Although a new expansion at the Airdrie Public Library is almost totally complete and is available for use, the Library has decided to hold off on an official unveiling until early November.

Library Director Pam Medland explained that the new expansion, which was scheduled to finish on Monday (September 11), still needs some shelving and furniture before the space is totally complete, leading to the delay.

"We were trying to be as thrifty as we could be by using existing shelving that was in storage with new shelving. Library steel shelving is very expensive, and we were largely successful with that but not all the pieces were an exact fit. It's a little bit like doing a jigsaw puzzle. So we do have some gaps and deficiencies there that we're working on filling as quickly as we can, and we also wanted to wait for most of the furniture purchases until we were in the space to see what it felt like, so the furniture is also delayed."

Medland explained that renovations for the expansion went smoothly. The expansion saw the Library move their offices to a nearby space that formerly housed a taekwondo studio, allowing them more room for preschool programming.

Even though they haven't officially unveiled the new space, they have been using it since Monday and are happy with what they're seeing.

"We've opened for programming on target on Monday. We're able to almost double our preschool programming by offering it in both our existing enclosed program room and also in the open space, and that's gone very well."

Medland said relocating the offices was also very easy, and staff are already loving their new work space.

 

Questions, comments or story ideas? Email us at news@discoverairdrie.com