Sunday, July 11, 2010

Eastern Branch Library Grand Opening Images

Yesterday morning was the grand opening of the Eastern Avenue branch of the Davenport Public Library. It felt a lot like the West side's Fairmount Street branch grand opening from 4 and a half years ago, including huge crowds that greatly exceeded the local parking capacity. If there's one place I don't mind parking problems, its at a packed grand opening of a long-awaited public library.

Not only was the library's parking lot full, but all of the streets of Prairie Heights were full, and people were parking blocks away on the shoulder of Eastern. Its no wonder the library referendum passed back in 2003.

The entire library bears a lot of similarity to the Fairmount Street branch, with some updates, including the LEED certification, and relocated cafe/bookstore.

This is the fancy new automated book sorter. Its supposed to free up librarian time for more useful and human-requiring tasks.

I didn't take too many pictures of the exterior yesterday, but I'll get back out there soon and get an assortment of angles of the building.

Its great to have a branch back on the east side, and hopefully this new library will help the continuing build-out of Prairie Heights. Its a beautiful facility that the city should be proud of.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I thought the arch renderings of that building were pretty boring but the building ended up looking great.

Anonymous said...

Too bad Davenport doesn't know how to run a library. Lucky we can go to Bettendorf.

Anonymous said...

While your there at the Bettendorf Library.......why don't you MOVE there? I know, you just like to bitch!

QuadCityImages said...

I've never had any problems at any library, to be honest. I'm not sure what 6:03 thinks Davenport is even doing wrong...

Anonymous said...

Now that the two branches are open, the downtown library should be closed. The homeless can find another place to hang out.

Anonymous said...

The person posting at 9:25 on 7/13 obviously never goes to the downtown library! Those of us who live close and work downtown use the library on a regular basis. I'm there on a weekly basis as are a lot of my coworkers. As to the homeless, I will never understand why that bothers people so much! They sit at tables and read. Does their presence make you feel guilty somehow?

Anonymous said...

Some people want to trash the city as much as they can.

QuadCityImages said...

Exactly, 12:55. It must be a sad life to be so negative about everything.

Anonymous said...

There are some people that don't mind being in the same room with homeless that haven't showered, changed clothes, or brushed their teeth for weeks or months at a time, but some of us who were brought up with good home training don't care to get anyplace near them.

Anonymous said...

Conservative Demo here:
Nice to know 6:30PM not only feels he's better than the unwashed, but willingly admits to being better than the rest of us.

Anonymous said...

6:30 is spot on. Nobody wants to be around stench.

Additionally people should be concerned about setting in a chair after them and carrying home fleas, or using library materials after them after they have turned the pages with only god knows on their hands from not washing them. They touch doorknobs and keyboards with their germs. It's like a living cesspool of filth.

QuadCityImages said...

Its called the real world. You sound like someone that should stick to Bettendorf.

Anonymous said...

I don't know who sat in ANY public chair before me or handled ANY book in the library before me. It's not like they disinfect everything daily! If I were to start worrying about things like that, I'd be afraid to leave the house!

Anonymous said...

The new library looks really nice. I've seen the outside, I'll have to go in sometime.