Children eagerly ran through a hand-drawn ceremonial ribbon and into a bright, welcoming new space to call their own.
The Schenectady County Public Library on Monday, July 30, opened its new 6,700-square-foot Children’s Wing at the Central Library Branch in downtown Schenectady. The Schenectady County Legislature contributed $1.5 million in county funds for the expansion, with private grants and donations from the Library Board of Trustees matching the county’s contribution.
The legislature also committed $2 million in county funds for upgrades to the building’s heating and cooling, electrical, fire safety and ventilation systems and for asbestos abatement. All of those upgrades are completed, too.
“This has been a great example of a public-private partnership that works,” said Gary Hughes, chairman of the legislature’s Education and Libraries Committee. “It is exciting to have this new Children’s Wing, so that our children and families can enjoy their time together while learning.”
Library officials started making plans for the expansion about 10 years ago, but over the last four years the project moved forward steadily, with construction starting about 14 months ago.
Library Board of Trustees Chairwoman Esther Swanker said “all kinds of ideas” were brought to the table. Swanker said she is “relieved” to have the project completed after working on it for 10 years.
Earl Lesson, a Schenectady resident for 64 years, said the addition was “worth the wait.” Lesson, a former library employee, said the expansion modernizes the facility.
“I feel like I’m in the capitol in Albany or Manhattan, not Schenectady,” Lesson said standing in the new Swanker Boardroom. “The design is really upscale and beautiful.”
The second floor of the facility holds the new boardroom and two study rooms. A spiral staircase in front of the almost completed librarian desk leads visitors to the three rooms with glass walls.
The main focus of the addition is the new children’s space, which allows for more creative programming and an expansion of toddler and summer reading groups.
“They were hampered with the other room that wasn’t big enough for all the programs that they wanted to do, so they had to send them to other libraries, but now it is all here,” Lesson said.
Karen Johnson, vice chairwoman of the legislature’s Education and Libraries Committee, said she was “thrilled” at how the children were responding to the room.
“They are quite excited about it and I think that is what we really want,” Johnson said. “We want kids to be excited about learning, books, media and computers. If we can help kids get to be good early readers that is a big plus.”
The old children’s area will be used for additional computer terminals. County spokesman Joe McQueen said there is almost always a wait to use a computer.
“For a lot of people this is a technology resource and I see that we will probably be doing more of that,” Johnson said. “The library has to change with the times and I think this library has been very successful. They are doing a lot more with media, a lot more with computers.”
McQueen said upgrades and expansions at the library are tackled piece by piece, so there are some more upgrades down the line.
“There still is a little more work to do at the main library branch,” he said.
Even as times change, Lesson said the library would continue to be an important part of the community.
“It is a center where people can go, everybody can go, and they can contribute to other people from their experiences,” Lesson said. “At least Schenectady is coming into its own with this.”
