UP Gathers Input on Potential New Library Spaces

What’s on your library wish list? Are you looking for space to work remotely, or is a teaching and learning kitchen more your cup of tea? How about a teen living room, a crafty makerspace, or a book store?

The University Park Public Library is planning to make changes, and city leaders want to hear what the community thinks. 

To have your say, stop by the library front desk from now until Saturday, Feb. 8, and pick up five $100 “UP Bills.” Community members can allocate their bills toward their preferred choices on voting boards displayed in the library’s Texana Conference Room.

Options range from the traditional to the trendy and reflect that there’s more to today’s libraries than reading material.

“Libraries of the past were warehouses for books,” said Maureen Arndt, founding principal of 720 design. “You came, and you checked out your book, and you took it home. And now, they are places where you can get information, but also create information.”

The library kicked off its efforts to gather community input at the Christmas Tree Lighting, when more than 500 people voted on their favorite spaces. Library supporters and staff have also toured recently completed libraries, and the library has gathered feedback from community leaders.

After the city finishes collecting input, it will consider recommendations on how to reconfigure the library that could range from minor to “pie in the sky,” said library director Jackie Lott.

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