A couple dozen people lined up outside Galesburg’s new public library on Wednesday morning.
When the doors opened to the 68,000 square foot library at 9 a.m., there were a lot of emotions.
“It was excitement. There were smiles. I think there were probably people that really wanted to be first in line,” said Anne Giffey, cataloging supervisor for the library. “I’m excited to see everyone’s smiling happy faces, both on the staff and the community.”
Many members of the community were exploring the new space on Wednesday morning, from the children’s and teen areas to a second-floor balcony overlooking Hope Cemetery.
Linda Leahy of Galesburg said the balcony and the reading room are her two favorites spots in the new library. She also said the library is already bringing the community together.
“It’s nice seeing all the people out here today, and all ages,” Leahy said.
Meanwhile, Trey Ulm was browsing downstairs and picked two DVDs to check out.
He said he used the old library on Simmons Street, too, but was excited to get a look at the new one.
“I wanted to see what it’s like here. It’s a lot bigger than the other library,” Ulm said.
The new library takes up an entire city block on West Main Street. It was funded by a $15 million dollar grant from the Illinois State Library and $4 million that was raised locally.
Hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.
For more information about getting a library card, attending a program, or using a meeting space, visit www.galesburglibrary.org.
Here's a look at the space:
