Branching out: New library opens

The new library has a collection of 14,000 items in 3,514 square feet of space.
By NANCY TULLIS
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
NEW MIDDLETOWN -- The wait is over.
Residents of New Middletown and the surrounding area have a new library with a new name: The Springfield Branch Library.
The newest branch library of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County is open at 10418 Main St.
The former New Middletown Library, in a 1,000-square-foot corner of the village administration building, closed Dec. 29.
"We know the community will make the library a great success," said Carlton A. Sears, library director. "This new branch helps the library further the goals of Library 2011, our seven-year strategic plan. The community's support of this library branch project has been gratifying. Based on the enthusiasm we've seen, we expect this branch will be well-used and appreciated."
The new library has a collection of 14,000 items in 3,514 square feet of space. The renovated building originally was built as a Lawson's convenience store, and most recently housed a gift and card shop.
Reason for name change
The new library's name has been changed from New Middletown to Springfield because this new branch makes library service more accessible to a wider area, including New Middletown, New Springfield, Petersburg, and the county's southeastern areas, Sears said.
Springfield Branch Library hours initially will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Sears said, however, the passage of the library levy by voters in November allows library officials to work on its goal of adding hours at libraries throughout Mahoning County. Increased hours are expected to begin in late spring or early summer.
Kathleen Austriano, supervisor of the Poland library, also will be the supervisor for the Springfield Branch. The Springfield library will have a librarian available all hours the library is open, a service not offered when the library was in the village municipal building, she added.
Austriano said residents have been anxious to see the new space, which, although much smaller, is similar to the Poland library's design.
"It's amazing to see how the collection has grown," she said. "In the old library, there was one shelf of adult fiction; now there are 30. About 80 percent of the adult fiction is new. Children and teens will find a lot more available to them as well."
Springfield also is the first library in the system to have lockers for patrons to pick up reserved books and library materials, even when the library is closed. The lockers, on the outside of the building, will open when the patron uses the code provided to them by library staff.
The branch contains materials for children, teens and adults, Internet access, videos, DVDs, audio books, magazines and more.
The Springfield branch will feature coffee and hot chocolate from Chapters Cafe in the near future.
Formal dedication set
Janet Loew, library communications and public relations director, said a formal dedication of the Springfield library will be 1 to 3 p.m. Feb. 5, and will provide opportunity for library trustees, employees and patrons to thank donors.
She said the project's cost is $533,770. The architect is The 4M Company of Boardman, and engineers are Cenkner Engineering Associates Inc., of Sewickley, Pa. Brock & amp; Associates Builders Inc. of Poland is the general contractor.
Fund raising for the new library has been ongoing in the community and has brought in more than $11,800, Loew said.
For information about the fund-raising campaign or to donate, contact the library's development office at (330) 744-8636, Ext. 118.
tullis@vindy.com