The Evergreen Library reopens its doors April 1, with a grand reopening April 13. The remodeled space — full of light, bright colors and thoughtfully designed spaces for gathering, learning and relaxing — reflects both the community’s wishes and the evolving nature of libraries.
“The expectation is no longer that a library is a quiet place; libraries are now incredibly vibrant spaces,” said branch manager Kat LeFevre. “Our goal is to connect you with the information you need, and with your community. We want this to be the community’s third space after home and work. You don’t have to buy anything. You can just come here and be.”
The focus for libraries everywhere has shifted from paper products to multiple ways of accessing information, LeFevre said, and the remodeled space in Evergreen is designed to offer access to all those avenues.
“Books used to be the main way to transmit information,” she said. “But we are way beyond that. We’ve shifted to information to keep up with the times.”
The $5.2 million project to remodel the 1993 structure began in August 2023. Library patrons have since used a temporary, 1,500-square-foot space on Evergreen Parkway. While the renovated 17,000-square-foot library isn’t bigger, contractors removed walls and redesigned the interior to create new spaces and double the size of its community meeting room.
The new spaces include a teen area, children’s story time space, family area, study rooms, a tech area and a remodeled quiet room — the only space in which quiet is expected.
New furniture is scattered throughout the space, most including outlets and USB ports. Bondi pods, seating with upholstered walls, offer users a semi-private environment for individual or group spaces. Three redesigned meeting rooms feature walls that double as giant dry-erase boards. Furniture in the teen and children’s areas is designed to be versatile, with pieces that can be easily moved and used as chairs or footrests.
To further engage teens and kids, the library district added an art wall in each area. Students can apply to display their work there.
A tech area includes copiers, printers and several other pieces of equipment. It is the only area in which fees apply; users can print black-and-white pages for 10 cents a page, and color for 25 cents a page.
The dramatically expanded meeting room, which can be reserved at no cost, can be open to the rest of the library or closed off with glass partitions. Additionally, the room can be further divided into two individual spaces.
All-gender restrooms feature remote sensors that allow touchless opening and closing of doors.
Outside, there’s been one notable addition: Three electric vehicle charging stations were installed with funding from Xcel Energy and the Colorado Department of Energy.
While Evergreen is not Jefferson County’s busiest library, it serves one of the most engaged communities, LeFevre said.
“This is an amazing community,” she said. “They’re very supportive of their library.”
The grand reopening is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 13. The day’s events include a special bingo card activity, music from the library’s ukulele group, guided tours, refreshments and souvenirs.