PEORIA, Ill. – The Lincoln Branch of the Peoria Public Library is celebrating ten years since renovations and an addition that changed the facility for the better.
“We’re here to commemorate the transformation of Lincoln Branch a decade ago that resulted in this beautiful library, that in many ways is the heart of our city’s South Side,” said Randall Yelverton, Peoria Public Library Executive Director, during a ceremony Friday.
$28 million approved by referendum built a new North Peoria library branch, and renovated the downtown and Lincoln branches.
The work tripled the space of Lincoln while maintaining the architecture of the original building, first opened in 1911, and built along with many others nationwide with money from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.
Cynthia Smith, Lincoln Branch Manager, said the move was transformational.
“The programming never stopped, but the extension intensified what we could do,” Smith said. “And that would be, do more. Do more programming. Get more students involved. Introduce more adults to best-selling authors.”
Smith said the work allowed for meeting space and a full computer lab, and recently helped students complete 2,200 projects in the Science, Technology, Engineer, and Math — or, STEM — fields.
Just how to you put an addition on a library designated a historical landmark while maintaining that historical look and feel? Ed Barry, a principal and architect with the Farnsworth Group might be able to answer that.
“Try to preserve as much of the exterior facade, and have just sort of a delicate glass link — like a bridge — that takes you over to the original building,” said Barry. “Then, we separated that further with a large, pre-cast concrete arced wall that you see if you go around to the front.
In the picture below, you can somewhat see the the link to the original building, toward the top middle.
Barry referred to the Lincoln Branch library as being a “jewel” in that area of Peoria.
Will Stevenson/1470 & 100.3 WMBD
