North Branch Library in Silverthorne Reopens Thursday, February 22!
02/22/24
Attention North Branch Library users!
The North Branch Library in Silverthorne, 651 Center Circle, will be re-opening its doors on Thursday, February 22nd, after an 18 month closure due to an extensive remodel and expansion project. Patrons will be able to visit for normal operating hours, Monday to Thursday 9am-6pm and Fridays and Saturdays 9am-5pm. All library services will resume along with additional offerings like study rooms and wireless printing. You can begin returning your items in the 24/7 drop box to the left of the front entrance.
A grand opening for the whole Summit County Community will be
held on Saturday, March 23rd to celebrate “The Next Chapter,” in the Summit County Library Story. To recognize the moment, Summit County Libraries and the Library Foundation invite the community to visit the North Branch from 10am-5pm on March 23rd, for an official ribbon cutting and to see the exciting changes and new library spaces.
“There will be special entertainment for kids and we will have live music . We want the community to see how their ideas for the library have translated into designated areas for teens and children, quiet study and meeting rooms, warm colors and comfortable seating with spectacular views."
Grand Opening Schedule of Events on Saturday, March 23, 2024:
- Library opens at 9:00 am
- Ribbon cutting and speeches at 10:00 am
- Light refreshments in new community rooms at 10:30 am
- Family story time at 1:00 pm
- Music by the fireplace, cardboard carnival, button making, and crafts from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm
It has been 23 years since the North Branch Library in Silverthorne moved to its own building from across the parking lot at the Silverthorne Town Hall. In that time, the needs of the community and library users have radically changed; “Like any well-used and loved community facility, the Main Library and the North Branch were showing signs of wear. The size of North Branch was too small for this rapidly growing end of the County”.
A Capital Campaign was part of a $4.5 million building project to remodel the Main Library and the North Branch. Summit County Government provided $2.7 million, the IA ballot Strong Futures in 2018 provided a further $900,000 and the Summit County Library Foundation fundraised close to another $1.0 million.
The Summit County library team worked with the talented architects at Vega Architecture and StudioTrope who brought the vision into reality and Himmelman Construction, who finished construction despite many challenges and setbacks.
Since 2019, Summit County Libraries have been dedicated to bringing their customer service in line with the standards of equivalently sized Colorado libraries. The remodel of the North Branch has renovated the circulation desk experience to include self-check machines to increate the ease with which patrons can check out their materials, as well as new RFID tags (Radio Frequency Identification) in all library materials to speed up the process.
The building expansion features a community living room with lounge and
fireplace, expanded children's area with family restroom, technology equipped study rooms, and access to two outdoor reading decks to enjoy the Blue River and mountain views. The additional tables overlooking the mountain peaks allow for remote work and study use. The new Teen Room at the library is another highlight of the renovation. “We have always welcomed children of all ages the Library after school and at weekends. We are excited to be able to offer teens their own space with great furniture, access to technology, and a place to connect with friends. We can, at last develop a wider range of teen programs and activities.”
The staff at the North Branch are excited to open the Library doors on February 22nd and welcome back our returning patrons, as well as those new to the library system. “The remodel of the library will be very helpful to our patrons, from the convenient electrical outlets to the bright seating areas and spaces designed for different ages and needs.”
Please call or email if you have questions about the
North Branch Library:
970-668-4280
sclnorthbranch@gmail.com
Monday - Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Friday - Saturday 9:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
We look forward to welcoming you to our new space!
