CARLSBAD — Starting Sept. 1, The Georgina Cole Library on Carlsbad Village Drive will be closed for construction.
Library officials expect the closure to last about five months.
In April, the City Council approved spending $11.6 million to upgrade the city’s two libraries into modern spaces to accommodate the community’s changing needs in an increasingly digital age.
“The modernization plans for the libraries were designed to ensure the city is able to meet the needs of the community for many years to come,” said city of Carlsbad Library & Cultural Arts Director Heather Pizzuto. “While the goal of the project is to improve for the future, maintaining regular programs and services at other locations during construction has been a top priority.”
Services offered at the Cole Library will be moved elsewhere in the city although a book drop off and donation bin will still be available at the east end of the parking lot.
Holds designated for pickup at Cole will be delivered to the Carlsbad City Library Learning Center during construction.
As part of the modernization, the library will receive enhanced technology infrastructure and Wi-Fi connectivity and power access, more community gathering spaces and increased ADA accessibility.
The Cole Library is the oldest in the city and was built 48 years ago.
Another addition is a one-stop central service desk which will better assist visitors and improve efficiency through a real-time material check-in system.
New study and meeting spaces will be constructed to encourage community collaboration. The spaces will include new technology and will be available through reservations and drop-in requests.
Once construction finishes at the Cole Library, the Dove Library will close for renovations.
Improvements to the Dove Library include a redesigned courtyard, a new patio and a café with expanded food and drink options and a central space with a living room feel, including comfortable seating.
The Ruby G. Schulman Auditorium next to the Dove Library will be remodeled to increase accessibility and enhance visibility to the stage. Other upgrades to the auditorium include new digital audio-visual equipment.
Both libraries will receive new Friends of the Library bookstores, which use profits to benefit Carlsbad’s libraries.
Another addition to both libraries includes teen spaces, where young adults can gather to study and collaborate.
These spaces were designed with flexibility in mind, allowing the spaces to adjust based on the needs of the users.
The two libraries serve 65,000 users a month.
Group 4 Architecture drew the plans.
