Updates and News

November 11, 2019

Steel Cladding

Library staff have had some comments and questions about the cladding that was installed last week - yes, it is supposed to be rusty!

The steel cladding is almost complete on the planter boxes and front of the ramp and sloped walkway. A coating has been applied to accelerate the rusting process, which will stop at a certain point, after which the steel will darken to its final finish.

Do you have other questions about the Central Renovations Project or about library service in Kingston? Ask one of our staff or contact us online.

August 27, 2019

Finishing Touches at the Central Branch

The Central Branch has been open for 5 months now, and finishing work has been going on behind the scenes during that time. A couple of more visible projects have been completed recently, such as the installation of the stucco on the underside of the large bay window. Another project has started this week, with the installation of support brackets to secure steel cladding on the planters and ramp. This claddding will protect the gas meter and provide a more finished look to the outside of the building.

Work will be ongoing over the next couple of weeks, and some temporary closures of the sidewalk may be necessary to complete the project. All service disruptions will be announced on our main website.

May 31, 2019

Central Branch Project Wins Award

The City of Kingston has won a 2019 George Muirhead Heritage Award for its renovation of the Kingston Frontenac Public Library's Central Branch. The awards, previously known as the Heritage Week Awards, are presented annually by Downtown Kingston to honour the best historically sensitive renovations and new-builds in Kingston's downtown core.

"This award demonstrates the impact that the renovation at the library has had on the community," says Speros Kanellos, director of facilities management and construction services at the City of Kingston. "We're proud to have been a part of this work and to help rejuvenate an important part of the downtown's landscape and community fabric."

Designed by local architects, Lily Inglis and Wilfred Sorenson, the Central Branch was constructed between 1976 and 1978 and incorporates one of the oldest buildings in Kingston, the limestone Parish House built in 1822.

"Library staff and Library Board members are very proud of the newly renovated Central Branch," says Monica Stewart, chair of the Kingston Frontenac Public Library Board and the Central Branch Renovation Committee. "We are grateful to all involved for transforming the space into a modern and efficient library space that will serve the community for years to come, while also honouring the history of the building and the vision of the original architects. "

The award was formally presented at the Downtown Kingston's Spring General Meeting. Both Kanellos and Stewart were present to accept the award, along with representatives from the architectural designer and contracting team.

January 7, 2019

Central Branch to Re-open Saturday March 23rd

The Kingston Frontenac Public Library is welcoming all Kingstonians to rediscover their Central Branch on Saturday, March 23^rd. Following the completion of a large-scale renovation project, the Johnson Street branch will re-open with tours and recognition of some special donors.

“With a boost from these new renovations, we hope to make learning exciting for everyone visiting us downtown,” says Patricia Enright, Chief Librarian. “Final preparation of the building is still underway so there is still some work to complete before we can open our doors and obtain full occupancy. We thank our patrons for their continued support and patience.”

KFPL recently moved the Central Branch’s equipment and books back into the building – the equivalent of 30 houses worth of equipment and materials – in nine days. KFPL staff have been working tirelessly to help ensure the success of this renovation project.

To prepare for the re-opening of the Central Branch and ensure continued fiscal responsibility, the Wellington Street Branch, which was opened during the Central Branch renovations, has now closed, as has the St Remy Place administration office and collection storage warehouse. Downtown library patrons are encouraged to visit Artillery Park for a pop-up library, or otherwise visit one of our four other branches in the City of Kingston in the meantime.

Until the Central Branch is re-opened, certain services – such as interlibrary loans and reservations from the Central Branch collections – will be temporarily disrupted and it will take longer than usual to fulfill requests.

“We regret the delays associated with this project, which have largely been beyond our control,” adds Ms. Enright. “We are eager for residents to rediscover their Central branch once the work is complete.”

December 7, 2018

Renovations and Library Service Update

Passersby will have noticed the front of the building is looking a lot more finished this week as the sidewalks, planters and the ramp have all been completed and trees have been planted. The bay windows will be finished next week and railings will be added to the ramp.

The Library has started to move back into the building, with installation of new shelving progressing well and the collections starting to move on December 10th. While library staff move back into the Central Branch and unpack and setup, some services will be unavailable or take longer than usual:

Reservations placed on items that are in the Central Branch collection may take longer than usual to be filled until the beginning of January.
Local history and genealogy collections, currently housed at the Isabel Turner Branch, will be moved sometime during the week of the 10th, and will be unavailable until the Central Branch re-opens in mid-January. Staff will do their best to send items to other branches or to look up information in the affected collections. Please submit requests through the Contact Us link on the main page.
Interlibrary loan service will be suspended during the move-in period. Contact illo@kfpl.ca with any questions about the status of your requests.
There may be periods where the library website and some electronic resources are unavailable as we relocate servers and computing equipment.

Library staff are very exctied to get back to serving our community from the Central Branch and we really appreciate your patience as we move, get settled in and get things up and running again.

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