Elyria Library's South Branch opens in new, permanent location

ELYRIA — After six months of renovations to a building that used to be a Bauer Dairy, the Elyria Public Library System's South Branch opened to patrons Monday. The library branch that started at Hamilton Elementary School, and then moved to United Methodist Church's basement, now has its own home at 340 15th St. The South Branch features an area for teens and an area for children, with a Makerspace connected between the two. Our F.A.M.I.L.Y (Fathers and Mothers Involved in Local Youth), an organization that provides educational experiences to youth, was the lead donor in the project. It was recognized with a nameplate outside of the Makerspace. A wall in the teen center is orange — the color of Our F.A.M.I.L.Y. The Makerspace already has a year's worth of programming planned out for it, including an adult sewing program and a simple machines program geared toward STEM programming for youth. Lyn Crouse, director of the library system, said the Makerspace is as much about life skills as it is about STEM. She said they want to teach teens basic skills, like how to sew on a button or iron a shirt. The theme of the Makerspace is "Yes! You can!" Bobby Taylor, who works with Our F.A.M.I.L.Y, said the theme is really about telling youth they can be anything, from a scientist to a seamstress. Residents and patrons were able to walk around the new library, exploring the children's room, which features a remnant from the church basement the library operated out of for about a year. A mural designed by Save Our Children that was in the church basement is now displayed in the children's wing of the new library, albeit in a new form. The mural was digitized and put on a poster. There also is a section for adults, a gaming area in the teen section and several computers to work at as well as booths. Laptops are available to rent out. The South Branch is the first of several new libraries coming, part of the 0.9 -mill, 30-year levy passed by residents in the Elyria and Keystone school districts in November 2017 that will generate $950,000 per year to pay off the bonds the library system took out to finance the construction of the South Branch and the Central Branch being built at East Avenue and Broad Street downtown, as well as upgrades and improvements at its other locales. This new branch building is 8,500 square feet, but only occupies 5,500 square feet, leaving room for future expansion. The building was once Bauer Dairy, and the former owner, John Bauer, donated money to the Elyria Public Library System to document the history of the dairy and the journey of the South Branch someday. Later that evening, library board members remarked on how great the South Branch looked. Board member Sam Battle said a patron told him that the South Branch showed the library cares about the South side of Elyria. "This one's kind of my baby," Crouse said. "... This one could be life changing." Contact Laina Yost at 329-7121 or lyost@chroniclet.com.