The new Riverside Branch of the Mid-Continent Public Library, made possible in part by a contribution from the City of Riverside, opened Tuesday, June 11, replacing the former location off Vivion Road.
The new library is at 4510 NW Gateway Avenue, Riverside.
The library celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, June 14, as well as festivities on Saturday, June 15, including children’s programming and craft activities as part of the Riverside Art Walk, hosted by the Riverside Area Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Art Garden KC.
During the Art Walk, attendees enjoyed artist booths in the Riverside Welcome Plaza, music by a live DJ, and refreshments from local food trucks.
“We invited everyone to come by and say hello and explore their new library,” said MCPL Riverside Branch manager Patrice Nollette. “This new location is a major upgrade for our community and offers resources that will help us better serve residents for years to come.”
The new library has community program rooms for library events and local gatherings as well as two meeting rooms, dedicated children’s areas, and upgraded technology throughout. The library broke ground on the Riverside Branch in May 2023. It is approximately 12,500 square feet.
The replacement of the Riverside Branch and construction of the new East Independence Branch bring the Library’s six-year Capital Improvement Plan to a close, with every location of MCPL having received some level of upgrade to their facilities and services during that time.
Improvements to the library’s buildings, collections, and services were made possible by Proposition L, which voters passed in 2016 to increase MCPL’s funding for the first time in over three decades.
“Our staff and board have worked tirelessly over the past several years to ensure that our spaces and services reflect the needs of modern library customers, and I’m proud to be here as we cross the finish line of this major accomplishment,” said MCPL director and CEO Aaron B. Mason. “Both our buildings and our services provide an ideal space for the community to come together and find inspiration, empowerment, and connection.”
Design work for the Capital Plan was completed by Sapp Design Architects and Helix Architecture + Design, with JE Dunn assuming responsibility for construction contractor management.
