Richland Library Main is unveiling the start of its $15 million renovation with finished first-floor projects like an art gallery, 150-seat auditorium and multiple meeting rooms. But even larger projects are under construction ‘til early 2018:

✔️ A total of 40 meeting spaces (including art + production studios)

✔️ “The Cafe” (to open later this fall under the direction of Rise Bakeshop’s Sarah Simmons + husband Aaron Hawkins) on the main floor, featuring food + bev including a selection of former Rise goods (please bring back the salted caramel blondie) + a restaurant incubator space

✔️ Garden Level entrance opening to the lower level parking lot

✔️ Green space for hosting events (potentially a farmers market) on the upper parking lot, to be finished by late 2017

✔️ New, separate spaces for children + teens on the Garden Level, featuring the Valdes mural of community doodles

Why the renovations? To further Richland Library’s image as a centerpiece of the downtown community. The entire library system is going through various stages of renovations, funded by a $59 million bond referendum that Richland County voters approved in 2013.

4 min read / Go Columbia