After many years of planning and preparation, the Baltimore County Public Library’s Catonsville branch will undergo a full renovation.
On the close of business Feb. 18, the branch at 1100 Frederick Road will close its doors to customers for a 12-month project that is scheduled to begin next month.
The estimated cost of construction to the 60-year-old building is $8 million. The Baltimore County government will cover a portion of the funding and $1.1 million will come from the 2020 fiscal year Maryland State Library Capital Grant.
According to the Maryland State Library Agency, $5 million must be included in the state budge each year for the library capital grant program. With assistance from the program, 23 of Maryland’s library systems have received funding to renovate, expand or build new library facilities.
“One of our goals at Baltimore County Public Library is to make sure that we are offering our customers a 21st century library experience with our infrastructure, as well as our customer service,” said Baltimore County Public Library CEO Sonia Alcántara-Antoine. “We are pleased to get this long-awaited renovation underway, which will provide critical building updates along with new features that will help fulfill our mission of providing opportunities to explore, learn, create and connect.”
The new 21st-century library upgrades will include a new recording studio; a new customer service desk; a public meeting room; a dedicated teen area; new LED lighting throughout the building; new laptop bars, seating, shelving, work tables, conference tables, and reading areas.
“Since Catonsville is nicknamed ‘Music City,’ we are particularly excited to include a recording studio with recording and mixing booths as part of the branch renovation,” Alcántara-Antoine said. “It will reduce barriers to access by allowing our customers to record music, podcasts and more for free.”
Additional building improvements include new flooring, wall graphics, a new sprinkler system, sewage ejector pump and sanitary line, new windows, electrical system, and an upgraded heating and air conditioning system.
Customers who use the Catonsville branch are encouraged to use the next closest branch in Arbutus, located at 855 Sulphur Spring Road. There are 19 other branches around the county, as well as the digital library available for all library patrons.
