The new 25,000 square foot, two-story building, to be located on Locust Street at the site of the former Wal-Mart, will replace the current branch on 15 S. College Ave., which many patrons say is small and cramped.
The new location will not only house the usual Lane Library operations, but will also serve as a new home for the Smith Library of Regional History.
“The Smith Library will have adequate space for its collections, users and staff,” said Valerie Elliott, manager of the Smith Library of Regional History, a division of the Lane Libraries, but operating separately from the Oxford branch.
Rebecca Smith, Oxford Library branch manager, outlined some of the amenities users will find in the new $8 million facility when it opens in about one year, including:
- a Reading Garden that Smith said will provide "a serene spot for reading and reflection."
- a drive-thru window in circulation
- a dedicated Teen Zone with artwork created by Talawanda High School students
Friends of the Lane Library has raised more than $300,000 for program amenities at the new library, according to Greenward.
One other amenity that received favorable response from those assembled for the groundbreaking was expanded parking. With parking expanded “800 percent” over the current site, according to Greenward, residents will no longer have to spend time circling and looking for a parking spot.
The children’s department will also be expanded to include an interactive play structure focused on early literacy skills. Technology offerings will be expanded with wireless internet access and 27 public computers. There will also be a portable computer lab through use of a laptop cart.
One thing that will remain, according to Greenward, is a meeting room in the library named after Avis Cullen, editor, publisher and owner of The Oxford Press who also was a staunch supporter of the Lane Library branch in Oxford.
The Avis Cullen Meeting Room in the new facility will be a two-story room with windows at the top to allow a lot of natural light inside. Greenward said it will be 50 percent bigger than the current Cullen Room.
The project to construct a new, larger Oxford Lane Library branch has been in the planning stages for several years and has seen not only great support, but great input from the community, Greenward said. Residents have helped to plan many aspects of the new branch — from what should be included in the facility to contributing money to make it happen, he added.
“What stands out is the level of community engagement when you have a meeting and have a full room,” Greenward said.
Several public meetings have been held since the project began in summer of 2011. Lane Library leaders and community members worked together to identify amenities and even the preferred location.
“The library has always played a key role in cultivating community, culture and lifelong learning. Now, with the combined effort of staff, volunteers, patrons and true community input, the library will be growing to meet the needs of the Oxford community in the 21st century,” Smith said.
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