Library welcomes patrons back inside
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Patrons line up to check out materials Saturday at the Pendleton County Public Library’s Grand Reopening. Two hundred people turned out to see the renovations and new features completed since the library closed to in-person visits on Oct. 9. -
Cooper Courts, 5, and his sister, Carson, 6, look for books in the children’s department. The Courts family, of Falmouth, were in the habit of visiting the library weekly and said they are glad to be back. -
Trish Niehuas, assistant library director, explains the new creative equipment in the MakerSpace. Photos by Burton Cole. -
Pendleton County Public Library Programming Assistant Hannah Pearson, center, behind table, shows the library's solar eclipse equipment and studies at the entrance of the library's new teen space. Photos by Burton Cole. -
A total 240 people turned out at the library Saturday for the Grand Reopening event to show off renovations. -
Library welcomes patrons back inside -
Library welcomes patrons back inside
By Burton Cole
FALMOUTH — Excitement surrounded the home opener.
It was more like the “welcome home” Grand Reopening as the Pendleton County Public Library unlocked the doors Saturday for the first time since Oct. 9, when it closed to in-person traffic for renovations.
Library Director Kelly Zumwalt said that she and staff were so eager to talk to people besides each other that they unlocked the front doors four hours early, unannounced.
“We opened at 9. By 11, we already had 47 patrons. So they’ve been waiting,” Zumwalt said. “It’s exciting.”
The drive-through remained open throughout renovations, but until Saturday, patrons couldn’t come inside. On Saturday, 240 people showed up.
Among them, Charles Clark of Falmouth and his son, Jacen, loaded up two cloth bags with books they’d just checked out.
“There’s more usable space. They took the dead space and made it usable.”
Jacen Clark agreed. “It feels more like a library than a place that just holds books.”
Charles said, “We’ve been coming in as a family at least a couple times a week since the old (library building).”
“This current building is only about a dozen years old, but even back then, the library board knew that renovations would be necessary to adapt to the needs and wishes of the community,” Zumwalt said. “About $330,000 of renovations and about $30,000 worth of equipment later, that’s what the library is,” she said.
Patrons who turned out Saturday discovered a MakerSpace room for crafters and creators; a Teen Area for socializing and gaming; private study rooms; an additional conference room; and shelves of books out in the open instead of tucked away along the side of the room.
The big hit was the library’s MakerSpace, a large room filled with 3-D printers, engravers, heat press, laminator, sewing machines, a serger, embroidery machine and a Cricut.
“I think it’s amazing,” crafter, Shelly Schlueter of Falmouth said. “I can’t wait to start using the stuff.”
Her daughter, Savannah Monroe, said, “We already have some craft ideas.
“It’s something I’ve wanted to try but didn’t want to put up the money up front to have it in my own home without trying it first.”
Monroe said that she and her mother have cards for the library in Kenton County. “It’s nice not to have to travel out of county to use MakerSpace,” she said.
At the Teen Area, the gaming system hadn’t yet been set up, but programming assistant Hannah Pearson was there with the library’s solar viewing equipment.
Among the demonstrations, Pearson showed how the moon could block the much larger sun on Sunday afternoon. While a young person held a hoop just right so that his or her eye was in line with a small ball attached to the ring, Pearson, holding a large yellow inflatable ball kept backing up. Eventually, the kid — representing earth — could no longer see the inflatable — the sun — because the tinier ball — the moon — blocked the line of vision.
Thompson plans to have many fun but educational activities throughout the year for younger patrons.
Darrell Shelton of Falmouth said that he and his family had been going to other libraries out of county and we’re happy both to be back home and with what they saw.
“I think the programs they have going on around here will be helpful to the kids,” he said. “The study rooms, the lab, the nice programs and the fireplace.”
Courtney and Haley Courts of Falmouth perused the children’s section of the library with their four youngsters.
“We’re excited,” Courtney said. “We’re glad to have a library back. We visit it weekly.”
“The kids are definitely excited,” he said. “It’s nice to have a place to come back to and explore.”
Melissa Madrigal and her son, Bolt, 8, of Falmouth seemed to walk around in awe, taking it all in.
“It’s very cool,” Madrigal said. “We moved here three months ago and anticipated the opening. We spend a lot of time in the library.”
“It’s good,” Bolt agreed.
Zumwalt was all smiles over the turnout.
“I’m glad to see that everybody didn’t forget about us,” she said.
“We’ve had a great turnout today. Everybody wants to know, ‘How quickly can I book a room?’ and ‘Can I book the equipment?’”
Sign-up sheets and online booking apps were posted at the new conference room, study rooms and at each station in the MakerSpace room.