On May 14, 2024, the Leon County Commission will consider awarding the bid for the LeRoy Collins Library (Leon County Main Library) second floor improvements projects to OmniCon Corp. in the amount of $1,554,530.
In 2021, the Commission adopted the Essential Libraries Initiative (ELI), to re-vision the Leon County Public Library System and address the changing needs of residents and trends in library use. The ELI targets four focus areas; Literacy and Lifelong Learning, Arts and Humanities, Business and Workforce Development, and Civic and Community Engagement. Additionally, the ELI includes a capital improvements element to the Main Library to support the initiatives of the ELI.
The first phase of this project will consist of selective demolition and renovation of approximately 8,000 square feet. According to the agenda item, “The construction will include repairs to existing walls and finishes, installation of new walls and doors to reconfigure the second-floor layout that includes: meeting spaces; simulator and media production labs; learning commons; enhanced service points and exhibit/display areas: improved stacks, including books and media; lounge/special event space.”
The project is slated to begin construction in July 2024 and be completed in March 2025. The Main Library will remain open through the construction, and there are plans to realign some 2nd floor activities to the first and third floors in order to minimize the disruption to patron services.
Additionally, a budget discussion item will be presented at the June 2024 Budget Workshop that will provide a status update on the ELI, which will include an update on the first phase and future phases of capital improvements at the Main Library.
Leon County Commission to Consider $1.5 Million Bid for LeRoy Collins Library Renovation added by Tristyn Leigh on
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Business and Workforce Development materials seem to have a short life-time in the library. The costs tend to be high. And the collection on hand at any time seems… skimpy, whether it is carpentry or object-oriented programming or brick-laying or 3D printing or machining or drafting or medical biology or engineering or microbiology or HVAC sizing and maintenance or physiology…
Then again, they cleared out a lot of floor-space… perhaps anticipating these proposed renovations. One of the good things about the Leon county library is that they don’t seem to intrude too much into government & politics. They have those nice warnings that shysters are going to be present on certain days and hours, so one can say clear of such dangerous influences.
And their inter-library loan processing has greatly improved from what it was 10-20-30 years ago.