Cedar Rapids Library Set to Grow at Temporary Westdale Mall Site

By Dave Franzman, Reporter

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By Dave Franzman

Story Created: Nov 6, 2008 at 5:59 PM CST

Story Updated: Nov 6, 2008 at 6:03 PM CST

CEDAR RAPIDS- The Cedar Rapids Public Library will soon grow even bigger at its temporary Westdale Mall home.

No one knows yet when, or if, the main library will return to the swamped downtown facility on 1st Street S.E. But library officials are planning for a temporary main facility that will serve at least two to three years.

When the library was all in one place, you could check out a book, read a paper or use a computer pretty much in one central location. But at Westdale, the library services will soon spread out to six different store spaces...literally from one end of the mall to the other.

Interim Library Director Tam Glise said "when money is tight and space is hard to find, you have to get creative. We're all under one roof and it'll be a pleasant way of utilizing the mall space and we want people to come and see when it's ready."

Right now, most of the library services are clustered around the existing Westdale Library branch on the upper level of the mall. On Thursday, the library's tech center reopened with all computer and internet access now in a separate store space.

But most of the main book collection will move into the downstairs old Osco Drug space sometime after January 1st.

Library managers call this the "bridge" location--because it's intended to bridge the gap between the flooded main library facility and what will be the eventual main facility. They've budgeted about $300,000 for a conversion.

Signs are up now to try and tell patrons what library services will eventually end up where. There may be some walking from one site to another to use the different services.

Until recently, Westdale mall donated the room for the library. But starting November 1st, the library is paying for all the space at the rate of slight more than $160,000 a year. Library officials have committed to its Westdale Mall home at least through next August.

But managers wouldn't be surprised to have a permanent "temporary" home at the mall for several years.

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