Washington County Enterprise-Leader
New Library Taking Shape
Youth Section Will Have Age Appropriate Internet
LINCOLN — The new Lincoln Public Library is taking shape with brick-work being done on the inside and outside of the 10,156 square foot building.
Many of the inside walls have been sheetrocked but not painted yet and all rooms now have been partitioned into each section.
Chuck Wood, city business manager, gave a tour of the partially finished facility, starting with a large garage area at the back of the facility where books can be delivered and sent out. Wood also pointed out a drive-through book drop to one side of the back wall.
Wood walked into the main conference room, which would have a 12-foot ceiling, “plenty of seating and a 91” LED Smart TV” for presentations.
“There will be Wi- Fi through- out the building,” Wood said, pointing out a sprinkler system in the ceiling, as he walked toward an area that would be a demonstration kitchen, where cooking classes can be held.
Then it was on to a smaller conference room, which will have a 60” LED Smart TV.
“City committee meetings can be held in here,” Wood said. “There will be tables with data strips for laptops and where phones can be plugged in to be charged. We’ll have a maximum of 16 tables.”
Wood walked past doorway studs to the children’s area.
“We’ll have computers without internet here, sitting nooks and a television,” Wood said, pointing out a storage room for toys before moving on to the youth section, where there will be window seats at the large windows overlooking the area.
“There will be plenty of light coming in to this building,” Wood smiled.
The youth section will have internet, which will be age appropriate and plenty of book shelves.
Wood walked toward the front of the facility with large openings between brick columns. “There will be windows all across the front,” he said, referring again to plenty of light coming into the building.
Wood said there would be five times as much book shelving space as the library had in the old facility. He pointed out a separate office for the library director, a room dedicated to work space for library employees, an information technology room and a separate space dedicated for genealogy research.
Wood said there would be 20 new computers at the new library with four for a card catalog, two for genealogy and the rest divided among the children, youth and adult areas.
“It’s going to be real nice,” Wood said, adding there will be a coffee shop, also with a television, as well as sidewalk tables if anyone wishes to sit outside.
“There will be four or five tables for the coffee area and a lounge area at the front of the building near the windows where people can take their coffee and a pastry if they wish. Those cannot be taken into the main library area,” Wood said.
As the tour ended, Wood again pointed out where the drive-though drop box would be set at the back of the building, complete with a circular driveway. He also pointed to a corner at the back of the building that would be a “green area.”
“It’s going to be really great when it’s finished,” Wood said as the tour wrapped up.