Nancy Driscoll, 86, of Bellefontaine is the first patron to check out at the full restored Knowlton Library Wednesday morning. (EXAMINER PHOTO | MANDY LOEHR)
It was an occasion worth celebrating for all ages, as the Knowlton Library reopened to the public Wednesday, Dec. 13, after nearly a year of restoration work following the Christmas Day catastrophic flooding sustained throughout the entire building in 2022.
Eighty-six-year-old Nancy Driscoll of Bellefontaine was the first patron to check out a book at the brand new circulation desk shortly after the library doors opened at 9 a.m. at 220 N. Main St.
Fellow city resident Tavia Hayduk, who said she lives just down the street from the library, also carried a large stack of novels toward the circulation desk, while stopping to enjoy a hot beverage and chat with friends at the newly installed coffee bar by the periodicals.
Hayduk said she writes a blog and is “always reading around three books at a time.
“I’ve been missing the library immensely,” she said. “I frequent this place and I had withdraw. I’m so happy they’re back open again and that our community has this wonderful new space to enjoy. It looks beautiful in here.”
Logan County Libraries Executive Director Beverly Arlequeeuw said while it has been a long and involved process over the last year, she is very pleased at the reaction of the patrons and the finished product – an open and light space that is welcoming and with a redesigned layout that is easier to navigate and browse for items.
“It has all been redesigned and built from the ground up and we’re so pleased with how everything turned out,” she said, noting how now the sight lines from the front of the library by the circulation desk now stretch all of the way to full-length windows facing north Main Street.
“I think we’ve created something to give back to Logan County. It’s Christmastime, and this is our gift to the community and we hope that they use it.”
Arlequeeuw noted that a grand opening celebration for the Knowlton Library will take place sometime in January, with the date to be set soon by the library board of trustees.
She envisions area music groups performing and an official Logan County Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting will take place at that time as well.
On the fateful Christmas Day 2022, ServPro of Central Auglaize, Hardin and Logan Counties was hired for the initial clean-up phase after a frozen pipe burst above the computer lab, leading to 2 to 3 inches of flooding throughout the building.
ServPro employees put in long hours during those initial weeks, including responding to library within an hour of being called on Christmas Day, library leaders previously noted.
Link Construction Group led the reconstruction phase. Library Design Associates assisted with the reordering and placement of new furnishings. Others assisting in the large scale restoration project included Above All Power Washing & Cleaning; Aunalytics; Stolly Insurance; Vision Concepts; and Guardian Alarm, the library director said in the library reopening release.
“All of our vendors and everyone who was involved in this process has something to be proud of. It was truly a remarkable process,” she said.
The final costs and insurance claims are still being finalized, but Library Fiscal Officer Stacy Sandy said she estimates the final insurance claims are over $1 million. All of the claims are fully covered by the Ohio Plan, which covers all Ohio libraries, and taxpayers are not shouldering the cost of the project.
Wednesday morning in the redesigned children’s area with plenty of open floor space, Olivia Strayer, 3, enjoyed playtime and checking out new books, while her mother Alisha said she appreciated the local space to play and meet others indoors when it’s cold outside.
“We’ve been traveling to Marysville here recently for story time, so we’re very grateful that the Knowlton Library is back open. It’s so fresh and clean in here,” she said. “As a stay-at-home mom, this is a great place for us to come and enjoy playtime and meet new friends.”
Hope Justice, youth services manager, said offering the free play space was purposeful to fulfill the need for indoor spots like this for families.
“We were finding that Logan County didn’t have any indoor play areas for free, so we hope this will be widely used by families. It’s also all handicap accessible, with wider aisles that can also accommodate strollers.”
Justice also created a new maker space to combine art and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), where different projects will be available for youths to enjoy. At the same time, there are early literacy computers available for children as well.
All of the bookshelves are at a 36-inch height, making them easily accessible for little ones. A new graphic novel and maga section also has added at the library, offering reluctant readers a new way to enjoy a book, Justice related.
At the other corner of the library, a new teen lounge has been set up, stocked with plenty of snacks, giving teens their own space that they need to make the library their own, Teen Services Coordinator Stephanie Lamb explained.
“We want them to feel comfortable coming in and staying awhile,” she said, noting that the teen lounge will be staffed for regular after school hours. “We’ll have comfy places to sit, gaming consoles, a space for an Internet café and lots of fun activities planned.”
In 2024, the Logan County Libraries will celebrate its 120th anniversary in grand style in the new space. Arlequeeuw said her slogan for the new year is, “More in 2024.”
“We feel like we missed a year, so we are looking forward to doing lots of planning to offering many fun activities for our community.
“Our library has been in existence for a very long time, and we will continue to enlighten our future generations for many years to come.”
The hours of operation at the Knowlton Library have also returned to pre-COVID hours for the first time: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Fridays and Saturdays. Check the library website at www.logancountylibraries.org for branch hours.
