A celebration for the Denver Public Library location will be held on March 1
After a year and a half of renovations, the Pauline Robinson Branch Library will reopen to the public on Monday, Feb. 24. A community celebration will be held on Saturday, March 1, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. It will include family-friendly programming, remarks from Councilwoman Shontel M. Lewis and library officials, and refreshments.
The renovation was made possible thanks to Denver voters who passed the 2017 Elevate Denver Bond. The bond program includes renovations for 11 Denver Public Library locations, several of which are currently under renovation or completed. The Pauline Robinson Branch Library is the fifth location to complete renovations through funding from the bond.
Renovation highlights include:
- An additional ~1,000 in the library’s square footage.
- Two new study rooms.
- A highly desired community room for neighborhood use and library programming.
- New youth spaces with flexible, movable shelving for programming opportunities.
- An improved staff area with a new processing area, a wellness room, and a staff restroom.
- New interior finishes including; flooring, tile, paint, shelving, and signage.
- Building system upgrades to HVAC, electrical, IT, communications, lighting, and security.
- Exterior enhancements to landscaping, sidewalks, lighting, and building facade.
- Improvements to the parking lot with new electric car charging stations
- And a newly added book drop.
Renovation costs total $3.73 million, with $1.87 million coming from the Elevate Denver Bond, $1.83 million funded via Strong Library, Strong Denver, supported by the DPL Fund, and the rest coming from the City and County of Denver’s Facilities Improvement Team.
During the library’s closure, Pauline Robinson Branch Library staff offered library services such as computer access and a small collection of materials at the Hiawatha Davis Jr. Recreation Center. The library will reopen with extended hours and will be open Monday through Wednesday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and
Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The library will be closed on Sundays.
Opened in 1996, the branch library is named after Pauline Short Robinson, the Denver Public Library’s first Black librarian. Pauline was a civil rights activist who fought for equal educational opportunities for Black children.
Source: Denver Public Library
