Revamped LFP Library Reopens

With a little help from King County Library System director Bill Ptacek, Lake Forest Park Mayor Mary Jane Goss and children from the Lake Forest Park area cut a red ribbon to celebrate the grand opening of the remodeled and expanded Lake Forest Park Library, Saturday morning, Jan. 7.

The renovated library at Lake Forest Park Town Center is now 5,841 square feet, about 60 percent larger than it was previously. The $1.3 million project was completed with money from a $172 million capital bond approved by voters in 2004. 

Goss recalled going to the old library at the mall in the 1960s while she was growing up in Lake Forest Park and said she was impressed with the transformation of the space.

The new design features dedicated teen and children's areas, more computers and a 500-square-foot multipurpose room that can be sectioned off from the main library by a sliding glass wall. 

More seating, study areas, new furniture and public computer cyber bar are also part of the remodel. The library's collection has expanded too, including more blooks, audio, large-print and e-Books.

"I hope you like it better than the old one," said architect Kevin Oremus. 

The building adheres to green building standards as 100 percent of the aluminum used in the storefront is recycled and the ceiling tiles contain 82 percent recycled content. The wood used in the project is certified as a rapidly renewable resource—meaning it was planted and harvested in less than a 10-year cycle.

"The staff are thrilled to have an expanded library with so much more space to study in and enjoy," said Deirdre Miller, the librarian for the LFP library. "We love that it's light and bright and cheerful."

The library also had an influx of new patron registrations as more than a hundred people poured in for the grand opening.