The City of St. Petersburg has announced the official reopening of the President Barack Obama Main Library following renovations. Mayor Kenneth T. Welch will lead a Welcome Back Ribbon Cutting ceremony on September 27. The library will open to the public at 10 a.m. after the event.
According to the City of St. Petersburg press release, the modernized 4,400-square-foot facility features extended hours, conference rooms (including the Obama Room), and a new auditorium for events. It also includes the public art piece “Looking Out” by Benjamin Butler, a café operated by a local small business, a bookstore, a STEAM workshop space called Create to Innovate, separate children’s areas, a teen room with gaming systems, and a mezzanine with study rooms. An emergency generator has been added to maintain operations during power outages.
Library Director Beth Lindsay stated that the city is ready to welcome the community back to the updated facility. The announcement also notes that architect William B. Harvard designed the original 1963 building. A larger community celebration with family-friendly activities is scheduled for November.
