Newark City Council on Monday gave its final stamp of approval to plans for a new Newark Free Library, green-lighting a project that has excited many library supporters since details were released this spring.
“It’s a wonderful project,” Mayor Jerry Clifton said. “This will be a beautiful gateway into Newark.”
The long-awaited project will replace the existing library with a larger, more modern building that reflects the new reality of libraries as a community gathering space that goes far beyond just storing books.
The library will be rebuilt at the existing site on Library Avenue, but designers decided to essentially reverse the current layout of the site, placing the new building at the corner of Main Street and Library Avenue, with the parking lot positioned closer to Delaware Avenue.
Architect Charles Wray said this will help the library tie in better to Main Street.
The new, two-story building will be approximately 40,000 square feet, a significant increase over the existing 27,000-square-foot space.
A large, landscaped outdoor plaza near the parking lot will provide space for events such as a book fair or a marketplace. The beloved Charles Parks statue, “The Student,” will have a prominent spot near the plaza. A smaller plaza on the Main Street side will offer an inviting entranceway for pedestrians and cyclists coming from Main Street.
The first floor of the building will include all the general circulation books as well as a variety of study rooms, a 12-seat conference room, a 70-seat meeting room, the demonstration kitchen and workspace for staff.
The focal point of the downstairs will be a performance space, which will hold approximately 162 people in tiered seating for concerts, lectures and other events. Near the performance space will be individual rooms that can be used for practicing instruments, recording podcasts and other similar tasks.
On the second floor, there will be a large children’s area, as well as a dedicated space for teens. Also on the second floor will be the places for hands-on activity, including a gaming room and craft room.
Another standout feature on the second floor will be the outdoor terrace, which will offer seating for 50 people to work, read and study while enjoying fresh air and sunshine. The space will also be available for programs.
Running the entire length of the property along Library Avenue will be a pedestrian and cyclist path that is separated from vehicular traffic. There will also be a pedestrian path leading to the library from George Read Village.
Motorists will be able to enter the site from Main Street, and a driveway will run behind the building to the parking lot. The driveway will also include a drive-up book drop, allowing patrons to return books without having to get out of their car.
There will be a second entrance from Library Avenue. All exiting traffic will be directed to Library Avenue, with no exit onto Main Street.
The parking lot will accommodate 100 cars, just a modest increase from the current 88-space lot.
Clifton expressed disappointment that removing the current exit onto Main Street will make it less convenient for library patrons to head downtown to patronize businesses.
Wray acknowledged that but explained that making Main Street an entrance only was the only way to include the drive-up book drop.
“That’s inherently a compromise we had to accept,” he said.
Demolition of the existing library is set for May 2025, and the new building is expected to open in November 2026. During the closure, county library officials plan to expand services at the Kirkwood, Bear and Hockessin libraries and are still considering opening a temporary location in Newark.
The $44 million project is being funded by the state and county, along with a donation campaign spearheaded by Friends of the Newark Free Library. No city funds will be expended, though the city did agree to waive $250,000 in permit fees.
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