In November 2018, voters approved a $77 million Spokane Public Library bond measure to remodel 4 existing libraries and build 3 new libraries.

Planned Projects

Planning Timeline

  • January 2016: Released the Future Study,
    the foundational planning document for this project
  • March – May 2018: Project initiation, discovery, assessment
  • May 2018: Round 1 Community Conversations and Feedback
  • June 2018: Round 2 Community Conversations and Feedback
  • November 2018: Citizens vote to approve funding for projects
  • November 2018-2019: Planning, design and community feedback phase
  • April 2019: Community Open Houses
  • Spring 2020: Estimated start of construction
  • 2020: Begin Design Planning phase for South hill and Indian Trail remodels
  • Summer 2021: Estimated completion for Hillyard at Shaw Middle School and The Hive
  • Fall 2021: Estimated completetion for Shadle Park and Liberty Park
  • Spring 2022: Estimated completion for Downtown

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Imagine the Library of the Future

At 15,000 square feet, the popular South Hill Library (3324 S. Perry St.) operates at capacity, with a large collection and the highest circulation in the city.

Library leadership responded to strong community interest to preserve the current South Hill Library location, building, and size, and implement a “makeover” to renew building systems, finishes, and furnishings, create flexible connections to the program room (allowing either space to serve as overflow during heaviest use of its neighbor) and introduce group study rooms into the existing floorplan.

Design

  • Makeover of current location’s 15,000 square feet
  • Improved children’s discovery area
  • Improved areas for quiet reading and study
  • Flexible use spaces for large or small meetings
  • Capital improvements including ADA accessibility, HVAC systems, and security upgrades

Timeline

Planning for the South Hill design will resume in early 2020 during Phase 2 of the Library Bond Projects.

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Imagine the Library of the Future

At 17,800 square feet, the Shadle Library (2111 W. Wellesley Ave.) is undersized for its role as a destination library for the north side of Spokane. The site surrounding the library is property of Spokane Parks and Recreation and granted by agreement to host the library. The Shadle Library will expand to approximately 30,000 square feet to meet the level of demand for additional and 21st century library spaces and services.

Through several rounds of engagement led by the architecture firm for this project, Group 4 Architecture, including community round tables and an Advisory Committee Community the above design was favored. This scheme relocates the library entrance to a tall atrium, lined with clerestory windows and opening simultaneously towards the Aquatics Center and the Shadle shopping center across North Belt Street.

An expanded program room and generous children’s zone are included in the designs as well as a designated quiet area. The original building will be preserved and will include new interior spaces including meetings rooms and maker spaces. An expansion toward the intersection of Wellesley and Belt will increase the presence of Shadle Library along the Wellesley thoroughfare.

Design

  • Expansion of the current locations to 30,000 square feet
  • Improved children’s discovery area so we can impact early children’s literacy outcomes
  • Improved areas for quiet reading and study
  • Flexible use spaces for large or small meetings

Timing

Shadle Library closed for construction on December 22, 2019 and will be closed until fall 2021. An alternate location is available in Northtown Mall across from the Blue Zoo and Buffalo Wild Wings. The Shadle renovation will be led by Garco Construction and designed by G4 Architecture.

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Imagine the Library of the Future

Spokane’s main library, the three story, 117,000 square foot library at 906 W. Main Avenue, has experienced a significant shift in use since it opened twenty-four years ago. This library is a citywide hub of 21st century library services and a central place within the Spokane community. After reopening, this library will be renamed Central Library.

Much of the building remains unchanged since its original mid-90’s format and the first floor is mostly dedicated to staff space. The remodeled Central Library will recapture this space and create a vast range of opportunities for public use from the first floor up. A business lab, a computer lab, program rooms, retail space and café will energize the first-floor space. A new staircase will connect the first and second floors to improve the dynamic flow of the space.

The library materials collection will still begin on the second floor, where a robust marketplace will extend the retail experience of River Park Square across the skywalk. A vibrant river-themed Children’s Discovery space will overlook the river and falls and the adult will extend throughout the south side of the second floor.

