Chinn Park Regional Library to close for more than a month for renovations

WOODBRIDGE — One of the busiest libraries in Prince William County is set to close for renovations once more.

Chinn Park Regional Library will close its doors from April 23 to June 3 for upgrades to computer workstation areas, children reading areas, and for the creation of a new meeting and conference room.

New carpet will also be laid throughout the entire library, according to Joslyn Bowling Dixon, assistant director of the Prince William County Public Library System.

She sent us more on the specifics of the work being done:

•        Redesigning computer workstations located behind the Information Service desk so they are more accessible, in closer proximity to the Children’s area for parents and caregivers and more accessible to staff assistance when needed;

•        Reconfiguration of the existing Children’s area that will allow additional seating for both adults and children and more floor space, creating an inviting space for families, parents and caregivers.

•        Reconfiguration of the storytime area by eliminating the room divider that blocks the area and makes storytime crowded and disruptive.  Parents and caregivers will no longer have to stand and park strollers and additional gear out in the main area of the library.

•        Creating a new meeting room with a conference table and chairs that will accommodate 4-6 people.  This will be accomplished by reducing the size of the existing Management and Government Information Center (MAGIC) department by eliminating the service desk, weeding collections now available online and housing less frequently used materials elsewhere.

The improvements will cost $160,000 and are funded with proffer funds from the Prince William County Board of Supervisors.

These latest renovations to Chinn come after the library was closed for three weeks in May 2015. Then, $100,000 was spent to improve the library’s circulation desk and to reorganize the library’s materials, which placed popular categories of books like fiction and mystery novels toward the front of the building.

The nearly 60,000 square-foot public library opened in 1991.