The Mid-Continent Public Library’s Parkville branch will now be closed for several months as the facility at 8815 Tom Watson Parkway undergoes construction.
Planned improvements at the Parkville Branch, which are estimated to be complete by late fall 2020, will include:
.Outdoor seating area
.New windows
.New lighting, paint, carpet, ceilings
.Automatic entrance doors
.Enhanced entry and native landscaping
.New signage and display cases
“We know that closing our doors for any amount of time is not ideal, and we’ll certainly miss seeing all our customers,” said Eric Bullock, Parkville branch manager. “But we’re very excited for these upgrades and believe the improvements will greatly enhance the customer experience.”
While the Parkville Branch is closed, the library is directing customers to its Boardwalk Branch (8656 N. Ambassador Drive, Kansas City, Mo.), unless customers request a different branch, to pick up materials they have put on hold.
Parkville branch customers are welcome and encouraged to use the services of any other MCPL branch.
This renovation is part of MCPL’s ongoing Capital Improvement Plan, which it launched following the passage of Proposition L in 2016.
As part of the Capital Plan, all MCPL branches will be improved in some way, and two new branches will be built by the end of 2022. One of the two, the new East Lee’s Summit Branch, opened last month.
While the upgrades at each branch have varied based on individual community needs and the building’s current condition, the library’s goal is to create more intentional spaces and upgrade essential technology. The library is working with Sapp Design Architects, Helix Architecture + Design, and JE Dunn to complete all of the work in the Capital Plan.
In addition to all the physical upgrades, the increased funding approved by voters in 2016 has allowed MCPL to expand branch hours, enhance special services, augment early literacy efforts, and buy more materials.
More information about the Parkville branch and all of the library’s construction projects can be found online at mymcpl.org/Community.