The new Lakeside Library branch is now open for business. A formal ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the grand opening took place over the weekend.
The event featured music, art displays, activities and crafts for kids and adults. Community members were also invited to tour the new 16,800 square foot library on Woodside Ave. and learn more about its design features, including the themed Children’s Area and Teen Space that feature age-appropriate books and fun spaces to hang out.
The new branch is more than three times larger than the prior facility on Vine St. and includes meeting spaces, a 2,000 square foot community room, 3D printing capabilities, a Vet Connect station to link veterans to resources through the Office of Military and Veterans Affairs, and a Friends of the Library bookstore.
The new Lakeside library was designed as a Zero Net Energy building, meaning the energy needed to operate the building is completely offset by solar power. There are also three biofiltration basins on site that collect all the water that falls onto the building’s roof, the surrounding sidewalks, and the parking lot when it rains.
The building also features LED lighting, which uses significantly less electricity than traditional light bulbs and the landscaping surrounding the new library incorporates native and drought-tolerant plants.
Construction started in July 2021 and was completed earlier this year.
