ROANOKE COUNTY, VA (September 29, 2011) – Situated at the corner of West Main Street and Daugherty Road, the Glenvar Branch Library has been an important landmark in the Glenvar community for more than 30 years. Now most of the collection is in storage and a temporary library has opened at the former King’s Florist building at 2630 West Main Street. Construction of a modern library will begin on the same site as the old library this fall, replacing the modest, 5,100-square-foot facility that has served Glenvar’s citizens since 1979. At a special ceremony on September 29, the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors and the Roanoke County Public Library Board of Trustees recognized the Glenvar Branch Library’s service to the community and then marked a new beginning for the planned library.
Construction of the new Glenvar Branch Library will begin this fall, after the current structure is razed and site preparation is complete. Holzheimer, Bolek & Meehan | Architects (“HB+M”) of Cleveland, OH, was selected through competitive bid to design the structure. HB+M is the architect for Roanoke County’s South County Library, which will open early winter. They have designed or redesigned more than 200 libraries in the United States. James Shook, project architect, met with the Glenvar community during three public meetings in early 2011 to discern what citizens wanted in their new library. The final plan incorporates these amenities, which include:
• Drive-through book drop-off/pick-up window
• 77-seat dividable meeting room
• Vending area with seating
• Portion of building (meeting room, computer lab) can be locked and used after hours
• Quiet reading/local history room
• 2 self-checkout stations
• 27 public computers
• Individual study rooms
• Lots of glass and natural light; great mountain views
• Separate teen’s and children’s areas
• Covered drop-off near entrance
• 70 parking spaces, with accessible parking spaces next to building
“The Glenvar community loves its library and has waited for this day for a long time,” says Roanoke County Board of Supervisors Chairman Joseph B. “Butch” Church, adding, “The only thing better than starting this process will be opening the doors to the new library.” Roanoke County Public Library Director Diana Rosapepe agreed, saying, “We knew at the first public meeting that we were dealing with citizens who really care about their library. It’s going to be exciting to watch this building grow up out of the ground over the coming months.”
Construction of the new 15,150-square-foot library will begin this fall and is expected to last 12 to 15 months. The temporary library is in the former King’s Florist building at 2630 West Main Street in Salem.
The Roanoke County Public Library is the community's primary resource for lifelong learning and the place people turn to for the discovery of ideas, the joy of reading, and the power of information. There are six libraries in Roanoke County: Headquarters/419, Bent Mountain, Glenvar, Hollins, Mount Pleasant, and Vinton. The operation of the Roanoke County public library system is made possible in part through the support of Friends of the Library, a non-profit public charity as designated by the Internal Revenue Service. Contributions to Friends are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law and according to your personal situation. For more information, call (540) 772-7507 or visit http://www.yourlibrary.us.