MidPointe Library: Monroe branch grand opening
When: 10 a.m. to noon, August 2
Details: Ribbon cutting, tours, giveaways, refreshments, children's activities, raffles.
Monroe resident Karon Meyer’s commute to the library is about to go from eight miles via car to less than two blocks on foot.
That’s because the MidPointe Library System is opening a branch in Monroe — its first new branch in 40 years and one of two new buildings in the system opening in early August.
Meyer, a self-proclaimed “heavy user” of the library, has been using the Middletown branch for years. She is excited about having an option in Monroe.
“I have a book club that meets once a month,” Meyer said, sitting in the coffee shop of the Monroe library. “I can now return my items I check out all different times of the month. I can drop things off on the way to the grocery store.”
The new Monroe branch, located on Tennessee Avenue, is set for a grand opening on Aug. 2. It will have a “soft opening” as finishing touches are applied.
On Aug. 5, the system will open a new building for the existing Trenton branch in a former daycare building on Edgewood Drive.
Travis Bautz has been the director of the MidPointe Library System for just more than a year. He said both communities are excited about the new buildings.
“Feedback has been great,” Bautz said. “I have to give credit to the folks that preceded me. These have been in the planning for a long time. I feel like I’m fortunate to be here at a time when we are completing the projects.
“Honestly, I think the patrons are real excited to get these projects off the ground.”
Meyer, who has lived in Monroe for almost 40 years, said the library is something the town has needed.
We’ve been waiting a long time for it,” she said. “When you come in, you’ll probably see neighbors, friends or relatives.”
Many residents of Monroe, depending on where they live, had to travel to use library branches in Middletown, West Chester or Trenton.
“I have heard a lot of people tell me so far it is a more convenient location to get library services,” said Kim Mullaly, Monroe branch manager. “Starting in August, we’ll have programs for all ages.”
Mullally said the branch will offer story times for babies and toddlers and crafts for children and adults, as well as computer classes.
The Monroe branch is the first new branch to open in the system since 1976, when the Trenton branch opened. The Monroe branch is on land leased from Mount Pleasant Retirement Community with the library being a tenant.
An old house was demolished down to the studs and the new library branch was built.
The system used money from an approximately $500,000 donation from the Doris Rothwell estate to furnish the new Monroe branch with furniture, shelves, books, computers and media materials.
The new Monroe branch holds about 5,500 volumes of books and other media with another 3,000 available to replenish the shelves as patrons check out materials.
Bautz said construction for the new Trenton branch totaled about $1.6 million from the system’s principle construction fund. The new Trenton library features a large parking lot and a green space behind the building, something lacking at the old location downtown.
“You always have a few people that are going to miss the quaintness (of the old building),” said Diane Current, Trenton branch manager. “That’s up to us to make them feel like this is their home library.”
Current said the new branch will have a bigger young adult section as well as a community room available for meetings, something the old branch lacked.
She said the biggest addition will be a fax machine available for public use.
The Trenton branch holds about 18,800 volumes.
Both branches, as well as the other branches in the MidPointe system, can draw from hundreds of libraries and universities from around Ohio. If one of the MidPointe libraries does not have materials for a patron in-house, they can request them from other libraries.
“Kids don’t have an excuse not to have the resources to get their homework done,” Bautz said.
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