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The Covington Library’s Renovation Celebration

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If you haven’t been to the Kenton County Public Library in Covington in a while, you might not even recognize it KCPL Ref Deskanymore.  For the past two years there has been a major renovation & expansion going on.  It was fascinating to me to watch the changes take place as the library was worked on.  I was pretty impressed that they managed to stay open throughout the renovations and keep all of their great services running through all of the commotion.  There were very few days that they closed while the work was going on, so during our nearly weekly visits we were able to witness the transformation.  That being said, when I went on a tour of the library last week with other local bloggers, I learned so many new things about the library.  So much thought went into the planning of this “new and improved” library.  There are great new additions that I think will be a huge asset to the library, such as my two favorites: the drive-thru window (put your books on hold and they will contact you when they are ready!) and the gardens in the Children’s Department.  I can’t wait to take my kids to storytime OUTSIDE!  There are also other awesome features like quiet study rooms that can be used, a fabulous public meeting room for large groups, a bigger and better genealogy department that is reknowned in this area for it’s extensive collection of local history, and a great teen room that is seperate from the adult and children’s sections so teens can have their own space.  I could go on and on, but I feel like the best thing for you to do is to go see all the changes yourself!  Even if you don’t live in Kenton County, you can get a card at this library if you live in Cincinnati or anywere in Kentucky.  The best time to check the new library out will be this weekend at their “Renovation Celebration“.  There will be fun events for the whole family, as well as tours of the library.

 Renovation Celebration:

Schedule of Events on Sat., Oct. 26:

9:30 am                Ribbon Cutting

10:30 am              Cincinnati Zoo visitsKCPL Stairs

10:30-4:30           Tours of the Library

10:30-2:30           Genealogy computer workshops

11-noon               Introduction to KCPL Databases

Noon                     Unveiling of the Children’s Department Art

12:30 pm              Job Search Central Resources

1:30 pm                Job Search Central Resources

1-2 pm                  Jazz Music with The Tim Watson Trio

1-2 pm                  YA Manga Art Unveiling

2-3 pm                  Celebrate Favorite Book Character Day!
2-3 pm                  Overview of Covington’s Computer Classes

3-4 pm                  Elementz Studio Kre8v Hip Hop Dance

Here are some more fun facts about the renovations:

  • It is environmentally friendly with:
    • Rain Gardens  – when it rains the water is diverted to go into the ground instead of the sewer.
    • KCPL GeneologyPermeable stone pavers in the drive-thru let rainwater seep into the ground, preventing it from going into the sewers
    • A lot more natural light – the clearstory and entryway have a lot more glass which allow more light to come in which will help heat the building and reduce the need for lights.
    • Lighting – the lighting on the main floor has sensors which lower light levels during the day and increase light at night, therefore being responsive to the environmental needs of the building.
    • Big Fan – a large ceiling fan in the stairwell will pull air from the lower part of the building up to the higher floors.
    • Windows and the heating and cooling systems will be more efficient.
    • There are ways to make a portion of the roof a green roof if funds become available in the future.
    • Tables originally used in the Covington Carnegie Library were refinished and are in use in the Local History and Genealogy Reading Room
    • An original desk also from the Carnegie  is used in the Branch Managers office
    • Chairs and primary shelving are also re-used
    • Trees that were removed from the parking lot were donated to the Ohio Valley Woodworkers Guild for reuse.
    • Much of the metal that was removed was recycled.
    • Furniture no longer needed was donated to area groups including churches, state offices, schools and fire departments.
  •  Local history and genealogy department:
    • Is using the tables from the original Carnegie library which ties old and new together.
    • There is an Archive Room-temperature and humidity controlled to preserve historic documents and items.
  • Artwork
    • The Covington Library prior to renovation had one of the largest collections of revered Covington artist Frank Duveneck’s work. This artwork, along with works from Dixie Seldon and Harlan Hubbard, will be placed back on the walls once the entire renovation project is completed. The value of this art is estimated at more than $600,000.
  •  Support from the Community
    • Several organizations provided substantial support for the project including The Bank of Kentucky, the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, Republic Bank, Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., and the Jacob G. Schmidlapp Trusts, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee. 

     

Don’t delay…get to the Covington Branch of the Kenton County Public Library to witness all the changes yourself!  For more pictures from the library check out this post on the Little Things Blog.

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