What is this project about?
As our community grows, we need to grow with them. Our goal is to offer ongoing programs for personal, educational, recreational and cultural enrichment and in order to do so, we need to renovate and revitalize our space to make it more inviting, and to optimize the use of the space we have.
First, we hope to establish a Makerspace to provide new technological resources to patrons, such as a 3D Printer and Cricut® device, with a computer and tablet to facilitate their use, as well as a variety of tools and craft equipment that people can use in the library or sign out. We will offer in-person, hands-on programs for all ages so they can learn in new and creative ways. To create the actual space for these new resources, we will modify and move existing shelving, build a partition wall, install cabinetry and work surfaces, and install additional electrical outlets.
Our Children’s Department will receive some significant improvements. We will replace the Early Literacy Learning Computer, which is now ten years old. The new computer will be loaded with up-to-date programs to support learning for our youngest patrons. We will install new shelving and fill it with a variety of S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) kits to spark both engagement and learning. We will bring all the children’s books into the children’s room. (Due to space issues, some are currently housed in the adult room). We will provide increased table space for children to engage in reading and S.T.E.A.M. activities.
The library as a whole will receive additional improvements. Extra shelving will be added to the adult area to display non-book items such as our seed library, cognitive care kit, puzzles and games. Additional outlets will be added near our window wall so that patrons can use their laptops while looking at our beautiful lake view. Our more than ten-year-old special-needs computer will be replaced with an up to date one. New non-book items such as radon and C02 detectors will also be acquired for patron sign-out, to keep our community safe. In order for the library to stay connected and keep up with the growth, the computer at the front desk will also be updated with current technology.
In order to make room for these improvements, we will install a dedicated storage closet in the office area. By storing items not currently in use, we will have more usable square footage where people can gather and learn, and also make the entire library and office area tidier and more inviting. This work will require the services of a carpenter and electrician. We will also replace our outsized computer tables with a sleek, space-saving table.
Why is this project important to the community?
The Township of McKellar does not have a school (children are bussed to other municipalities for school), so the library is the primary location for learning for people of all ages. The library is also the main technology hub in our rural community, where fiber optic and cable internet do not exist. Other home internet options such as satellite and Wi-Fi are expensive, slow, or in some cases, completely unavailable. Many of our residents rely heavily on the high-speed internet offered by the library for free. By updating our technology, we can continue to bridge the connectivity gap.
McKellar is a small community with a scattered population and the library is one of the few locations to provide a safe space to gather, learn and experience together without having to travel to a larger town in order to obtain their library needs. By revitalizing our library, we’ll make it a more inviting place for people to gather, countering the effects of isolation in a rural community. It would also encourage children to come to the library to complete their homework as opposed to using valuable study time driving to the next closest town to accomplish this.
Between the 2016 and 2021 census, the population of the Township of McKellar grew by 27.7%. This growth has put pressure on the Library’s available resources and has created new gaps in the library’s ability to serve a larger population with differing needs. The library is evolving into a hub for technology and community involvement and this improved space will help to expand our offerings to meet the growing needs.
