The 50,000 square foot building consisted of the original Carnegie structure constructed in 1901 and a 1984 addition that, while dramatically increasing the size of the library, created two disparate halves, each with its own architectural style and personality, and with very little connection between the two. The 1984 addition also housed the majority of the public spaces, limiting the community’s opportunities to experience the historic portion of the building. The design team was challenged to unify these two disparate halves as a part of a building-wide reorganization and remodel, while reclaiming the historic, original portion of the building for public use.

Rather than a strict historic restoration, which would limit the building’s functionality, the renovation honors the historic nature of the building, restoring certain key components, while re-purposing others for modern use. The team focused on a number of design goals: opening the grand main entrance; opening the historic mezzanine and skylight above; renovating a community meeting room on the upper level while opening the skylight in that room; and reopening the exterior windows on the lower level and relocating significant parts of the collection to the historic building.