Library project in the books

The construction trucks are almost gone, and the finishing touches are being put on the Niederkorn Library in Port Washington.

It may not look any different from the outside, but much of the interior of the building is shiny and new.

The updates range from the significant — a revamped community room with a kitchenette, renovated bathrooms on the ground level and a restroom in the children’s library, dedicated study rooms and a glassed in computer lab — to touches you might miss if you don’t look closely — new flooring and carpeting, a wrap-around countertop on the southeast side of the main floor that offers a space to read, write and enjoy the views of the city and lake and a new circulation desk.

“I’m really proud of this,” Library Director Tom Carson said. “And I think the citizens of Port Washington should be very proud of the library and its staff and the services we can provide in this new environment.”

The community will get a chance to see the improvements firsthand on Saturday, March 7, when the library holds an open house from 10 a.m. to noon. A ribbon cutting will be held at 10:15 a.m., followed by refreshments, a family-friendly magic show by Mischief and Magic at 11 a.m., appearances by Booker the Dog and Gracie the therapy dog as well as music by Pete Billmann.

“We just want people to come and enjoy the space,” Carson said.

The library improvements were funded not by city taxpayers but a $1.2 million  grant from the Wisconsin Department of Administration’s Flexible Facilities Program.

“We were very lucky to get that grant,” Carson said, noting it was a very competitive process.

Not included in the grant is the updated heating, ventilating and air conditioning system, which Carson said is part of the city’s capital improvement plan for this year.

The work, designed by Plunkett Raysich Architects, honors the architecture of the building that residents cherish, he said.

“We didn’t want to take away from that mid-century modern vibe,” Assistant Library Director Rosalia Slawson said. “We just enhanced it with modern touches and updates.”

Helping in that effort was City Engineer Roger Strohm, Carson said, who oversaw the project and allowed the staff to explore different ideas.

“He wanted what was best for us,” Carson said.

The most visible changes may be on the lower level of the library, where the community room has undergone a complete transformation. The meeting area is now open to the kitchenette, which has stainless steel appliances — including a dishwasher that can be used to wash toys housed in the children’s library — an island accented with pendant lights and a tile backsplash.

“Most people didn’t even know we had a kitchen before,” Slawson said, noting it was a separate space from the community room. “It was crusty and sad. This is functional.”

Everything is at a height that complies with the American with Disabilities Act, so it’s accessible to everyone.

“We work hard to be inclusive,” Carson said. “We have to serve everyone the best we can.”

In addition to being used by the public and housing library programs, the space can also serve as a shelter in case of a city-wide emergency, Carson said.

The desk in the children’s library has been revamped, and a small restroom added next to it so youngsters don’t have to leave the space to use the bathroom.

And the men’s and women’s restrooms outside have been remodeled, something that’s been needed for years, Carson said.

On the main floor, visitors walking in will notice the computer lab, which is separated from the main room by glass walls that can be opened. It contains 12 computers, 11 of them new.

“All our technology has been updated,” Carson said, noting four self checkout stations have been added and the WiFi system improved.

“We went from four to 12 hot spots in the library,” he said.

There are three study rooms, one of which is large enough to accommodate groups of eight people. It was the No. 1 amenity sought by people, he said.

“Every day we were asked, ‘Do you have study rooms?’” Slawson said. “We had to refer people elsewhere.”

The new checkout desk is located on the south side of the building, across from its previous spot, giving staff members a better vantage point to see patrons.

New carpeting and lights give the space a light, airy feeling and help create a welcoming spot for visitors.

“It’s all about the library as a third space,” Carson said. “It’s a place people want to go that’s not home where they can meet people and do things, read a book. We can’t be a coffeeshop but we can provide services and spaces where people can just be.

“The library is changing, but it still plays a critical role in providing information to people. We have a very talented staff that can help people find the resources they need.”

The challenge today, he said, is balancing digital and print collections and providing services people are looking for.

Last year, people borrowed 109,878 physical items and 30,503 digital items.  The library charted more than 81,600 visits by people, and its 142 children’s programs drew 6,161 participants, the 34 teen programs brought in 250 people and the 191 adult programs brought in 6,876 participants.

Carson said the library will look for fundraising opportunities to help replace some of the furniture that wasn’t updated. And as comprehensive as this renovation was, there’s more to do, he said, noting that the windows, doors and siding need updating as well, something the city will consider in its capital improvement budget during the next several years.