APPLETON, Wis. (WFRV) – The Appleton library is in the same location on Appleton Street but inside, things look completely different.
Local 5 got a tour of the new Appleton library where we saw many changes and upgrades. The children’s area in the new library has moved to a lower level and library officials say it’s about 90% larger than inside the old one.
It includes play spaces for kids, a large story room, sensory areas, and interactive games throughout the space.
Library officials said that one of the priorities for the new library was to add more natural light. They’ve done this by adding skylights and big windows throughout the library.
They’ve also added several large meeting rooms and a space for small business owners to work. There are also creation rooms where library patrons will have a chance to record podcasts and access multimedia technology.
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Library officials mentioned the new library cost about $40.1 million with the funding coming from a combination of public and private sources.
The library director told Local 5 that they stayed on budget throughout the process and even rejected several bid offers that were too high for their original budget.
The grand opening for the library is on Saturday, February 15 at 9 a.m.
In addition to a ribbon-cutting ceremony, there will be guided tours, activities for kids, and chances to sign up for a library card.
This is something that our community deserves, this is a place where everybody belongs and everybody is welcome. Our community deserves a space like this where they don’t just learn but they also can participate inbeing part of our community.
Colleen Rortvedt, Appleton Library Director
