Check out Newark Free Library's new design, with performance space, game centers and more

The Newark Free Library is ready for its makeover, and its new look was recently unveiled.

After over a year of community meetings and feedback sessions, the new and improved Newark Free Library promises to impress with nearly double the space, sustainable design elements, designated areas for teens and children and plenty of outdoor space.

Quinn Evans, the architecture firm leading the charge for the library’s redesign, has achieved national recognition for its library designs and didn’t shy away from bold ideas with their newly unveiled renderings.

Construction on the roughly $44 million project is set to begin next year and officially open its doors in late 2026.

Planning the library

The current Newark Free Library, dating back to 1974, “shows its age,” according to head architect Chuck Wray with Quinn Evans.

“We heard there weren’t a lot of comfortable places to read, no workspace for remote works, no outdoor spaces …,” Wray said. “[Attendees] saw the library as a place to be creative, to learn something new, to engage with other folks and to generally be productive.”

Despite its age and the various improvements suggested by community members, it remains one of the most heavily used libraries in New Castle County’s system.

According to Diana Brown, community services manager with New Castle County, in April, nearly 40,000 items had been circulated in the current Newark Free Library among 11,000 visitors, including 241 new patrons.

“Newark has been over capacity for many years,” Brown said. “We have had to turn people away because there just isn’t enough room to schedule things in there.”

Seeing the demand for renovations to the library, the state has put aside $20 million toward the project, and New Castle County has promised an additional $23 million in its recent annual budgets. A capital campaign headed by the Friends of Newark Free Library will aim to raise an additional $1.25 million.

Two public meetings were held last fall to field suggestions from community members and public comment surveys were open for around 18 months. Some of the most commonly heard requests were the need for community spaces, improved browse-ability of library materials, a performance space and more.

What will the new library look like?

The designs were unveiled during the Friends of Newark Free Library’s annual meeting on April 14, attended by around 100 patrons and excited community members.

The new design on the corner of Newark’s Library Avenue and East Main Street boasts over 40,000 square feet and two stories of traditional library space, featuring designated areas for group study, a teen space, a rooftop terrace, a state-of-the-art performance space and more.

Bordering the library’s entrances are its two outdoor plazas, connections to nearby bike pathways and a parking lot fit with 100 spaces (including six electric vehicle charging stations). Bike racks are available near both the north and south entrances, and a drive-thru book drop-off will be set up on its west side.

Biophilic design, using elements inspired by the natural world, are abundant throughout the library’s new layout. The exterior resembles a wave and plenty of windows bring in natural light to the building.

The first floor of the library features the library’s main collection and marketplace with five group study rooms and large conference and meeting rooms with seating for 12 and 70 people respectively. In total, the first floor can sit up to 375 people.

All study rooms will have Zoom capabilities, and there will be additional spaces set aside for podcasting and audio editing.

Additionally, a performance hall with seating for 162 people will be included on the first floor. This element was one of the most requested features heard from community meetings, given Newark’s bustling music scene and relative lack of performance spaces.

To Wray and Brown, this space will be perfect for music performances, lectures, film screenings and other community activities.

Newark Free Library’s new second floor is the home of the library’s zones specifically for children and teens. The children’s program room, taking up a majority of the space will have seating for 24.

A teen’s section was an idea that came from speaking with students at Newark High School.

“I think it was important to work with teens and preteens so they can have their own dedicated space, a space they can have a certain agency over,” Wray said.

The space will include a gaming station, and nearby will hold six group study spaces and a nearby content creation lab and e-sports center.

On the south end of the second floor is the exterior terrace, which will offer seating for an additional 50 individuals.

Sustainability was a crucial component to keep in mind for the Quinn Evans designers. Given the library’s location on a relatively busy intersection, it was important for Wray and his team to create a calm space that is also accessible for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers to reach.

The entire library will run on an all-electric system. No fossil fuels will be used in its operation to offset the footprint of its usage. Solar panels on the library’s “green roof” also will be used to power the building. Native, noninvasive plants will adorn the library’s exterior, creating an outdoor natural gathering space.

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What are the next steps?

The design will be finalized throughout the next few months before an official public unveiling this August. Next May, the current Newark Free Library building will be demolished.

The Newark Free Library is slated to be completed by November 2026. Until then the county is still evaluating options to continue library programs for patrons of Newark’s branch once the old building is demolished next year. A likely possibility will be extending hours of nearby Bear and Kirkwood Libraries.

Molly McVety covers community and environmental issues around Delaware. Contact her at mmcvety@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @mollymcvety.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Newark Free Library's first designs have been unveiled