Ongoing repairs to the second floor of the Boston Public Library‘s Johnson building will finally come to a close. On Feb. 21, the BPL will open its doors to the renovated area which will include a new children’s library, teen area, nonfiction collection, reference services, and a community reading area.
A ribbon cutting ceremony is slated for Saturday, Feb. 21, at 11 a.m.
Back in November the Johnson building was closed down and the Boston Landmarks Commission proceeded to pitch in on the likes of new windows, which inject greater transparency as well as new glazing, new framing system — also referred to as mullions — and greater energy efficiency.
A bronze bust of Boston-born author Edgar Allan Poe (not to be confused with the life-sized statue of Poe at the corner of Charles Street South and Boylston Street) was donated to the BPL by Bryan Moore who raised Kickstarter funds for the likeness. The Johnson building is expected to be its new home, once it’s taken out of storage in 2016.
BPL spokeswoman Rosemary Lavery told BostInno that the Johnson building will boast a more modern atmosphere fitting for the 19th century American Romantic writer, and it will be showcased in the fiction section on the first floor and mezzanine.
“The opening of the Central Library’s renovated second floor is an exciting preview of what will be a world-class renovation of one of Boston’s cultural gems,” said Mayor Marty Walsh in a statement. “Libraries are places of opportunity and people of all ages will enjoy the books and programs as well as the family-friendly, state-of-the-art space in Copley Square.”
Last April Mayor Walsh’s first City of Boston budget proposal included a measure to extend BPL service hours, which was subsequently adopted.
The budget also allocated a sum of $75.5 million for capital improvements, broken down to $34 million for FY 2015 and another $30,142,932 in future years.
The budget also allots $875,000 in FY15, as well as $8,916,500 in future years, to the Jamaica Plain branch of the BPL to undergo restorations of its own.
