By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Plainville Memorial Library officials recently decided the library needed to extend its reach—outside.
Library officials noticed patrons were often sitting in their vehicles outside of the library during off hours to access the library's wifi.
"We've had kids sitting around just in the grass at night when the library is not open using the wifi to watch movies or download books," Logan Numrich, library board president, said.
Thanks to about $60,000 in grants from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation, Heartland Community Foundation and Western Cooperative, the library is revamping its exterior to make it more appealing for outdoor use.
Cherly Hageman, library director, said the exterior green space had grown up in weeds.
Concrete pads, handicap-accessible picnic tables, bike racks and drought-tolerant plants will be added to the outdoor space. An awning will be in the second phase of the improvements.
The library, 200 S.W. First St., also will be adding an outdoor solar phone charger.
As the weather becomes more bearable, Hageman said she hopes the outdoor space can be used for both children's and adult programming.
The library already has a free indoor conference space that can be reserved for meetings free of charge.
Library officials hope to have the project complete by the end of the year. The concrete for the project has already been poured.
The library also plans to partner with local artist Brooke Harris and local teens to paint a new mural on a wooden wall on the east side of the library.
The mural, which is being funded through donations, will be a floral image that includes a meadowlark.
Library officials likened the project to a paint-by-numbers. Harris will create the outline of the mural, and then local teens and adults will fill in the colors.
The Plainville library just finished its summer reading program and will have storytime launching in September. It also has a book club for adults and offers computer, printing and copying services, as well as games for children. This includes printing from mobile devices.
The library also has a home delivery service for those who are unable to get to the library and is part of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library and 1000 Books Before Kindergarten programs.
Numrich's oldest children, Ronan, 4, and Hudson, 2, bounced around the library, picking out movies, looking at books and playing with toys that had been placed in easy reach of small hands.
"Having a place to go to have the kids run around and pick out some books and be excited about books and reading, in general, sets them up for a good future," Numrich said.
The library's hours are 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 9 a.m. to noon, and 1 to 4 p.m. Saturdays.