After around a year of work, staff at the Hopkinsville-Christian County Public Library unveiled the building’s renovated second floor and invited the community to explore the space on Thursday.
The renovations focused on relocating the library’s youth services to the second floor, moving the adult services to the first floor and making the library more compliant with the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Youth Librarian Kiwana Bridges says the second floor now includes a children’s area with more toys and space for crafts, as well as an area designated for teenagers with board games and spots for studying.
The second floor also now includes a community room where events can be hosted. By making the upstairs completely youth-focused, Bridges says kiddos can play more freely without disturbing any of the adult patrons.
To make the library more accessible, Bridges says a larger elevator has been installed, and all of the restrooms in the building were renovated.
Bridges says she feels as though the sky is the limit with the kind of programs that can be hosted in the renovated space.
Now that the second floor has received some attention, Library Executive Director Tiffany Luna says it’s the first floor’s turn for some renovations. Luna says they are planning to add a makerspace, quiet study rooms, and a dedicated passport acceptance area to the first floor.
Along with spotlighting the renovations, the winners of the library’s art competition were also presented with awards. Along with receiving $250 prizes, the winners will have their art pieces on display on the second floor.
