PRESS RELEASE Saturday, June 25, 2016 CONTACTS: Gregg Dodd, Marketing Director Columbus Metropolitan Library (614) 849-1043 office, (614) 205-7816 cell [email protected] www.columbuslibrary.org
Ben Zenitsky, Marketing & Communications Specialist Columbus Metropolitan Library (614) 849-1045 office, (614) 315-3766 [email protected] www.columbuslibrary.org
Columbus Metropolitan Library reopens its Main Library to the public after 16-month renovation
COLUMBUS—Columbus Metropolitan Library (CML) has cut the ribbon on its transformed Main Library.
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The following community leaders helped cut the ribbon: Doug Allen, President, Friends of the Topiary Park Joyce Beatty, United States Representative John Behal**, Principal, Behal Sampson Dietz Kristin Boggs, State Representative, District 18 Lauren Bonfield+, Partner, LBB Law Fred Brock, Project Manager, Columbus Metropolitan Library Paula Brooks, Franklin County Board of Commissioners Dave Brown, Project Executive, Turner Construction Company Elizabeth Brown, Member, Columbus City Council Marilyn Brown, Franklin County Board of Commissioners Mitchell Brown, Member, Columbus City Council Beverly Cain, State Librarian, State Library of Ohio Bob Carroll+, Performance Management and Meter Services Support, American Electric Power Alison Circle, Chief Customer Experience Officer, Columbus Metropolitan Library Erika Clark-Jones*, Director, Community Strategies CelebrateOne, Columbus Public Health Tony Collins, Director, Columbus Recreation & Parks Department Richard Cordray, Director, U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Hearcel Craig, State Representative, District 26 Elfi Di Bella**, President & CEO, YWCA Columbus Mike Duffy*, President, Hospital Solutions and Global Supply Chain, Cardinal Health Shaunessy Everett, Public Services Director, Columbus Metropolitan Library Randy Fortener, CEO, Cozzins Road Capital Tim Frommeyer*, SVP & CFO, Nationwide Financial Services, Nationwide Roberta Garber, Vice President for Planning & Development, Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority DeeDee Glimcher**, community volunteer Michael Gonsiorowski, Regional President, PNC Dr. Dan Good, Superintendent/CEO, Columbus City Schools Don Gorman, President, Don Gorman Advertising Ltd. Charlie Hansen, Public Services Director, Columbus Metropolitan Library Shannon Hardin, Member, Columbus City Council Dr. David Harrison, President, Columbus State Community College Marihelen Hatcher, Public Services Director, Columbus Metropolitan Library Cindy Hilsheimer*, Managing Principal, BeecherHill Rachel Janutis, Interim Dean, Capital University Law School Chad Jester, President, Nationwide Foundation Tom Katzenmeyer, President & CEO, Greater Columbus Arts Council Dave Kaufman, President & CEO, The Motorists Insurance Group Jay Kegley, Manager, Columbus Metropolitan Library Aimee Kennedy, Vice President of Education, Battelle
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Catherine Kessler Chatas*, community volunteer Matt Keyes, Office of U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown Abby Kiracofe, Children’s Manager, Columbus Metropolitan Library Zach Klein, President, Columbus City Council Douglas Kridler, President & CEO, The Columbus Foundation Michael Lawson*, President, OhioHealth Grant Medical Center David Leland, State Representative, District 22 Patrick Losinski, CEO, Columbus Metropolitan Library Robert Loversidge, Architect/CEO, Schooley Caldwell John Lowe, CEO, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams Lillian Lowery, President & CEO, FutureReady Columbus Jonathan Lucas, Vice President, Huntington Wealth Advisors Jeffrey Lyttle**, Managing Director, JPMorgan Chase & Co. Nannette Maciejunes, Executive Director, Columbus Museum of Art Jordan Miller**, President & CEO Central Ohio, Fifth Third Bank Paula Miller, Chief Financial Officer, Columbus Metropolitan Library Brian Mooney, Vice President, General Manager, Turner Construction Shannon Morgan, Vice President, Client and Community Relations, PNC Angela O’Neal, Local History & Genealogy Manager, Columbus Metropolitan Library Nate Oliver, Chief Operating Officer, Columbus Metropolitan Library Joel Pizzuti, President & COO, The Pizzuti Companies Lucy Porter, community volunteer Mark Real, President & CEO, KidsOhio.org Lynne Redgrave**, community volunteer Cleve Ricksecker, Executive Director, Discovery Special Improvement District John Rosenberger, Law Offices of John C. Rosenberger Kathy Shahbodaghi, Public Services Director, Columbus Metropolitan Library Barbara Siemer, Chairman, Siemer Family Foundation Janelle Simmons, President, L Brands Foundation Michael Stinziano, Member, Columbus City Council Catherine Strauss, Of Counsel, Ice Miller Roger Sugarman*, Director, Kegler Brown Hill + Ritter Charleta Tavares, State Senator, District 15 Nancy Tidwell, President, NRT & Associates, Inc. Wendy Tressler, Manager 2020 Vision, Columbus Metropolitan Library Charles Turney**, Partner, Minerva Holdings Ltd. Wendy VanScheetz, Circulation Manager, Columbus Metropolitan Library Dr. Christopher Washington, Provost, Franklin University Stephen White, Office of U.S. Senator Rob Portman Emille Williams, VP Operations, COTA Guy Worley, CEO, Columbus Downtown Development Corporation Thomas Young+, President, Friends of the Library
