The new library on South Dixie Drive is part of the Dayton Metro Library system, which is in the midst of building or renovating 17 libraries with a bond issue approved by voters in 2012. The Vandalia structure, built just north of the old library, was the seventh of the 17 projects. It opened in late November.
“One of really beautiful parts of it is we have the unique spaces for all the different ages — the children, the adult and the teen areas. That was something really lacking,” said Nancy Maddon, library branch manager.
Community spaces are spread throughout the 24,000-square-foot building. A large community room located off the entrance can be reserved during library hours as well as before and after beginning in January. The space can be used free by nonprofit organizations.
An area known as the “opportunities space” will allow the library to have partnerships with various organizations such as St. Christopher school, whcih is using the area for gallery space. “We are really reaching out to the community to form lots of partnerships to try new things, “ Maddon said.
The building also features group study rooms holding from four to 12 people and a conference room.
The Dayton Metro Library system hosts close to 10,000 programs a year with topics ranging from “how to” to finance, history and story times, Duritsch said.
“It is meant to be a place where people can do things as well. We have an audio cart so they can create music,” Maddon added. “It is really a place for people to be creative and do things with other community members, which is a wonderful extension of the traditional library mission.”
A quiet reading room speaks for itself.
"We are no longer a "shhh library," Duritsch said.
“With all of the amenities here, we realized it would get loud at times so we wanted a space where it would be quiet,” Maddon said.
The library branch also features lots of windows and natural light, a computer technology lab and an automated book handler among other offerings.
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