Restoration and renovation at Wright Memorial Public Library - 2018

A $513,000 facility project that will restore Wright Memorial Public Library's historic reading rooms and renovate other portions of the main level is scheduled to be completed in summer 2018.
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Frequently asked questions about the construction project
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Q: What are you doing?
A: We are restoring and renovating portions of the Library’s main level.

Q: Are you getting rid of the historic features?
A: No! We are preserving our building’s historic features, and restoring the front reading rooms to their original luster by refinishing furniture and book shelves, and also changing the lighting, paint and carpet. In addition, we will be:

• adding more electrical outlets and seating options to the reading rooms.
• adding a new private study room in the area near the bathrooms.
• redesigning the information and checkout desks and making some improvements to the staff work space.

 
Q: Will the books go back into same places?
A: That is the current plan. (Except the mysteries, which will remain relocated because of the new study room in that space.)

Q: Did you get rid of books?
A: We regularly go through our collection to weed (discard) and add books. For this project, we relocated books from the front reading rooms and mystery section, condensing sections by using the highest and lowest shelves which were previously empty in the fiction and nonfiction sections.

Q: Where are all the books now?
A: Books from the front rooms have been relocated throughout the library:

• Fast Reads: Shelves across from the elevator
• New Fiction: Magazine area
• New nonfiction: Magazine area​
• Mysteries: First three shelves of the nonfiction section across from elevator

 
Q: When will it be finished?
A: The first phase (reading rooms and new study room) are slated to be finished in spring. The second phase (entry way and redesigned desks) should be completed in summer 2018.
 
Q: Who is paying for this?
A: The project is paid for almost entirely private funds:

• $250,000 from The Jack W. and Sally D. Eichelberger Foundation of The Dayton Foundation
• $190,000 from private gifts the estates of two long-time patrons (William R. Winslow and Dr. Gerald E. Meyers)
• $70,000 from the Library’s capital fund.

 
Q: Who is doing the work?
A: The Library’s board hired architects LWC, Inc. and Arcanum-based Arcon Builders.

Q: Where can I sit?
A: There are seating areas in the meeting room and in the far corner of the nonfiction section.

Q: Is it going to be loud?
A: We expect some noise, but are working closely with our contractors to avoid distractions as much as possible.

Q: Do you have more to do? What about downstairs?
A: Yes, there are other projects that the library needs to complete. This is a first step in addressing the library’s facility needs.