Exclusive: Take a peek at the “new” Chinn library in Woodbridge

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There are some big changes at the Chinn Park Regional Library in Woodbridge.

The library was closed for three weeks – from May 17 to June 7 – in order to complete some renovations and improvements in the building.

According to Sandra Oliver, the library’s branch manager, the improvements were made using about $100,000 of proffer funds from developers.

The money was approved for use by the county board of supervisors. Oliver stated that the board supported the changes because it would provide more open meeting space for residents.

Updates to make the space more open, efficient

One of the major pieces of the project was the new circulation desk.

“The intent was to make the circulation desk more efficient for staff, as well as patrons. The other thing we wanted to do was to make it a little bit brighter and make the air flow better, because the [old] bulkhead would come down over the desk. The whole desk was redesigned,” said Oliver.

Alongside the circulation area, the wall space was opened up for a more efficient shelving unit where patrons could pick up items on hold.

“One of the most popular services we had is the fact that people can put materials on hold, and then they could come and collect their holds. By reconfiguring [the space] we opened up [a] huge area,” Oliver commented.

The old holding area of the library was opened up and new furniture will be coming in the next week that will allow patrons to have private space for working or reading.

“When people come to the library now, they don’t want to sit at a reading table with three people they don’t know. If they’re not sitting there reading books, maybe they have their own devices…and they want some privacy,” Oliver said.

Reorganization of library materials

In addition to the renovated spaces and new fixtures, a big piece of the Chinn library improvements were the reorganization of the reading materials.

“By being closed for three week [we] had a golden opportunity to change the way our collections are placed in the library,” Oliver said.

The fiction and mystery books were moved towards to the front of the library because of their popularity.

They also moved around the children’s section, placing the shelves in a vertical pattern so parent’s can more easily view their children. It also gave library staff an opportunity to make the area more open and spacious for the programs and families they serve.