is a more than $12 million investment towards the redevelopment of the original Wright Airplane Factory site.

The West Branch is the newest Branch to be completed. Three remaining Branches will receive new buildings: Burkhardt,

Northmont and Huber Heights.

More information about the West Branch can all be found at DaytonMetroLibrary.org.