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Palm Harbor Library Planning Interim Makeover

Mark Schantz/SUNCOAST NEWS

Gene Coppola, Palm Harbor Library director, looks over plans for library remodeling that will take most of 2008 to complete.

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By Mark  Schantz | The Suncoast News

Published: October 6, 2007

PALM HARBOR, Fla. - PALM HARBOR, Fla. - It's going to get really cozy around the Palm Harbor Library next year.

Throughout 2008, the Library will undergo a remodeling that will cost around $1.3 million, said Library Director Gene Coppola.

Another $6 million in Penny for Pinellas sales tax revenue the county has set aside for library expansion will not be ready until sometime after 2010.

Next year, however, the 26,000-square-foot library will be totally remodeled to make better use of the existing space.

Since the library will remain open as improvements are initiated things likely will get a bit crowded, he said.

"It's going to get cozy around here," the director quipped.

To help pay for the renovations, the library, which gets its main operating funding from a municipal services taxing unit in the unincorporated Palm Harbor area, has received a $500,000 state library construction matching grant to pay a portion of the remodeling cost.

The other funding sources for the makeover project are:

• The Pinellas County Library Cooperative, $200,000.

• Palm Harbor Library Foundation, $100,000.

• The library's capital reserve fund, $200,000.

• A federal grant, $247,000 federal grant.

During remodeling programs, groups and classes will be relocated to other facilities, mainly the Palm Harbor Activity Center. The library, however, still is looking for additional meeting space for many of its programs, the director said.

The library would be grateful to anyone coming forward with space it can utilize for programs, Coppola said.

During remodeling, newly designed lighting and carpet squares will be installed. Colors of the remodeled library will be blue and green.

The Teen Room will double in size, a Friends of the Palm Harbor Library book shop area will be added along with additional study rooms. The children's area will have its own restroom. Two self-checkout stations will be added and outside security cameras installed.

About 30 new parking spaces will be added at the retention pond area.

When the new round of Penny for Pinellas one-cent sales tax becomes available after 2010, a second floor will be added to the library to relocate administrative staff. More of the ground floor of the library will become available for public use.

The children's area will be expanded to include a small theater area.

The library will increase in size to 39,000 square feet and have its entrance moved to Nebraska Avenue.

The expanded library will also be certified as environmentally friendly, making it eligible for future grants, Coppola said.

Once the remodeling is completed, the library will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its opening, Coppola said.

According to the library's Web site, it opened its doors to the public on April 1, 1978. Initially, the library operated out of a house on

Omaha Avenue. The current library building opened July 5, 1988.

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