Editorial
Front Page - Friday, February 4, 2011
Chattanooga-Hamilton County Bicentennial Library getting facelift
David Laprad
The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Bicentennial Library is getting a facelift, both inside and out. Many of the alternations will improve the services the library offers its 104,000 cardholders.
- David Laprad
It happens with age: wrinkles appear, parts fall into disrepair, and an overall sluggishness sets in. But with work, everything that’s old can be made new again.
The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Bicentennial Library had reached the point where it needed a nip and a tuck. Under the guidance of interim director Eva Johnston, its staff has been working to make a number of changes and additions, both cosmetic and service-oriented.
Andria Davis, community relations coordinator, likes to begin tours near the front door, where one of the biggest alterations is apparent: new carpeting.
“The old carpet was laid in 1976, so we needed to change it,” she says, looking across the expanse of fresh covering. Her eyes then move toward several rows of popular fiction, where more changes are apparent.
For starters, the large area is awash with natural light. The large windows that run along the front of the building are allowing midday sunlight to fill the room, giving it a more inviting feel than one might expect in a modern library. To allow the light to reach the other side of the room, the building’s maintenance crew has cut the bookshelves nearly in half.
Shorter shelves means fewer books for the 104,000 people who use the library, but Davis says this is a case where less really is more.
“All of the changes we’re making are a result of a library consultant’s report the mayor’s library task force commissioned a few years ago. We had books that were 20 years old, and although they were obsolete, we thought it would be better to hold onto material someone might need than remove it from our shelves. But the consultants said it’s worse to have out of date material available, so we weeded our collection, keeping only the most popular and current materials. Even with fewer books available, our circulation has gone up because people are finding what they want quicker,” she says.
Another change the task force suggested was color-coding the different areas of the library. For example, the wall behind the service desk for the public computer area, which is located near the shelves of popular fiction, will be painted red to attract attention.
Getting on the elevator and pressing “2,” Davis says a number of exciting changes are in store for the second story of the library, including the construction of an Internet cafe. David says when it’s ready, patrons will be able to enjoy a cup of coffee along with twice as much wireless Internet capacity.
“We’re between directors right now, so until that issue is resolved, this project is on hold,” she says.
One project with which the library is moving forward is turning three large alcoves on the second story in small rooms. To accomplish this, glass or Plexiglas walls will be installed at the edges of the niches, giving groups a secluded meeting place. The bottom half of the glass will be frosted to give the occupants privacy.
“We have an English as a second language class that needed a quiet area for students to meet. These rooms will be outfitted with equipment so teachers can do PowerPoint presentations,” Davis says.
Located to the right of the elevator is the children’s area, where some of library’s biggest wrinkles appeared due to an aging roof. With that problem fixed using money from the city, the library staff can begin revamping the rest of the section. Funds for the renovation were raised through the annual ClubLib fundraiser. In addition, BI-LO Charities has donated $15,000 to go toward the purchase as an interactive educational learning station.
Davis says the children’s area will look “modern and gorgeous” when it’s done.
Library officials are planning fewer changes for the next story up, which houses historical materials, genealogy data and government documents. However, the staff does plan to outfit the entry point with a beautiful wood desk and lockers where people can store their belongings while they peruse the archives.
“These changes will make our collection more secure, and therefore more accessible,” Davis says.
In addition to updating the interior, library officials are applying a bit of spit and polish to the exterior of the building as well. Plans are to have the outside of the library adorned with large, colorful banners by National Library Week in April.
Davis credits two local designers, Haskell Matheny and Dana Moody, with conceiving many of the changes. And she says the Friends of the Library made many of the alterations financially possible.
“They’re important to us. They pay for many of the things we can’t afford,” she says.
Together with its new automation system being installed during the first week of February, the Chattanooga library is doing everything it can to erase wrinkles and energize its services for the years to come.
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