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Wednesday, June 6, 2007 1:11 AM CDT
City leaders tour library addition construction site
By ROB STROUD, Staff Writer
rstroud@jg-tc.com
CHARLESTON — A community meeting room, spacious children’s sections, and a sunlit mezzanine made a good impression Tuesday on visitors to the under-construction Charleston Carnegie Public Library addition.
Members of the Charleston City Council and the library board toured the construction site prior to their meetings Tuesday evening. City staff members and others accompanied them to the addition on back of the existing library building, 712 Sixth St. The library’s new main entrance will face Fifth Street and a new parking lot.
One of the first interior areas they visited was the planned Charleston Rotary Community Room, which will have seating for up to 200 people. The room will have its own kitchenette and restrooms, and can be sealed off from the rest of the building for usage after regular library hours.
“The community can use it and we can still have security for the rest of the building,” said Mary Droste, a past president of the Rotary Club.
Library Director Sheryl Snyder then showed where the expanded children’s sections will be located. The addition’s lower level will include separate sections for older children and for youths, as well as a patio for outdoor activities.
The addition’s lower level will flow into the current building’s basement, which will be converted to house a young children’s section and a craft area.
“It’s a huge amount of space for children,” said library board member Allen Lanham. He is dean of library services at Eastern Illinois University.
The visitors paused for several minutes in the mezzanine that will connect the addition to the current building. A new elevator will have stops on the lower and upper floors of the addition, and the mezzanine’s middle level. The middle level will flow into what is now the current building’s main entrance area.
Mike Stilger, a construction manager with PKD Inc. of Champaign, discussed how the mezzanine will be topped by translucent insulated glass that will emit sunlight. He said the mezzanine’s north side will have windows from bottom to top.
“It’s nice that you are keeping that (glass top) instead of a solid roof. It’s almost atrium like,” said council member Lorelei Sims. She suggested incorporating potted plants into the sunlit mezzanine.
The tour concluded on the addition’s upper floor, where the adult section and small meeting rooms will be located. Computer labs and reading areas will be located throughout the expanded library.
During the subsequent council meeting, council member Jim Dun thanked the library for hosting the tour.
“It is nice, very well laid out and on track,” said council member John Inyart of the addition.
Construction workers have enclosed most of the addition and started exterior masonry work as they prepare for its fall completion. All of the library’s operations will then move to the addition while the current building is renovated by late winter. Architects from Burnidge Cassell Associates of Elgin designed the project.
Contact Rob Stroud at rstroud@jg-tc.com or 348-5734.
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CLICK TO ENLARGE
 Ken Trevarthan (JG/T-C)
Charleston City Council member Lorelei Sims and library construction manager Mike Stilger talk over the layout of the Charleston Carnegie Public Library addition Tuesday evening during the city council/library board tour.
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