Erik Yabor/Times-EnterpriseMagazines and newspapers will be featured in a new reading area.

CAIRO — Roddenbery Memorial Library will reopen April 11 with a brand new look following a $2.4 million renovation.

Pamela Grigg, library director, said when visitors return for the soft opening at 10 a.m. Thursday they will be treated to completely renovated spaces for children and teens, individual study rooms and meeting areas and new furniture.

“The children’s library looks totally different,” Grigg said. “It’s a total change in architecture and shelving. It’s really exciting. (There are) bright colors and a totally different look to it.”

Additionally, Grigg said more efficient LED lighting and new heating and air conditioning systems will make library visits more pleasant — and reduce utility costs.

Library operations temporarily closed April 1 as staff began moving books and work materials from temporary collections back to their permanent homes.

“It’s somewhat in disarray at the moment because we’re moving in, but most of the furniture is in and we have a couple of more pieces coming for the children’s room,” Grigg said. “But oh my gosh, all of the files. So many things had to be moved back in. It’s definitely a process, but we’re getting there.”

All library programs except tax assistance and watercolor classes are paused until Thursday’s reopening.

Grigg said the halt in library programming is only temporary.

“Starting next Thursday and going forward, we’ll have a heavy schedule of events planned,” she said.

The library’s auditorium will be open Sunday, April 7 at 3 p.m. for a free folk song concert by auto-harpist Adam Miller.

Grigg said the library shifted its collections several times in order to continue providing services during the 15-month renovation, which was completed in two phases. 

During the first phase, the children’s department was able to remain open, but in the second phase the entire collection was temporarily moved into a separate structure behind the main building which the library leased.

Grigg said during the renovation the library was only able to offer abbreviated selections of titles, but also had some programming including tax assistance, art classes and yoga sessions.

“It’s been a bit of moving around, but we were determined to continue providing as many services as we could,” Grigg said.

The library director said she could not provide an estimate as to how many books and DVDs were moved during the renovation.

“It was a lot,” Grigg said. “The entire children’s department (was moved), and then we had in one building a lot of the DVDs, we had adult fiction, a little bit of nonfiction.”

Grigg said a grand opening celebration will take place at an undetermined later date, likely sometime next month.

The library director said the event would likely feature a ribbon-cutting ceremony, special guests and food.