Monday, June 27, 2011

Carnegie Library South Side to Close for Renovations

The Carnegie Library South Side branch will close at the end of business on Thursday June 30th for renovations expected to take about a year.

It’s the 11th library in the city to be renovated, according to Suzanne Thinnes, Carnegie Library Communications Manager. It’s one of four with no air conditioning, and it also needs a new heating system. The front entrance will be restored to look more like it did in 1909, when it was one of the first libraries Andrew Carnegie gave to the city.

Library patrons have provided input at several meetings with architects over the past few years, and a fundraiser last month raised $10,000. Thinnes says companies on the South Side have been generous, and various government grants amount to more than $2.5 million.