Licking County Library Youth Services Renovation Puts Youth Needs Up Front

One of the most popular spaces in the library is completely reimagined

COLUMBUS, Ohio – DesignGroup, based in Columbus, Ohio, led the Licking County Library as they renovated the popular Youth Services area into a contemporary, flexible space that can host events and provide unparalleled youth accessibility.

“The DesignGroup team worked closely with us throughout the design process,” said Marisa Glaviano, Licking County Library’s youth services coordinator. “Since youth services is so popular, we wanted to make sure we created a space that showed our dedication to the needs of our youth.”

The 22,000 square foot project began with a planning and design process that started with a visioning workshop with library staff. Design charrettes then helped the staff divide their ideas for the renovated space into three categories: Hopes and Dreams, Space Visualization and Ideal Adjacencies.

With careful consideration to budget, DesignGroup developed concept options and refined those in consultation with library staff.

“We knew that bringing the project in on budget was important for the client,” explained Nikki Wildman, associate principal, project manager with DesignGroup. “We also knew that using our Mission plus Impact-driven design philosophy, we could create a dynamic space that met their dreams and the community’s needs.”

The finished project reflects the vision and priorities of Licking County Library for the Youth Services space. Cheerful colors, divided spaces for reading, a discovery center and a flexible story-time area that can host large events are among the many improvements.

“Their expertise in leading this visioning process helped us marry current library trends with our goals and the needs of the Newark, Ohio, youth using the facility,” Glaviano said.

The library has a goal of making all visitors — including first-time visitors — feel at home. Additional wayfinding signs throughout the area were added to improve visitor experience.

“The space has been very well received by children of all ages,” Glaviano said.

Additionally, the flexibility of the space was important for the library. A space that could adapt to changing needs of the community was a priority.

“We created a space that can accommodate both daily and long-term changes and needs so that the library and its patrons will love the space for years to come,” Wildman added.