Library, school district share information on temporary move to Brown Intermediate
SOUTH BEND, Ind.—On Tuesday, the St. Joseph County Public Library and South Bend Schools shared information on the library’s upcoming temporary move into the Brown Intermediate Center.
The move will allow the library to operate while the main library building goes through renovations and construction projects, which will upgrade and expand existing programming for teens, youth, makers in Studio 304, and the entire community. An outdoor courtyard will be built on the same block for open air programming at the library.
“It’s going to revitalize the area, it’s going to open up a building that now we only use for food services, the library will pay their fair share of increased utilities, it’s going to renovate the neighborhood with library it’s going to add expanded library services and we think everyone deserves a great library,” said incoming SBCSC Superintendent Dr. Todd Cummings about the library's use of the former Brown building.
The partnership started when SBCSC found out that the library was planning on renovating it’s existing space on Main St. in downtown South Bend. The school corporation offered up the former Brown Intermediate building to keep library services in one location in the interim.
“The size and capacity and facilities of Brown are going to enable all major library departments and services to operate out of one location, and we’re really happy about that we believe this ensures the greatest continuity for our services,” said Debra Futa, Executive Director of the St. Joseph County Public Library.
There are no current plans to add transportation programs during the temporary move. According to Futa, two existing bus lines are adjacent to the Brown building.
Futa said the move to the new, temporary location will probably take about three weeks.
“They [the library] are going to use the first floor, the media center and surrounding classrooms so we still have more access if folks want to use space and partner with our buildings, there’s still space for other non for profits to go,” Dr. Cummings said.
The construction and renovations at the library will take between 18 to 24 months and is scheduled to begin in either November 2019 or the start of 2020.
Take a look below at an artist's renderings of the renovated space on display in the library's lobby.
