For many years, the Lawrence Public Library has served our community with its variety of books, movies and magazines available for checkout. Located at Seventh and Vermont, the library was in the center of downtown. Looking a little dreary and bleak compared to other parts of downtown’s unique architecture , the previous library building needed serious work done to not only the inside but the outside as well. In 2010, the city approved a $19 million expansion and renovation plan.

“We asked Lawrence citizens what the most important library services were to them,” library director Brad Allen said. “They told us they wanted more space for children, more meeting rooms, and state of the art technology.”

Since the original library was built in 1972, some think it is having trouble meeting the needs of the community.

“In our new building, we will double the space for children, have an auditorium twice the size of our current auditorium, three large meeting rooms, five small meeting rooms and an audio-visual editing rooms and a fully-functioning recording studio.”

Since it is currently getting rebuilt, the Lawrence Public Library has temporarily moved into the Border’s building.

To some, $19 million seems excessive, but all of the money isn’t going to just the library.

“[The 19 million] is for the new city parking structure, a community plaza, and the new library,” Allen said. “The budget for the actual library building itself is roughly $11 million.”

The entire project is expected to take just over a year to complete and will be reopened roughly around April of 2014.