Pataskala Public Library renovation wrapping up; date set for return to expanded location

Maria DeVito, Newark Advocate
·2 min read
The new main entrance of the Pataskala Public Library is on the west side of the existing structure. The library is nearing the end of a $6 million renovation and is set to open to the public on July 29.
The new main entrance of the Pataskala Public Library is on the west side of the existing structure. The library is nearing the end of a $6 million renovation and is set to open to the public on July 29.

After nearly a year of construction, the roughly $6 million renovation and expansion of the Pataskala Public Library is almost complete, and the library will return to its home on Vine Street this summer.

Pataskala Library Director Jeff Rothweiler said the project has gone smoothly, and Robertson Construction Services expects to wrap up construction by June 9. Crews will spend the rest of May installing the ceiling and floors, landscaping outside and other finishing details.

Once construction is done, a central Ohio library design company will set up office spaces, the circulation desk and other furniture throughout the library in June. The last day for the temporary location at the West Licking County Family YMCA will be June 29. Library staff will spend nearly all of July moving back into the building at 101 S. Vine St. before opening the doors to the public at noon July 29, Rothweiler said.

The view of the expanded Pataskala Public Library from Vine Street. The 6,500-square-foot expansion is north of the existing structure.
The view of the expanded Pataskala Public Library from Vine Street. The 6,500-square-foot expansion is north of the existing structure.

Rothweiler said as move-in day draws closer, staff members are excited about the great opportunities an expanded space will allow for the staff and growing Pataskala community.

"We're going to have this brand new facility that allows us to add services that we weren't able to provide in the past," he said.

This area will be the future home of the Pataskala Public Library's children section once a $6 million expansion is completed this summer. The improved library is set to open to the public on July 29.
This area will be the future home of the Pataskala Public Library's children section once a $6 million expansion is completed this summer. The improved library is set to open to the public on July 29.

The renovation adds 6,500 square feet to the existing 9,000-square-foot building, which was last expanded in 1987.

The addition is north of the existing structure, where the parking lot was previously located. Now there's a new access drive south of the existing building that leads to a new parking area on the west side of the building, where the main entrance is now located.

The improved library will include a roughly 2,000-square-foot conference room that community groups can use for a large meeting space, a dedicated room for the popular children's story time, two study rooms, a reading area with an electric fire place and more comfortable seating for people to plug in their own devices and connect to Wi-Fi.

This room will hold the popular children's story time programs at the Pataskala Public library once a $6 million expansion is completed this summer. The improved library is set to open to the public on July 29.
This room will hold the popular children's story time programs at the Pataskala Public library once a $6 million expansion is completed this summer. The improved library is set to open to the public on July 29.

Thanks to the community raising $140,000 through a giving campaign, the library added elements to the project that wouldn't have been there otherwise, Rothweiler said, including a makers space, drive-thru book drop, more than a dozen additional parking spaces and new windows in the renovated portion of the building.

The library also received a $20,000 grant from Meta, Facebook's parent company that has a data center in New Albany, for the makers space, which will include a 3D printer and Cricut machine, Rothweiler said.

Because the library will have more space, Rothweiler said it will also add three more employees, taking the total number of employees to 15.

This area will serve as a quiet reading area inside the Pataskala Public Library once a $6 million expansion is completed this summer. The improved library is set to open to the public on July 29.
This area will serve as a quiet reading area inside the Pataskala Public Library once a $6 million expansion is completed this summer. The improved library is set to open to the public on July 29.

mdevito@gannett.com

740-607-2175

This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Pataskala library renovation wrapping up; location to open July 29