A master plan has renovations in three phases for the Thomas County Public Library.

THOMASVILLE — Changes are coming to the Thomas County Public Library’s main branch. 

Thomas County commissioners approved $100,000 from capital outlay funds to the library, giving it the 10% local match needed to go with a $900,000 state capital outlay grant for a renovation.

“I think it’s going to open this place up and revitalize it, in a way,” said library director Holly Phillips. “It’s going to be really exciting.”

An architect has been selected, and bids could go out in the next five to eight months. 

“I would expect in calendar year 2023 to begin work,” Phillips said. 

Even as work commences and progresses, the library will remain open.

“The architects have helped many libraries in the past,” Phillips said, “and they have helped us to come up with the proper steps to make that as easy as possible. We’re going to work through it as best we can.”

The library put together a master plan, broken out in three phases. In that first phase, the library plans to remake the public space. 

Among that is moving the shelves lined with the library’s volumes of books to the back. It will open up the space by the large windows. 

The teen, reference and computer lab areas then will move toward the front of the building. The teens area, along with three new study spaces, will move closer to the maker space. 

Teens use the maker space more often, but Phillips pointed out anyone can use the equipment. 

The area in the middle of the main floor will be more of the computer and reference area.

There are three existing study spaces, which will not be affected by the plans, and those are in constant use, Phillips said.

“As the library’s needs shift, people need some semi-private space so they can do Zooms and more collaborative projects,” she said. 

The maker space room will be expanded and made to be more of a multi-purpose room. It also will be glassed in so people can see what activities go on there.

The first phase also is designed to improve the sight lines for library staff. 

In the second phase, there will be more glass to the front of the children’s area, further improving the sight line for staff to that area. 

The Heritage Room will remain untouched.

The Flipper Room will be renovated, with new paint, carpet and furniture and possibly a technology upgrade.

New staff bathrooms are also part of the eventual changes. The work will bring them to ADA compliance as well.

“They are in dire need of repair,” Phillips said. 

Estimates for the work came in at $1.5 million, and Phillips said the library is looking at other grant funding, possible private support and value engineering to bring the $1.075 million in hand and the estimates closer together. For instance, wished for new furniture may not be a part of the master plan. 

“Any work we do now, we’re not going to rip it out in five years,” Phillips said. “We’re only doing what we can with the money that’s going toward a plan that makes sense 10 years down the road. 

“We want to make sure we’re spending the money wisely.”

But some improvements are needed. Among them, and on the way, are four new HVAC units. 

“That’s in progress. They’ve been ordered,” Phillips said. 

However, there is a 20-week wait time on the equipment, she added. 

Also in the works is a conversion to LED lights, which may help save money on the light bill, Phillips said. 

The main library received a major renovation in 2012.

“We’re not having to do a total redo here,” Phillips said.

The grant was applied for in 2020, under then director Trent Reynolds, and the library got it “quickly,” Phillips said. 

“Sometimes you’re on the list for years and years and years,” she said. 

Some of the work will be cosmetic — new carpet, new colors and new furnishings, when possible.

“The biggest thing to me is creating a space that allows for more collaboration and flexibility, which is what our patrons need more these days,” Phillips said. 

Phillips said the county commissioners have been supportive of the library’s plans.

“The county has been on board since day one,” Phillips said.