Construction is underway on the $25.2 Million Bloomington Library Expansion Project. $14.1 million is being funded by the City of Bloomington. Bloomington issued a tax levy that will be paid off over 20 years.
In an interview with Cities 92.9, Bloomington Public Library Director Jeanne Hamilton said, “We are really excited. We are expanding the library. So we are adding onto the west side of the library. And then the whole library will be renovated.”
In addition to city funding the State of Illinois is contributing $5.7 million through what it calls a Public Library Construction Act Grant. Also the Library Reserve fund is providing $4.1 million and community donations will fund $1.3 million.
Plans include adding 21.3 thousand square feet to the library’s current footprint and renovating 57.4 thousand square feet of existing space. The library also plans to add new labs. Computer coding classes will be offered in a new Computer Lab and the library will be teaching next generation Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) skills in a new Innovation Lab.
Construction really began to be noticeable in June when the Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) [commonly called a chilling] unit on the roof had to be relocated. It was previously on the west side of the building where construction will be occurring.
Also, those hammering noises people in the vicinity may have heard during the last month or so were from the installation of pilings in the ground to prevent the soil in the construction area from caving in during excavation.
Later observers will witness excavation in the parking lot for the construction of underground storm water management facilities for storm water retention. Those in the neighborhood will recall the flooding in this area experienced during the June 25, 2021 flood. The library flooded at that time. The new storm water facilities are expected to reduce the potential for future flooding.
Visitors to the library will soon notice that the area that now serves the Adult Services Department will be closed off by a temporary wall while construction and renovation is underway on the west side of the building. The Adult Services Department will temporarily be moved into part of the space currently occupied by the Children’s Department. The library will attempt to keep them as separate as possible.
As part of getting ready for construction the library has had to pack away 100 thousand items. Library personnel handled all of the packing themselves to cut costs. Movers will be loading these materials and taking them to a storage facility where they will be housed temporarily.
The library attempted to pack and store items that are used the least. However, some materials patrons may have utilized intermittently may not be available for a period of time.
Hamilton encourages patrons who may find material not available during the renovation to, “start with staff and staff can see if maybe we have something similar in the building and then if not then we have relationships throughout the United States with other libraries where we can interlibrary loan.”
Also library cards for the Bloomington library are good at other regional libraries. So another option available while construction is going on at the Bloomington library is to check out other regional libraries in Normal, Carlock, Heyworth, Hudson and Towanda.
