Library Resource Center to open Aug. 11
Congrats to the Alachua County Library District on the completion of their Library Partnership and Neighborhood Resource Center. This is a great asset to our community, and eda is proud to have had a hand in its development. Looking forward to seeing everyone at the grand opening on August 11 at 10 am. Read the Gainesville Sun’s coverage of the project on their website.
Alachua County Library District’s Library Partnership and Neighborhood Resource Center is moving to a new location.
The previous center opened in 2009 at a rented space in a shopping center located at 1130 NE 16th Ave. in collaboration with the Partnership for Strong Families, the Department of Children and Families and the Casey Family Foundation.
The Library Partnership and Neighborhood Resource Center now will be at a newly built building at 912 NE 16th Ave. with continued support with its partners.
“It is the library’s goal to own our own facilities,” said Nickie Kortus, Alachua County Library District Marketing and Public Relation manager. “We were previously leasing just down the road, and owning a building in its property enables us to control the management and maintenance and operate it and apply the same efficiency standards and cost savings.”
The Library Partnership and Neighborhood Resource Center is one of Alachua County Library District’s 12 locations.
A grand opening of the new center is on Aug. 11 at 10 a.m. The local community is invited to attend where they can take tours, meet some of the staff and learn about the services and features being offered.
The Library District invested $1,963,500 to build the new 10,000-square-foot center. Paul Stresing Associates Inc. designed the area with Hoffman Construction Inc. offering their construction services. Construction began in January.
The new center will essentially include the same features at the previous location including MAKERspaces, a large community room for programs and community access meetings, study rooms, teen spaces, a quiet reading room, a Snuggle Up Center for parents, caregivers and young children, and classes.
It will continue to serve as a neighborhood resource center, a one-stop location where the local community can receive assistance from over 30 social service agencies and organizations such as programs for food, clothing or healthcare, Kortus said.
New features being added are an audiovisual studio and editing booth, and rain barrels for efficient irrigation and reduced maintenance.
Alachua County Library District made this investment and new building for the Library Partnership and Resource Center to show the community it is here to stay, Kortus said.
“We’re going to continue to improve and provide these services in the best possible environment that we can, and we’re going to renovate and innovate so that the services keep pace with what the demands are and what the needs are,” she said.
