MERIDIAN, Idaho — On Saturday, Meridian’s Cherry Lane library will close for renovations that could take the better part of two years to complete. This project is part of a plant facility levy passed by Meridian voters in 2019.
Meridian Library District Director Nick Groves and recently reelected district trustee Jeff Kohler have both witnessed Meridian’s largest library on Cherry Lane serve as a vital bookmark in the neighborhood’s story.
WATCH | Meridian Library District leaders detail improvements to come
“This was such an important space for my family when my kids were little, and they’re all moved on and grown up, but I can give back by being on the board,” said Kohler.
The library has been loved by the community since 1997; now it’s overdue for improvements. In its next chapter, the building will get completely gutted to upgrade its HVAC, plumbing, restrooms, and staff areas.
“This area here will actually be our program space,” said Groves.
The redesign is all about giving the community a library that fits their needs. The plan is to build a larger program room, provide more digital resources, and deliver improved spaces for different age groups.
“Of course, digital resources are not part of the physical library, but that is one of the focuses we’ve had is we’ve modernized our collection,” said Kohler.
“One of the cool things that we’ll be adding into the children’s space is a sensory space,” said Groves.
While Cherry Lane hits pause, its books will remain available through the library’s home delivery service.
“Last year we provided 13,000 items through home delivery, and we anticipate that [number] going up this year,” said Grove.
Some staff will also work at other locations and host programs in the community throughout the closure. The managing staff at Cherry Lane will use the time to catch up on large projects.
Library leaders say they’ll use the Bookmobile to provide quality after-school programs for local students while construction takes over. And once it's done, teens will have their own designated space.
“[When] we met with the architects originally, they did focus groups with members of the community, including teens and adults, and as a result, we’ll have a much larger teen space,” explained Kohler.
After the successful openings of branches in South, North, and Downtown Meridian, the Cherry Lane renovation is the final volume in the four-part series funded by the 2019 levy.
“We’ve seen overwhelming support from the community over the last many years,” said Kohler.
Once it’s reopened, readers can expect more parking, larger outdoor spaces for storytimes and events, a 24-hour holds room, and more.
Construction and renovations are expected to last over a year, depending on how construction goes, with reopening set for late 2026 or early 2027.
