Attention Downtown bookworms: You only have until Saturday to visit Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's popular Downtown branch on Smithfield Street before the location closes for the remainder of the year to begin a major expansion and renovation project. But if you love checking out books in person, don’t fret. A 300 square-foot Pop-Up library is planned to open on Mon., March 9 directly across the street from the closed-down branch for people to pick up and drop off materials.
The Pop Up will be located at 623 Smithfield Street beside Steel City Clothing and will be open weekdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to a press release. In addition to dropping off and picking up rentals, patrons will also be allowed to peruse a small collection of best-selling titles and use one of three computers for printing needs.
The Downtown branch will officially close at 5 p.m. on Sat., March 7. The two-story $6 million expansion plans include increasing the library’s square footage by 68%, updating the building’s HVAC, lighting, and electrical systems, and providing spaces dedicated to areas for children and teens.
“Downtown is a thriving neighborhood with an eye on the future, and we're excited to build a library to meet the current and future needs of this unique community,” said Holly Anderton, Library Services Manager for CLP – Downtown in the press release.
“We want to improve the visitor experience by creating a vibrant destination space that welcomes a customer base that has always reflected the diversity of our region, and one which includes families, seniors, students, commuters and visitors. The new Downtown library aims to have something for everyone.”
Pop-Up library to fill needs of Downtown bookworms during renovation
