KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City, Missouri, Public Library’s North-East Branch has reopened after more than one year in a temporary home to allow for a $4.5 million renovation project.
Granted only a limited number of services are currently available because of restrictions in place at all library branches to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
A voter-approved property tax levy increase helped fund most of the project’s costs. Talia Evans, a spokesperson for the library, said the North-East Branch renovation is the largest project since voters approved the levy in 2018. Over the past two years, the library has used funding from the levy to pay for bathroom renovations, parking lot accessibility upgrades and additions to its collection at various branches.
Visitors to the North-East Branch, located at 6000 Wilson Avenue, will notice a new layout with more natural lighting, new bookshelves and additional private space. The library created a permanent space for its Refugee and Immigrant Services Empowerment (RISE) program.
Evans said this branch serves a high number of immigrants. The new layout intends to make the building more welcoming to people who are new to the area and country.
“This is something that's going to be more inviting for people, be more intriguing for people to walk in and really check out what's going on, so they can find out what we have,” Evans explained.
Some construction will continue on the branch throughout the year to finish a new studio space. This is the first renovation at this branch since it opened in 1989.
