Library approved to proceed for more renovations

Birmingham's Baldwin Public Library was approved by the city commission at its meeting on Monday, June 25, to issue a request for proposal (RFP) to finalize designs and prepare for the expansion and renovation of its Youth Services section. Library director Doug Koschik informed commissioners that library staff and the library board “very closely followed the RFP for the Adult Services phase which we did in December 2015.” He said they hope to have engineering drawings completed by the holidays, “so we can begin construction by July 2019.” All construction costs will be paid for out of library funds. The Youth Services renovation will be phase two of a planned three-part renovation of the library, which did a complete renovation of their Adult Services and references areas in 2016 and 2017. Phase three is anticipated to be for the Circulation Department, and will include redoing the front entrance, and possibly the addition of a small cafe. Commissioners voted 6-0 to approve the issuance of the RFP, with Mark Nickita absent.