Second-story makeover on track for Mount Prospect Public Library

Expanded space for teens, adult study rooms and a dedicated technology lab are part of an approximately $4.8 million ongoing renovation of the Mount Prospect Public Library.

The renovations are an outgrowth of the library’s strategic plan. The goal is to create a more user-friendly space on the second floor of the building at 10 S. Emerson St.

The work, which began in February, is being completed in phases. The second floor was closed at the beginning of May. That area is expected to open around June 5. Renovations are expected to be completed by late September.

Jennifer Amling, the library’s head of marketing, said the closure was necessary for the safety of the public due to major construction. That included walls being removed, reinstalled and relocating electrical wiring.

She said the new and improved second floor will offer more spaces for people to collaborate and study.

Some of the most significant changes benefit teens.

“Our teen space that we had for a long time was just one enclosed area that could fit several teens,” she said. “The teens that were trying to quiet study were being interrupted by the teens that were playing a video games or talking.”

New teen areas are more clearly delineated, she noted.

In addition, the library will offer a dedicated technology lab with computers for classes or personal use.

The second floor will also contain a quiet area, adult study rooms and private study pods.

Funding for the project comes from a combination of the library’s Capital Projects Fund, grants and private donations. That includes contributions from the Friends of the Mount Prospect Public Library and the Mount Prospect Public Library Foundation.

Amling said the library is hoping to see the teen, study and technology areas open sometime in June.

“It really depends on what the furniture delivery looks like,” she said.