Berwyn Public Library to begin renovations to better meet children's needs

BERWYN – Renovations are expected to start by the end of April at the Berwyn Public Library to switch the locations of the children's department with the computers and audio-visual department.

The children’s department is in three sections on the first floor and will move with the children’s program area used for story hours to the second floor, where the children’s computer lab will stay. The library’s collection of DVDs, CDs and computer games – along with computer labs for training and public use – will take their place on the first floor.

The library will remain open during the renovation, and the audio-visual collection, children's department and computers will move to temporary spaces on the first floor, library Director Keshia Garnett said.

The work will be partially funded by a $125,000 Live and Learn Construction grant from the
Illinois Secretary of State's office. The remainder of the $224,740.39 cost will come from annual budget surpluses gathered by the library over the past several years, Garnett said.

The project is expected to be finished by the end of June. The library already has received the grant money, she said.

“We will try to keep as close to these as possible," Garnett said about the target start and end dates for the project. "With construction, things happen."

Although the grant specified work should be completed by May, Garnett is not worried about any consequences from the state on a late finish.

“While this is not a ‘drop dead’ deadline, the state has stressed that moving forward in an expeditious manner is paramount to ensuring we do not have to refund the grant monies already disbursed," she said in an April 5 letter to Mayor Robert Lovero and the Berwyn City Council.

The library Board of Trustees approved contracts March 21 for the project, and they were confirmed April 12 by the City Council as the library is a department of the city.

The new children’s area will be repainted, and carpet with octagon tiles that can be easily removed for cleaning will be installed, she said. The computer area will get new furniture, as well as new computers and wiring improvements to make the computers run faster.

Garnett said the work, especially in the children’s department, is necessary. The furniture is needed because the library doesn't have enough.

“It’s something the library always wanted to do, to better meet the needs of the children," Garnett said.

The move gives children more space that is neater and more colorful, she added.

The walls dividing the three sections of the children's department on the first floor made it
difficult for parents to watch their children, especially if they were of different ages and in
separate areas of the department, Garnett said.

“The library is just very excited about this project, to give children and caregivers an area to learn in a different way," she said.

City Administrator Brian Pabst said he has been working on this project with the library since 2014 when the library was looking at other renovation concepts that were projected to be more costly.

Garnett then looked into revising the idea to instead move the children’s department to the second floor with new decor and furniture, and a library architect was hired, he said.

“We’re still trying to take advantage of any grant dollars we can, which is becoming more difficult in this day and age,” Pabst said.