BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Gone are the days of 30-year-old carpet at Bethlehem Area Public Library’s main branch, said Josh Berk, executive director of BAPL.
- Bethlehem Are Public Library is undergoing renovations in March and April
- Almost the entire first floor of the Main Library will be renovated
- Adult services will be the thing most affected
On Tuesday, Feb. 21, BAPL announced on Facebook that its Main Library’s first floor would be undergoing major renovations during March and April of 2023.
This will change access to adult services, which are housed on the floor being renovated, over the time of construction, according to the post. For more information about the services affected, read the flier in its entirety.
"We sort of found that the open space, like shared workspaces, like shared, old-fashioned library tables, doesn't really suit modern uses."Josh Berk, executive director of BAPL
Almost the entire first floor will be renovated, according to Berk, with the exception of the Cohen room--which recently underwent improvements--and the placement of the front desk.
One of the main changes will be the implementation of individual working spaces, explained Berk.
“They're kind of like cubicles, but they're like plexiglass, for like, work from home or for students, or just a little semi-private space for people to do Zoom calls, or those kinds of things. We sort of found that the open space, like shared workspaces, like shared, old-fashioned library tables, doesn't really suit modern uses for people doing work from home or other kinds of work on their laptop, or whatever.”
As for the note on the flier that says there will be no access to Studio 11, Berk says not to worry if you planned to go to an event scheduled there.
“We're using Studio 11 as kind of like a meeting room instead of as a studio. So musicians wanting to book a studio won't be able to, but library events that need space to meet will use that.”
The renovation will reportedly cost between $350,000 and $400,000. These funds will come from a capital fund that's been contributed to by donations, gifts and grants from various sources. None of the money will come from the book sale proceeds, according to Berk, as those go directly into the general operating budget.
As for what he’s most excited for, Berk names the carpet as a prime change, but those aren’t the only things he wants to see.
“The new shelves are just going to be able to highlight our collection in a different way. Those individual meeting rooms, I think are kind of an exciting innovation. So I'm excited to see how those play out.”
