New Branch of Chicago Public Library Opens In Edgewater
CHICAGO (CBS) -- In the Edgewater neighborhood a library is getting a grand opening, reports WBBM's Brandis Friendman.
New Branch of Chicago Public Library Opens In Edgewater
Just in time for summer, residents in the Edgewater neighborhood have a sparkling new library to use.
For the last two years, as the current branch was being built, neighbors have had to go elsewhere, like Rogers Park and even Evanston.
"I always feel badly that I'm leaving my neighborhood, for someone else's neighborhood, i want it to be in my kid's backyard," said Nils Peterson, father of two. "So to have someplace my kids can walk to or scooter to, have this be a resource they feel is part of their neighborhood and their home, it means a lot to me.
The $13.7 million dollar library branch boasts $500,000 in new books, 50 new computers and 16,300 square feet, 5,300 square feet bigger than the last..
Now, Melanie Myatt from the Northtown neighborhood plans to bring her four children here.
"For the summer reading program they offer different events at different libraries, so I would definitely want to come to some of the events here that our branch isn't offering," she said.
For the grand opening, hundreds of parents brought their families. The line to check-out books wrapped around the librarian's desk.
"We're hoping our kids didn't find any books to check out today, because I don't want to stand in that line today," joked Melanie's husband, Bill Myatt.
The City's library commissioner Brian Bannon says this branch opening might be the busiest they've ever seen.
"It tells us a lot about Chicago, people in Chicago love their libraries," he told Newsradio.
