The Poplar Bluff Regional Library’s Board of Trustees voted in 2019 to purchase a building on Kanell Boulevard with the intent of opening a branch of the main library and to have it fully ready to go by fall 2020, but the year 2020 did not cooperate.
After closing down in November for remodeling work to be done, the Dr. Gus T. Ridgel Library Branch is back and open for business.
For library director Sue Crites Szostak, re-opening day was a day of celebration, albeit a quiet celebration. It is a library after all.
“We had one patron who was the very first patron who came in today, walk in, look around, and say, ‘well this is absolutely pretty,’” Szostak said.
Construction began in November and it was more of a remodel since the building has a slab floor and metal exterior. The walls inside are not load bearing, making it easy to reconfigure the layout to best utilize the space.
“We had an absolutely wonderful experience with our construction company, C.E. Norton,” Szostak said. “They did exactly what they said they would do and did it nicely and they were just so nice to be able to walk us through and tell us, ‘we don’t know if you’ll be really happy with this, so we want you to look at it and see.’
“They wanted to make sure we were pleased, and we were pleased, and they finished on time.”
As to what to expect when you visit, Szostak explained it like this: “It’s just like your branch bank. You aren’t able to do everything you can do at your main bank, but they make sure that you have the services available and that you have access to them at your branch bank, and that’s what we’re doing here as well.”
The Dr. Gus T. Ridgel branch offers books, DVD’s, audiobooks and other items on site that can be checked out, plus printing services, three study rooms, a programming room, multiple computer stations and a locker system where you can order items that will be waiting for you in a secure bank of lockers located in the annex entry. Items can be ordered from the main library downtown as well as Missouri Evergreen, a consortium of Missouri libraries that share resources for the public.
“Which means that people have access to 2.5 million items,” Szostak said.
Szostak was also quick to praise the library staff.
“We got things moved in and books over here and were able to accomplish so much in such a short period of time. The staff did an incredible job,” she said.
The branch’s hours are 1- 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.