A grand opening ceremony for the new Havre de Grace Library at Union and Pennington avenues, a facility that has multiple features that set it apart among the 11 branches in Harford County, is planned for June 15.
"It's a very exciting time," Harford County Public Library Director Mary Hastler said Wednesday. "We're getting so close to opening up that door to the public."
Workers are putting the finishing touches on the $9.1 million, two-story building, and library system staff are starting to move materials over from the temporary branch in the Tidewater Marina building on Market Street.
The temporary branch opened in October 2014 shortly before demolition started on the previous one-story branch at Union and Pennington. The temporary branch closed about three weeks ago and is being used as a staging area for new and existing materials, Hastler said.
Hastler said she hopes to have a "soft opening" for the public a few days before the grand opening, but all inspections must be complete before that happens.
"It's all going to hinge on the date the elevators get their final inspection," she said.
The new 19,846-square-foot building replaces a one-story, 8,420-square-foot branch built in 1987. The latter building was razed to make room for the new one.
The new branch was designed based on public input provided during public meetings with architects from design firm Manns Woodward Studios, of White Marsh. Residents of Havre de Grace, and other parts of Harford County, were asked to help design "the library of their dreams," Hastler said.
"Each library branch reflects the community that it's in," she said. "It's also part of a bigger system."
A major feature that sets Havre de Grace apart from branches in other communities is that the actual library – the collection of books, DVDs and periodicals and the public computers – is on the second floor, and public gathering areas, including an art gallery, meeting rooms and work spaces are on the first floor.
The public and library collection areas are mixed together in many branches that are one story and are on larger lots, Hastler said.
"We're on a small lot [in Havre de Grace] so we couldn't go out too far sideways," Hastler said. "We had to go up."
Other unique features include a dedicated small business center, a courtyard along Union Avenue, a second-floor balcony that also overlooks Union and affords small glimpses of the Chesapeake Bay, as well as "open work space" for branch staff, rather than individual cubicles, and a separate processing area for materials being delivered, Hastler said.
There are three areas on the second floor dedicated to children of varied ages, including Lafayette's Landing for elementary and middle school students, where they can create their own content, work on group projects, explore new technology and "of course, read books," Hastler said.
Older teens have their own space where they can enjoy gaming, technology and work on group school projects.
The crown jewel of the branch is the Schooner Cove early literacy center with interactive learning stations for children 5 years old and younger.
"It's just so much learning and exploration and so much fun, it's just pure fun," said Hastler, who visited the branch Tuesday for a weekly progress meeting between library officials and project managers.
"I can't wait to see it open and see families and children using it and exploring it and developing those skills that are critical to be ready for school," she said.
Hastler said each HCPL branch has an early literacy component, but Schooner Cove is the first "built from scratch" based on current research on child brain development.
She said the branch is designed to be a "community destination" that is part of the fabric of downtown Havre de Grace.
Hastler said the building is "within easy walking distance of the coffee shops and the restaurants," and it is across Union Avenue from the Havre de Grace Opera House, which is being renovated. Lewis Contractors, of Owings Mills, is the general contractor for both the library and opera house projects.
"We envision having events both at the opera house and the library," she said.