– Photo courtesy of HMMPL
The Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library is officially set for its grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for its Whitestown branch today, April 20 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Doors are expected to open at 2:30 p.m. after the initial ceremony at 2 p.m. at 6310 Albert S. White Dr. in Whitestown. The grand opening will consist of guided tours that will highlight key areas of the building, and participants will be able to receive a variety of library swag in each area they visit. The tours will end at the book sale area where participants may enjoy free snacks and drinks while learning about how to get involved with the Friends of the Library.
MarkerStudio will also be available with technology demonstrations that help participants explore the possibilities with new equipment, such as the laser-cutter, 3D printer and more.
Author Angie Karcher will also be present to share her stories in the Youth area, and local author and illustrator Rob Harrell will be engaging the community in drawing in the Teen Room. Local author Laura Martin will also be located in the Teen Room and will help visitors make their own bookmarks.
Previous Report From March 12 Regarding Delay:
The Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library has delayed its ribbon-cutting and grand opening in the Whitestown area that was originally set for Saturday, March 16.
According to the library, the ribbon-cutting and grand opening will be delayed until later in April, and a new date will be selected soon. Whitestown councilmember Cheryl Hancock shared the reasoning behind the postponed date, stating that unforeseen circumstances led the library to make the difficult decision to delay its doors opening.
“During our final inspection, one set back was caused by a sprinkler leak in the children’s area,” Hancock wrote. “The construction contractors immediately called in a remediation company that provided a clean report so the repairs could be made.”
Community members are encouraged to follow the progress of the library and look out for an announcement of the opening date on the Hussey-Mayfield Public Library page on Facebook. According to Hancock, the opening date will remain in the near future as everything has steadily come together.
“We have finally gotten our certificate of occupancy (Monday) morning and are working hard to get the library ready,” Hancock wrote. “We want it to be done correctly and not rushed.”
The branch will open at 6310 E. Albert S. White Dr. in Whitestown and will engage community members with guided building tours, technology demonstrations, fun activities and a Teddy Bear Symphony Concert presented by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.
Executive Director Kristin Shelley commented that the opening of the Whitestown branch has been a project that has required years of planning and considerations to construct and bring to life for the community.
“This is a momentous occassion for our community, and we are thrilled to open the doors at the Whitestown branch,” Shelley said. “Public librariers positively impact residents for generations, and I look forward to seeing the residents of Whitestown and Zionsville discover the uniqueness of this new, second location.”
The library team has announced that the desks, cabinets, furniture and shelves that will hold all of the library materials have been placed around the library building. The library has purchased over 50,000 titles that will be placed in the branch’s collection of new books, videos, audiobooks, magazines and more.
According to the library team, three special collections will be available at the branch, including electronic read-along books, educational nature books and pea Pod Packs of board books. The three collections were funded with the help of the Friends of the Library and the Community Foundation of Boone County.
Community members who attend the grand opening set for late April will have the first chance to access the materials, and community memebrs will be permitted to check out materials as soon as the doors open.
For more information regarding the grand opening or the new Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library, visit the expansion page where construction updates are posted and frequently asked questions are answered. Photos of the construction progress are also available through the library’s New Year Gallery.