TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) - The Toledo Lucas County Library announced Tuesday that the Main Library on Michigan Street in Downtown Toledo will close for renovations for a year, beginning this fall.
The $8.6 million project is set to begin just after Labor Day, with the hope to reopen in September of 2019.
"We're really thinking progressively about how people use the library and be able to think five, 10, 15, 20 years into the future, so what people will see while coming into the library is new technology, updated technology, a lot more collaborative meeting room spaces," Deputy Director for Toledo Lucas County Library Jason Kucsma said.
Kucsma says a significant amount of the work will be done to the "historic building," which was not the case with the expansion, nearly 20 years ago.
"People will definitely notice a change when they walk into the Main Library after the renovation, but one of the things they won't miss is the sort of gorgeous Art Deco architecture elements that we really are fond of around here," Kucsma says.
It will save money and the project won't take as long to complete if the library is closed for the duration of the renovations. Noise of construction and public safety were also matters to consider.
Kucsma says people can use other branches while Main Library is closed.
"It's our hope that there's this sort of silver lining to us closing Main Library in that it will give people a chance to explore some of the other six central city branches around the area," he says.
Kuscma says the Sylvania Branch will offer Passport Services, too.
For more information about the project, visit the Toledo-Lucas County Library website.