The Inland Northwest Special Collection will move to the 3rd floor along adjacent to the large event space and stage that overlooks the falls, a new recording studio/music lesson space, a video studio as well as a radio station live broadcast space. The second and third floors will be connected with a social stair that provides additional seating that can also function as a tiered performance space. Ample meeting rooms and small study rooms will punctuate the all floors of the building offering a variety of choices for community use.

Design

  • Recapture the first floor space for public use, currently used for staff only
  • Improved children’s discovery zone
  • Improved areas for quiet reading and study
  • Flexible use spaces for large or small meetings
  • Addition of a café, in partnership with New Leaf Bakery
  • Improved Northwest Room experience
  • Recording studio and video studio for public use
  • Space for live radio broadcast

Timing

Central Library closed for construction on February 29, 2020 and will remain closed until spring 2022. An alternate location will open on the 2nd floor of STA Plaza on March 2, 2020. The Central Library renovation is led by Walker Construction and designed by G4 Architecture.

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Imagine the Library of the Future

The 8,200 SF Hillyard Library (4005 N. Cook St.) will move across the street and be re-built on the new Shaw Middle School Campus in partnership with Spokane Public Schools.

By partnering with Spokane Public Schools, both the school community and the public will benefit from expanded service offerings and efficient use of tax-payer funds.

Design

  • Strategic placement within Shaw Middle School campus adjacent to Commons, Gym, and Community Resource Center
  • Consideration to maximizing access for public and school community while managing security

Timing

The Hillyard/Shaw Middle School Campus is currently under construction, effective October 1, 2019 with an estimated completion in summer 2021. This project is led by Lydig Construction and designed by Integrus Architecture.

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Imagine the Library of the Future

At 6,300 SF, East Side Library (524 S. Stone St.) is the smallest branch in the Spokane Public Library system. The existing East Side Library will close and move to new location at Liberty Park, built where the tennis courts currently sit adjacent to the Liberty Park Aquatic Center.

The new library will nearly double in size and the design will reflect a sleek and modern aesthetic, maximizing westward views of the park. This space emphasizes a Children’s Zone, features a program space that is more than double the size of the existing meeting room at the current East Side library, and includes two new quiet study rooms.

Timing

This library is designed by Integrus Architecture of Spokane and constructed by Leone & Keeble of Spokane. Construction began in spring 2020 and is scheduled to be completed in fall 2021.

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Imagine the Library of the Future

Completed in 1998, Indian Trail Library (4909 W. Barnes Rd.) is the youngest facility in SPL’s system. The 10,600 SF facility will receive a makeover within the current footprint, refreshing building systems, finishes, and furnishings. A renewed Indian Trail library will incorporate group study rooms, and create a more permeable and flexible entrance to the program room, allowing the room to serve as overflow space for the library. We may also develop an outdoor courtyard or educational garden with a strong connection to a revitalized Children’s Discovery area.

Design

  • Improved children’s discovery area
  • Incorporate outdoor space
  • Capital maintenance including HVAC, roofing, ADA accessibility

Timing

Planning for the Indian Trail design will resume in early 2020 during Phase 2 of the Library Bond Projects.

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Imagine the Library of the Future

In partnership with Spokane Public Schools, the Library is building a cutting-edge facility on the corner of E. Sprague and S. Haven. We are affectionately calling this location The Hive™ for the variety of learning and activity that will take place there. This building will provide not only a new teacher training facility and offices for Spokane Virtual Learning but also a location for 21st century public library services like maker space and event galleries.

Design

  • Teacher training facility for Spokane Public Schools
  • Spokane Virtual Learning (SVL) offices and meeting space
  • Maker spaces and event galleries
  • Flexible meeting space

Timing

This library is designed by Integrus Architecture of Spokane and constructed by Leone & Keeble of Spokane. Construction began in spring 2020 and is scheduled to be completed in summer 2021.

