Hosts Rededication Ceremony at Blue Ridge Branch

On Friday, March 18, at 9:00 a.m., Mid-Continent Public Library will host a Rededication Ceremony at its Blue Ridge Branch in honor of the upgrades made at that location in late 2021.

“The Blue Ridge Branch staff are very excited to officially welcome the community back to the upgraded space,” said Kira Green, MCPL Associate Director for Public Services. “The improvements made to the building were much needed and provide a great deal of flexibility for various customer use—from private collaboration rooms for things like business meetings or tutoring sessions, to a dedicated teen area for students to relax and study. If you haven’t already, we encourage everyone to come by on March 18 to explore the new features and help us celebrate this new chapter at the Blue Ridge Branch.”

The Blue Ridge Branch closed in March 2021 and reopened at the end of November, receiving a variety of improvements during its renovation, including:

• New community and meeting rooms
• New lighting, paint, carpet, and ceilings
• Automatic entrance doors
• Enhanced entry and native landscaping
• New signage and display cases
• Updated furniture

The ceremony on Friday, March 18, will include remarks from Library leadership as well as local officials, followed by a special “book-opening” ceremony and reception. Throughout the weekend (March 18–20), branch staff will be giving away $10 fine forgiveness tokens (one per person). Tokens can be used one time to clear all Library fines and fees up to $10. In addition, customers can participate in a virtual scavenger hunt through the free GooseChase app. The hunt kicks off at 9:00 a.m., Friday March 18, and ends Sunday, March 27, at 5:00 p.m. Participants can qualify for a gift certificate to Big Momma’s Bakery and Café.

As part of MCPL’s Capital Improvement Plan, the Blue Ridge Branch is one of many Library branches to receive upgrades, which have been made possible by increased funding from the passage of Proposition L by voters in 2016. While the upgrades at each branch vary based on individual community needs and the building’s current condition, the Library’s goal has been to create more intentional spaces and improve essential technology. Design work for the Capital Plan is being completed by Sapp Design Architects and Helix Architecture + Design, with JE Dunn assuming responsibility for construction contractor management.

In addition to all the physical upgrades, the increased funding approved by voters in 2016 has allowed MCPL to expand branch hours, enhance special services, augment early literacy efforts, and buy more materials.

More information about all of the Library’s construction projects can be found at mymcpl.org/Community.