East Library Will Relocate for Summer; Plans Public Meeting

Milwaukee Public Library’s East Library will be relocated during the construction phase of the new East Branch at 1910 East North Avenue. The library will move to a temporary site located at 2430 North Murray Avenue this summer.

East Branch is part of a multi-use development featuring 99 apartments, a 16,000 square-foot library and retail space on the first floor and underground and surface parking. The new branch will have dedicated surface parking. The development project, headed by HSI Properties LLC, is targeted for completion in late 2014.

The temporary library site will include the basic services valued by patrons: onsite parking, ADA accessibility, laptop computers, a collection of popular materials for check-out, hold pick-ups and an external book drop. There will be limited service interruptions during the move. Dates for closure of the current library site and opening of the temporary site will be announced later this spring.

Community input will be sought on design concepts for the new library at a public meeting on Wednesday, April 10, 2013 at 6:00 pm at East Library. The architectural firm Hammel Green & Abrahamson Inc. (HGA) was selected by the Board of Trustees to design the new library space.

“Since the beginning, we have committed to making this an open and informed process by gathering public input,” said Library Board Trustee and Alderman of the third district, Nik Kovac. “We want residents to feel a sense of ownership and pride that translates to greater use of their new library.”

Updates on the East Library project can be found on the library’s websitewww.mpl.org. Updates will also be available on the MPL Facebook page and twitter feed @MilPubLib.