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The Future
J
ust when some thought the
future of the public library
was looking dim because of
technology, the Peoria Public
Library is proving its services are
needed as much as ever.
The library’s Lincoln Branch
has reopened, the McClure
Branch is scheduled to in January
and the Lakeview Branch will re-
open around the first of April, all
after millions of dollars in reno-
vations and expansion to bring
the system into the 21st century,
said Trisha Noack, head of public
relations for the library.
“Our libraries now work like
the rest of the world,” Noack said
shortly after the Lincoln branch
at 1312 W. Lincoln Ave. reopened
after restoration of the Carnegie
Building and construction of a
12,000 square-foot addition were
completed.
“Our libraries had become
almost like foreign countries be-
cause they didn’t function like we
are used to with everything else
in our lives. Now we are techno-
logically equipped to do what
everybody wants and expects,
including electronic checkout
services that free our staff to help
patrons in other ways, such as
answering questions or helping
to find things. At the same time
we’ve given patrons attractive
places to sit and read, provided
story-time rooms for kids and
have free computers to use and
Wi-Fi capabilities.
“The basic idea of the library is
to share resources. It always has
been. What we are sharing and
checking out has changed greatly
through the years but the basic
premise remains. All we’ve done
is adapt to the times,” Noack
said.
Any concern about whether
people still use the library seems
to have been answered recently,
as well. Noack said that on Dec. 9
the Peoria Public Library reached
1 million transactions in one year
for the first time in its history.
It did so with only two build-
ings open — the Main Library at
107 N.E. Monroe and the North
Branch at 3001 W. Grand Park-
way — through most of the year.
Also, Noack said, there were
1,507 computer sessions logged
by 588 patrons during the week
of Dec. 6, also with just two
buildings open. “A lot of people
still don’t have the Internet at
home or access to Wi-Fi, so we
are there for them,” she said.
The North Branch is the newest
in the system. The 30,000 square-
foot branch opened May 14, 2011.
The Lakeview Branch then closed
in July 2011 for remodeling and
Hey, We’re Reading Here!
Peoria Public Library branches going through modernization, join 21st century
By Paul Gordon
This is an exterior photo of the Peoria Public Library North Branch, the newest branch in the Peoria library lineup
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thePeorian.com