Once the largest branch of the Lexington Public Library, the landlocked Eagle Creek facility has outgrown its space, according to library officials.
Now, a new branch is in the works.
When it debuted in 1992, the 15,000 square-foot Eagle Creek Branch was hailed as a spacious addition to the library system. But since that time, as other branches have been built and surrounding businesses have prevented it from expanding its footprint, Eagle Creek has shrunk to the second-smallest public library in town.
Library executive director Ann Hammond says that, along with a need to better serve the fast-growing Hamburg area, made the new proposed location on Man o’ War and Palumbo Drive a good fit.
"We came across it a few months ago, looked at it closely, talked about it quite a bit, and decided that this would be a good way to expand our reach into Hamburg while at the same time continuing to the people in the Richmond Road area," she says.
The new branch will boast an additional 12,000 square feet, a 25 percent increase in materials, and the city’s first drop-off return that will also enable drive through customers to pick up on-hold items without leaving the car.
Also being considered is what's called a "maker's space."
"It can take a lot of different forms. It could be something as simple as something mechanical, like teaching someone to use tools or a sewing machine, or it can be really high-tech, like 3D printers and computer programming," Hammond notes.
The new branch is slated to open in May 2015.
