BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — The future is bright for the Bridgeport Public Library’s East Side Branch, as an ongoing renovation will enable the space to realize its untapped potential.
The interior and exterior of the old Salvation Army building turned library at 1174 East Main St. will look much different when the space reopens, hopefully around the end of next summer. The facility is expected to feature a new community room, a podcast room and an elevator to bring patrons to its revamped second floor.
City Librarian Elaine Braithwaite and her team are excited for what’s in store at the property that the city’s library board purchased in 2016. The East Side Branch is one of Bridgeport’s six libraries and could become the most modern when all is said and done.
“On the first floor, there will be a community room, which is very important because there are so many community groups and nonprofit groups that want to meet. This will be a place for the community to gather and to meet, so the room will be expanded for them,” Braithwaite said.
The second floor will be geared toward children and teens.
“There will be a large area for teens, an area for children, and there will be study rooms,” Braithwaite said. “The podcasting room will be very good because it’s going to be dedicated to the youth… We wanted to make it a space for the youth to feel comfortable.”
From producing podcasts and videos to making art or music, the podcast room will serve multiple roles. Braithwaite emphasized the significance of providing the library’s young patrons with a space where they can be themselves, learn new skills and ultimately thrive.
“It’s important to have another safe space for them where they can go after school or on the weekends, and it’s also important for them to have a place with state-of-the-art podcasting, where they’ll be able to do recordings and express themselves,” she said. “We want our youth to have positive places to go where they can stay out of trouble, actualize themselves as individuals and know that they have a great future ahead of them.”
Luis Rodriguez, the branch manager of the East Side Branch, has worked in all the city’s library buildings during his 25-year career in Bridgeport. Rodriguez says he loves his job because he can help patrons on a daily basis.
According to Rodriguez, a major benefit of the renovation is that it will allow families who live close to the library to access whatever resources they seek without having to drive across the city.
“The library is for them; it’s right there in their neighborhood,” Rodriguez said. “I’m excited for the building, but I think the patrons are even more excited because now the children and teens will have their own section, and they’ll be able to feel at home in their space.”
Braithwaite agrees; she’s been working at libraries since she was a college student and earned her master’s in library science. The benefits of a newly imagined space are plentiful, but she pointed out that the addition of ADA accessible features will be the East Side Branch’s greatest strength when it reopens.
The ADA enhancements are led by the addition of an elevator, but there are other improvements on the way too.
“Our mission is to be accessible to all residents of Bridgeport. Definitely, in terms of ADA, we want to make sure that everyone is able to get into the library. Our bathrooms are going to be ADA accessible as well… We are welcoming to everyone, and we want to keep it that way. We encourage everyone’s right to read, explore and grow in Bridgeport,” Braithwaite said.
According to Braithwaite, the funding for the project is derived from two sources. The library is using tax dollars to finance part of the renovation, as money was set aside for construction. A state bond brought about by state Sen. Marilyn Moore (D-Bridgeport) nearly a decade ago will also be pivotal.
Moore will not seek reelection next week after 10 years in the Senate, but her work and advocacy will have an extensive impact on East Side Branch patrons for years to come.
“That state bond was really the fuel to help us move forward with this project. We’re very grateful for that,” Braithwaite said.
For residents who have never visited a Bridgeport library, Braithwaite welcomes them with open arms. For patrons who are regulars at one of the city’s branches, she thanks them for utilizing the many resources, which she stressed are free.
For more information about the Bridgeport Public Library system, one can click here.
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Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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