Phasing into a new era

HUNTLEY – Eager residents have probably kept up to date with each new photo the Huntley Area Public Library (HAPL) posts on their Facebook page regarding the new additions to the library. As of March 15, the library has been closed in order to prepare the old building for phase two which will involve some renovations.

The new building that will be opening to the public on April 26, added an additional 17,000 square feet to the already existing 15,000 square feet.

HAPL’s head of marketing Doug Cataldo gave My Huntley News an inside look into what the new library building will have to offer Huntley residents come April 26.

As Cataldo walked around the large, and at the time of the tour, empty spaces of the new building, he commented how it would look very different upon bringing materials over from the old building.

“…the area is going to be eaten up by a lot of materials right out of the box. It’s like waking up on Christmas and knowing that your parents got you everything you asked for, but then they tell you you can’t use it for a year. That’s kind of where we’re at right now.”

Cataldo also pointed out the esthetically pleasing design of the light fixtures which will tie in with the renovations of the old building when that is completed in either December of this year or January 2022.

“The lights are actually LED’s. They’re eco-friendly first of all, but two, I think all of our lights which is probably one of the best features in the building, are tied into our fire alarms. So, we don’t have any extraneous lighting like that. If things start to blink, [the lights] are tied into that.”

Cataldo mentioned that the children’s section of the library would probably be the most utilized area in the new building until renovations are completed in the existing old building.

While the new building also features three quiet study rooms, Cataldo explained that they would temporarily be used as offices for some library staff for the time being.

The area outside of the children’s library will house the young adult collection come April, but upon completion of phase two, it will have the ability to be partitioned into three separate program rooms. Each room will have large screens mounted on the wall with various hookups available for those needing to use a laptop. The rooms will have WIFI capability as well as feature ventilated cabinets for equipment storage.

“Whether it was through surveys or our focus groups or through the awesome community groups and meetings that we had at the beginning of this process, we really had to narrow down some things to figure out what people wanted, what we wanted, and what people needed,” Cataldo stated in regards to deciding what updates to bring to the HAPL.

“We made changes to be very mindful of the things that we were going to put in here. Not overlap District 158. Not overlap the park district. We work together with those guys. So, it’s important to us to not mix and match and try to do the same thing they’re doing where we must get into a contest of outdoing each other.”

Although certain amenities won’t be available to the public when the library reopens, Cataldo was delighted in helping visualize what exactly would be coming to innovate the HAPL. He stated the renovated old building will house a computer lab as well as a production studio with top notch equipment including green screens, high-quality cameras, and editing software. A music studio with a full mixing board would also be available to use.

The old building will additionally feature a creative studio with 3D printers, sewing machines, and die cutters. Cataldo said the library was working on bringing in a laser cutter as well, though was unsure if that had been finalized. There will be a teen area for the first time at the HAPL where patrons will be able to borrow video games and even play them on the actual game systems which will be another new addition to the library.

However, Cataldo mentioned in order for individuals to be able to use any of the new equipment, they would have to take a class on how to use them and become certified first.

“I’ve dedicated a huge portion of my life to this. I’ve been here 15 years now…I have three kids that have an investment in their library as far as their learning…But their use of the library was important to me to make sure it had the things I had growing up and more because technology and things change over the years. But I made it a personal goal to want to see this place succeed. Without the support of the community, without the support of our team and the Friends Foundation, it wouldn’t have happened,” Cataldo said.

He went on to say that he was excited to see the public’s reaction to all of the new elements the library has been able to bring in.

“Our staff, they’re doing their best to hold in their excitement. It’s been a very, very trying year with everything that we’re having to deal with. The good thing is we remained open for that period of time where a lot of libraries closed. People are starting to come back more and more and our attendance is growing again. I would imagine in April; a lot of people are going to want to see this. I’m excited about everything…That whole level of excitement to me, is why I do my job. What I love about my job most.”

Cataldo said that the HAPL will still be taking COVID precautions upon their reopening, though they have managed to remain COVID free so far. The Ruth Road entrance will be temporarily blocked off for phase two of the library’s renovation, moving the new entrance to the east side of the building.

Many of the materials in the new building will only be housed there temporarily, but certain areas like the children’s library and the fiction and nonfiction section will mostly remain untouched upon full completion of the library’s project.

“When we changed our mission statement to, ‘Endless opportunities,’ three years ago, there was a reason. Libraries are for all ages, all economies. So, whether you need something, or you want to use something or yours broke and you need a substitute for a short period of time, we’re here,” Cataldo said.

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