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Susan Zelinski, Chief Talent Officer, Columbus Metropolitan Library David Zenk, Principal, GUND Partnership
The Main Library project is part of CML’s 10-project aspirational building program: The new Driving Park Branch opened July 12, 2014 The new Whitehall Branch opened April 11, 2015 The new Parsons Branch opened June 4, 2016 The Northern Lights Branch renovation kicked off June 17, 2015 and is expected to be completed later this year The new Shepard Branch broke ground on Oct. 20, 2015 and is expected to be completed later this year The new Northside Branch broke ground on March 1, 2016 and is expected to be completed in 2017 Planning is underway for a new Martin Luther King Branch CML is continuing to work with the city of Hilliard on a new Hilliard Branch CML is continuing to work with the city of Dublin on a new Dublin Branch
CML hopes to have all 10 projects completed by 2020.
Main Library closed to the public on April 13, 2015; however, renovations on the building – its first since 1991 – began two months earlier. The work represents a major piece of CML’s aspirational building program to renovate or rebuild 10 library locations within the next few years.
CML’s primary goals with the Main Library renovation are to: Build a library that meets the needs of CML’s customers Connect the library to Topiary Park to provide outdoor reading space Update the Carnegie Plaza along Grant Avenue Add a reading room with sweeping views of Topiary Park Enhance the children’s area
Main Library was originally completed in 1907 with money donated by Andrew Carnegie. Its expansion beyond the Carnegie building was completed in 1991.
Architects GUND Partnership and Schooley Caldwell Associates (approved at the Jan. 22, 2014 Board of Trustees meeting) have designed the renovation, and Turner (approved Sept. 30, 2013) is serving as construction manager at risk.
Click here to view a media kit with more information about the Main Library renovation.
CML understands that great libraries create stronger communities, and each branch is an essential hub that reflects the unique needs of the neighborhood it serves. Some of CML’s 23 locations are 40 to 50 years old and inadequate to meet the demands of a growing 21st century community. Demands and expectations will continue to grow, along with the population of Franklin County. --More--
CML’s aspirational building program is the result of a community-wide process that will continue to serve the needs of Franklin County well into the future. The plan is a multi-phased comprehensive blueprint that reinvents and revitalizes the entire 600,000 square feet maintained by the library.
In addition to being a vital community asset, Columbus Metropolitan Library strives to minimize its environmental footprint. With each new building or renovation project, CML plans to use sustainable building materials, incorporate glass for natural light to reduce energy costs and introduce other design and building elements friendly to the natural environment.
Phase one of CML’s aspirational building program is transforming and significantly upgrading seven urban branches (Driving Park, Whitehall, Parsons, Martin Luther King, Northside, Northern Lights, Shepard) and two suburban branches (Hilliard and Dublin). In addition, changes to Main Library represent a major investment in downtown Columbus and the Discovery District.
Visit columbuslibrary.org/press to view other Columbus Metropolitan Library press releases.
Columbus Metropolitan Library has served the people of Franklin County, Ohio since 1873. With its Main Library and 22 branches, CML is well known for signature services and programs like Homework Help Centers, Reading Buddies, Summer Reading Club and Ready for Kindergarten. The library’s Strategic Plan supports the vision of “a thriving community where wisdom prevails,” which positions CML to respond to areas of urgent need: kids unprepared for kindergarten, third grade reading proficiency, high school graduation, college readiness and employment resources.
CML was named a 2011 National Medal Winner by the Institute for Museum and Library Services for work in community service, the highest honor for libraries and museums. Columbus Metropolitan Library has been rated a 5-Star Library by Library Journal for seven of the eight years the magazine has published its industry ratings. --30--