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Imagine the Library of the Future

In November 2018, Spokane voters approved a $77 million bond measure to remodel 4 existing libraries and build 3 new libraries. The projects include:

  • Downtown Library Remodel
  • Shadle Library Remodel
  • Indian Trail Remodel
  • South Hill Remodel
  • New Hillyard Library at Shaw Middle School
  • New Library in East Central at Liberty Park
  • New 21st Century Library adjacent to Libby Center on East Sprague
  • New 24/7 Library Kiosks

Bond Project Updates Flyer Close Project

Imagine the Library of the Future

When the Library Bond passed in 2018, voters indicated their number one priority was improved children’s areas. Spokane Public Library engaged Luci Creative, a Chicago-based children’s playscape design firm, to develop six whimsical children’s spaces for the Central Library (formerly Downtown), Shadle Park, Liberty Park, Hillyard, Indian Trail, and South Hill.

Each library play space will be an access point to a whimsical alternate reality that draws on familiar features of Spokane's landscape and culture. This unified world will encourage visitors to continue their journey at other library locations. Around the bend, under the bridge, between those trees – find your way into Spokane’s hidden worlds. Large-scale, natural elements will add a fantasy vibe while artsy textures and patterns give the space a handmade feel that kids can relate to. The native flora and fauna of Spokane will mingle with a friendly cast of characters and will be used throughout the play spaces in both environmental graphics and dimensional elements. All of the children’s spaces include integrated shelving for books (to augment traditional shelving) and seating for reading.

At a Glance: Central Library

  • Size: 2,380 square feet
  • Theme: River Rumpus.
    Dive into the river on a tour with Goat and discover an unexpected world of sunken secrets. Slide down the waterfall or traverse the submerged logs. Take a turn at the wheel of the boat wreck or climb into the gondola submarine for a spin. Little ones crawl into the belly of a fish to find play opportunities just for them.
  • Mascot: Goat

At a Glance: Shadle Park

  • Size: 1,500 square feet
  • Theme: Moose’s Market
    Grab your overalls and spend a day with Farmer Moose, planting and harvesting crops, and manning the veggie stand for hungry critters. Tired after a hard day of work? Take some time off in the burrows beneath the garden or climb to the carrot tops and slide back down in the tunnel. For the littlest ones, the flower garden is a safe spot to discover what might hide between the blooms.
  • Mascot: Moose

At a Glance: Liberty Park

  • Size: 1,150 square feet
  • Theme: Sasquatch Shack
    Pitch your tent and take a walk through the forest where the local Sasquatch families live peacefully. Climb up into the trees and slide down a branch, make yourself at home in a Sasquatch hut, or gather round the fire for a story. Whether you’re peeking through binoculars, or crawling into a giant log, this is sure to be a camping trip unlike any other.
  • Mascot: Sasquatch

At a Glance: Hillyard Library

  • Size: 1,020 square feet
  • Theme: Mt. Shaw
    Float on up to this mystical mountain among the clouds where mama mountain lion is raising her cubs. Take in the view from the peak, leave your mark in chalk on the cave wall, or tunnel in and curl up with a book. Little ones find their own cozy space among the cumulus, with sensory play and plenty of room to crawl.
  • Mascot: Mountain Lion & Osprey

At a Glance: Indian Trail

  • Size: 500 square feet
  • Theme: Basalt Burrow
    Paddle, swim, or hop on over to the shores of Mr. Marmot’s island, where he’s dug out a cave for you to explore. Climb the boulder or burrow under with a book and discover what’s inside the cave. Bring the little ones along – there’s plenty of space to crawl in the boat.
  • Mascot: Marmot

At a Glance: South Hill

  • Size: 650 square feet
  • Theme: Turkey Treetops
    Step into the treetops and take a stroll around the block in this avian community. Climb through and crawl under the coop or put on a show at the puppet theater. In the nest, little ones have space to explore their world safely.
  • Mascot: Turkey
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