The renovated Richardson Public Library will reopen to the public on Saturday, Nov. 21, the city announced Friday, ending a stretch in which residents have had only the library's digital services.
A grand reopening celebration begins at 1 p.m. at the library, 421 W. Arapaho Road. The city says the afternoon will include performances by local arts groups, arts and crafts, a scavenger hunt and demonstrations of the equipment in the library's makerspace. Two new library card designs will also be unveiled.
What changed inside
The project adds about 6,000 square feet of usable space by reworking the floor plans on all four levels of the building, according to the city. The children's room is larger, teen areas have been expanded and now include dedicated study rooms, and the local history section has grown.
From the outside, the most visible changes are a main entrance moved to the southeast side, where it now opens toward the Municipal Campus Fountain Plaza, and a new glass-enclosed staircase on the exterior.
The four-story building opened on Dec. 1, 1970, and is designed in the Brutalist style, with heavy geometric concrete forms. City officials say the renovation keeps that character while updating the interior and exterior. Planning drew on a public survey and community meetings the city held in 2022.
Two new pieces of public art come with the project: "Lighter Than Air," a suspended installation by SOFTlab hanging in the children's area, and "Enchanted Silicon Prairie," an outdoor sculpture by Dallas studio Brad Oldham Sculpture that features oversized Texas wildflowers, books and a stainless-steel bird. The city says the sculpture will be installed before the reopening.
Library staff and members of the Cultural Arts Commission, the Library Advisory Board and the Library Teen Advisory Board helped choose the works.