Library completes move

After years of planning, months of construction and countless hours spent planning and preparing, the Dwight Foster Public Library is finally set to return to its original location at 209 Merchants Avenue.  The library opened to the public on February 1.  The transition process has exceeded expectations in speed and efficiency.

“[The remodel] has gone a lot better than what was expected for it.  We’re on time and on budget, which is pretty exciting,:  Reference librarian Amy Lutzke said.

The remodel sought to create an improved facility while maintaining the historical elements of the original library.  The original basement has become the first floor, while the previous main floor now serves as the second.  The new entrance is much more easily accessible, and the entire building is more handicapped-friendly than it was before the remodel.  In addition to these structural improvements, the library also aims to better serve the community by offering other benefits.  The library contains seven meeting rooms, which can be reserved by the public for anything from business meetings to presentations.  They can be reserved online and two of them will be accessible even during non-library hours.  A completely new feature of the library is presented in self check-out stations, which are becoming increasingly popular as libraries nationwide try to serve patrons as effectively as possible.

To begin with, a much greater amount of shelf space is available for collections to grow as the years go on.  The original decision to remodel was largely based on the fact that the old building simply did not contain the room necessary to move forward as a library.  While room for book and media collections was an important part of the expansion, having more room for the patrons was exceedingly important as well.

“We have more space for people.  We’ll have quiet space for people, which we didn’t have before.  The staff are also going to have much more workspace than they’ve ever had before,” Lutzke said.

Different sections of the library will cater to patrons’ differing needs.  In addition to a large main room for quiet reading, smaller study rooms will also be available for students who need a peaceful place to focus on homework, either alone or with a small group.  A new young adult room, containing computers as well as the young adult book collection, will give teans an area to socialize and be a little more relaxed without having to worry about disturbing other patrons.  Another computer lab is also included, which offers Internet access and Wi-Fi.

The actual construction occurred during a period of nearly a year, but the plans were set in motion as early as 2000.  The $5 million dollar project received funding from a variety of sources.

“The city promised half the money, and the Fort Community Foundation provided another $1.5 million, and the rest was raised through fundraising,” Lutzke said.

After 119 years since its opening in 1892, Dwight Foster Public Library continues to remain a historical and vital component of the Fort Atkinson community.

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