FAYETTEVILLE -- The public library opened Tuesday without fanfare or a ribbon-cutting featuring oversized scissors, but with an additional 82,500 square feet.
A handful of people waited at the entrance when the doors opened at 9 a.m. The building has been closed since late September while crews moved furniture, books and other materials, and made finishing touches.
Executive Director David Johnson said administrators intentionally kept the opening low-key out of concern because of the covid-19 pandemic.
"I had some concerns about a big crowd this morning that may have put people at risk or made people uncomfortable. We didn't want to do that, so we quietly opened," he said. "I've seen lots of people enjoying the spaces with eyebrows raised and oohs and aahs. Those are the kinds of things where you think, 'All right man, we did it.'"
Library staff kept track of the number of people coming in the entrance at Mountain Street and School Avenue. The building was limited to 200 patrons, with an additional 100 staff members.
The capacity count at 11 a.m. was about 70.
Katrina Britton brought her five children, Isaac, 7; Josiah, 6; Adoniah, 5; Silas, 3; and Hosanna, 17 months. The young ones freely walked around, and were immediately impressed by the airplanes and helicopter hanging over the children's area.
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"I think it's really unique how huge it is, for one thing," Katrina Britton said. "The natural light through the windows is nice. It makes it a very welcoming and nice place to explore. The variety of books here is wonderful."
The expansion puts the library's total size about 170,500 square feet. Youth services have dedicated sections for preschool, grade school and teenagers. Patrons have more room to collaborate, work, study and learn, although many of those spaces were closed off Tuesday.
A 700-seat event center will serve as a midsized venue for a variety of functions. Genealogy research has its own dedicated section. A teaching kitchen and deli faces School Avenue and will be open for classes and service when safe, Johnson said.
An innovation center will allow residents to create their own music, videos and podcasts. Simulators will provide workforce training in aviation, trucking, construction and other fields.
Voters approved a property tax hike in 2016 to help pay for the expanded library's nearly $50 million construction and increased operations. A plan to expand the library began in 2013. A legal battle over the land to the south where the expansion reaches was settled in 2017. Construction began in July 2018.
Stacy Ryburn can be reached by email at [email protected] or on Twitter @stacyryburn