Dayton’s main library will be the crowning glory of the Dayton Metro Library system.
Community excitement is building as construction of the $63 million rebuild has progressed at the corner of Third and Patterson Streets.
The new library will be 225,000 square feet, doubling the size of the old space.
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Amenities will include two performing spaces, a café, a genealogy and history room, underground parking, a children’s play area, views of the city and a re-landscaped Cooper Park.
The library is still under construction and won’t be completed until April of 2017. Here is a sneak peek at what’s in store for the community.
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"Great Reading Room"
Adult fiction will be in the "Great Reading Room." The room will have a fire place for cozy comfort and view of Cooper Park and the RiverScape fountains.
Grand staircase
The grand staircase will stretch from the first to the third floor. The lofty stairway will be an architectural focal point in the atrium.
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The front door
Patrons will enter the atrium from the Third Street entrance. Once inside they will be greeted by a light-filled open space with seating and the main service desk. The area will also have a whimsical bridge that will guide guests to the children's area. A cafe and a 275-seat auditorium will be located just off the space.
Commemorating the past
Slabs of granite from the old downtown library have been salvaged and will be incorporated into key areas of the new building. Some of the slabs may also be repurposed into park benches.
Plenty of parking
Parking spaces will be available in the two floors of underground area. A ramp will take drivers below ground to the space which was previously the lower two floors of the old library.
Let there be light
Three stories of glass at the main entrance will help fill the new library with natural light. A vast skylight in the ceiling will also add to the illumination of the atrium.
Two performance spaces
An auditorium on the main floor, the Eichelberger Forum, will be able to seat 275 for a variety of performances including author talks. The space will house a grand piano. There will also be a more intimate "black box" performance space on the third floor that will seat 150.