Louisville Public Library has held an important position in the community since its founding in 1935, providing materials and services required by an ever-changing society. Along with great books and resources, the dedicated library staff presents a wide variety of quality programs for a range of interests, such as “Painting with Bob Ross,” story times, and outreach services to schools, YMCA, and community centers that include materials and programming for Louisville's teachers, students, and senion citizens.
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The Louisville Public Library building was constructed in the late 1960s. The aging facility requires frequent repairs, is unable to support the technology needs of a modern library, and is not fully ADA compliant. The library trustees and administration have evaluated potential sites for a new library, leading to the current plan for a new library to be built in Metzger Park.
Beginning in 2021, the City of Louisville has made dramatic improvements to Metzger Park, the City’s most popular free recreational resource. Louisville Library and the City have developed a plan for the library to relocate to the park, joining an already very active corridor that includes Metzger Park, the Louisville Area YMCA, and the Middle and High Schools.
Louisville Library and Metzger Park are two of the few gathering places in Louisville that are completely free and offer something for everyone in the community. In partnership with the City of Louisville, the new library will bring these two elements together, creating a renewed focal point and enlarged public space as a destination for local residents.
Caring for the Community
The Louisville Public Library remains committed to NOT asking for a levy. Together with this fundraising campaign, existing library savings and bonds issued against State of Ohio Public Library Fund allocations will pay for the new building.
In exchange for the library-owned downtown property, the library will lease a section of Metzger Park from the City of Louisville, adjacent to the city-built parking lot. City improvements – parking lot and collaboration on utilities and storm water retention, plus mowing and snow removal – will decrease construction costs by approximately $350,000 and reduce future operating costs for the library.
Building for the Future, Respecting the Past
Why build a new library in Metzger Park? We looked at options all around Louisville and determined that Metzger Park would be an optimal location because of the ability to share resources with the city, as well as provide library services near the park, YMCA, and schools. The 10,000 square – foot structure will be built to conform with the natural appearance of the surrounding prairie landscape and will include standard library circulation and reference facilities, meeting room, conference room, makerspace, children’s programming/sensory room, and Friends of the Library book sale area. Featured stonework in and around the building takes inspiration from the original Metzger Farm - part of which still stands today as a popular stone wall in the park.
