July 15, 2024 - Council Receives Update on Library Renovations

Artist renderings of the design concepts chosen for the Library’s future public art installations were presented to the City Council at the July 15 meeting. The concepts were chosen out of more than 200 artist applications by a selection panel that included library staff and members of the Cultural Arts Commission, Library Advisory Board and the Library’s Youth Advisory Board.  

The interior art installation, “Lighter Than Air,” will be located in the children’s area. Created by the artists of SOFTlab, it consists of an array of colorful, “floating” clusters made of rounded, hatched, intersecting planes of powder-coated aluminum that mimic bubbles, clouds, butterflies, or whatever people imagine them to be. 

For the exterior art, the panel chose Brad Oldham Sculpture’s “Enchanted Silicon Prairie,” which features oversized Texas wildflowers in vibrant colors as well as a stack of books and a 20” tall version of Oldham’s well-known BIRD character, made of mirror-polished stainless steel. Other versions of BIRD were once installed on loan outside the Library near the Civic Center Fountain during arts celebrations in 2015 and 2016, and the panel liked the continuity between the old and the new.  

The art is expected to be installed in summer 2025; library renovations are expected to be complete by late 2025. The City plans to issue a Call for Artists in August to begin the process of art design/selection for the New City Hall/Civic Plaza public art.

Feb. 5, 2024 - Council Receives Update on Library Renovations

City staff provided an update on the Library Renovation Project at the Feb. 5 City Council meeting and recommended the Council consider approving the project’s Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) of $31.4M at the next Council meeting. The total amount originally budgeted for the Library Renovation Project is $48.1M, with $36.1M approved in the 2021 Bond Program and $12M in Certificates of Obligation approved by the Council in January 2023.  

Balfour Beatty Construction was selected in June 2023 to be the project’s Construction Manager at Risk, and developed the GMP after advertising and competitively bidding the proposed renovation plans to subcontractors in December 2023.   

Construction is expected to start on the renovations in March, with an expected completion date of January 2026. Interior demolition has already begun in advance of construction.

Sept. 18, 2023 - Council Receives Update on Library Renovations

More natural light and a relocated entrance will be among the most noticeable changes to the Richardson Public Library once renovations are complete. Monday night the City Council heard a briefing from architectural firm Steinberg Hart, which, along with Architexas, is handling the design of the project. 

Much of the concrete on the exterior of the third floor’s east façade (facing the Fountain Plaza) will be replaced with glass walls to allow more natural light and a view of the fountain, as well as the new City Hall. Additionally, the glass on the first and second floors will be replaced with glass that is more transparent and energy efficient.  

The second major change to the exterior of the building will be the relocation of the main entrance to the southeast corner of the building, complete with a new drop-off lane. The new entrance should allow people greater access to the Fountain Plaza and be more convenient for people coming from City Hall. Additionally, a drive-up book drop will be added to the left side of the building. 

The Library’s floor plan is also undergoing changes, with the addition of a large event space, a two-story children’s area, and a larger dedicated teen space. Additionally, a new, glass-enclosed staircase will be added on the south façade of the building. 

Construction is expected to start in the first quarter next year and be complete by the end of 2025. Meanwhile, the Library is currently closed and in the process of moving materials to its new temporary location at 2360 Campbell Creek Blvd. The new location should open sometime next month. All due dates for library materials have been extended until Oct. 23. Please hold onto any items you have checked out until the Library reopens.  

Sept. 9, 2023 - Library to Close for renovations

Saturday, Sept. 9 is the last day to visit the Richardson Public Library at its current address at 900 Civic Center Dr. The Library will close as its staff and services move to a temporary location, at 2360 Campbell Creek Blvd., ahead of upcoming renovations. The building and book drops will close at 6 p.m. The new, temporary location will be open to the public in mid-to-late October.

During the closure checkout/drop-off of physical materials, InterLibrary Loans, donations, notarial services, 3D printing and any other services requiring access to the building will be paused until the temporary location opens. Digital Library options will remain available. This includes digital books, audiobooks, reference databases and language-learning applications. If you have reference or research questions, librarians will be available by phone at 972-744-4350 during the Library’s normal business hours, except for Friday, Sept. 15 (in-service day for staff).

If you have items checked out on the day of closure, they will not be due until Oct. 23. The items can be returned to the new building when it opens.  Additionally, active holds will be suspended until reopening. Books can be checked out at neighboring libraries in Garland, Plano, Lewisville and Allen, which offer free cards to Richardson residents. Others charge a range of fees. Getting a TexShare card can gain you limited, free borrowing privileges from participating libraries, like Dallas.

Anyone looking to apply for a new library account or to update or renew an existing account should e-mail seniorclerk.library@cor.gov or call 972-744-4363. Additionally, residents and nonresidents 18 and older can apply for a 60-day digital-only card that offers access to some of the Library’s most-popular services, like Libby.

Additional details about the Library renovations and the move can be found at www.cor.net/LibraryNews. 

June 12, 2023 - Library Renovation Plans Presented to City Council

Library and Capital Projects staff provided an update at Monday’s City Council meeting regarding planned renovations for the Library, funded by the 2021 Bond Program. After user group feedback meetings concluded last year, the design development process has been underway since January, and a proposed site plan and space usage diagram were presented to the Council Monday, June 12th for their feedback.

Floors two and three stand to gain over 6,000 square feet of additional space (combined) thanks to infill opportunities; more than 30 additional proposed new library features include:

• A relocated, prominent, and easy-to-find building entry
• After-hours “holds” pick-up area
• Dedicated local history room with collection displays
• Enlarged storytime room; expanded teen area with dedicated study rooms
• Consolidated area for adults
• A prominent public stair to access all levels

After a competitive proposal process, a construction manager-at-risk was recently selected to coordinate pre-construction services; the City Council voted to approve this selection (Balfour Beatty Construction) later in Monday’s meeting.

Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2024 with library staff and services moving to a temporary location (2360 Campbell Creek Blvd.) this fall.

June 12th presentation: Click here