Renovations at Northville Public Library are planned

 

Spring will bring some changes at the Northville Public Library.

A “much-needed renovation” of the Carlo Meeting Room is under way, according to a library spokesman. A partition wall that once allowed the library to divide the room into two separate sections for various events will be removed as it is no longer used, officials explained. “The project will create storage closets for unused tables and chairs and will make it easier to use the room while improving setup time between meetings,” the spokesperson added.

Another improvement will see the replacement of the projectors and multimedia equipment with a huge upgrade to the current 13-year-old sound system. Library officials worked with Quinn Evans Architects of Ann Arbor to develop the design of the room and general contractor O’Neal Construction Inc., also of Ann Arbor, is completing the work. While the Carlo Meeting Room is under construction it will not be available for programs, and community groups will not be able to request private bookings. Library officials expect construction to last 6-8 weeks, after which the upgraded audio video technology will be installed and staff will be trained to operate the equipment. 

“We know that it will be disruptive to our patrons while construction is going on, but the end result will be worth it. We’re excited to reopen the room in a couple of months.” said Library Director Laura Mancini.”

Northville District Library was built in 1996 and opened to the community on Oct. 6 of that year. Before the current building was constructed, the library was housed in various locations throughout Northville. The library was initially housed in a storefront on Main Street, then moved to the shopping center, then to city hall and then to the community center before the current building was opened.

Settling into the current location enabled exponential growth in the collection, services, and programs, many of which are regularly held in the Carlo Meeting Room, a room that has seen its fair share of change over the years, Mancini said. Named in honor and memory of 

Northville resident John J. Carlo, a proud supporter of the library and original owner of the Northville Downs, this meeting room has

 encouraged and supported many a library patron’s quest for knowledge, she added.

“Thanks to the generosity of the Carlo family, the Carlo Room was outfitted with the equipment and furniture of the times; it originally offered a slide projector, a large-screen television, VCR, and an overhead projector for staff and guests to utilize,” Mancini explained.

For more information, visit Northville District Library website at: www.northvillelibrary.org, email nortref@northvillelibrary.org, or call (248)-349-3020. The library is also available on social media: Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Flickr, and Spotify