northside library opens as lexington's largest branch public library

At more than 27,000 square feet, the new Northside Branch of the Lexington Public Library opened its doors in July, becoming the largest branch library in the city and the first to exclusively offer patrons self checkout. The high-demand facility has more than doubled the number of public computers to more than 60 to serve the 48,000+ people who used their computers last year. Envisioned as a library of the future, the new facility also features tutorial rooms, quiet reading rooms, computer training rooms, an expanded children’s area, a teen area, an outdoor reading porch and a expresso coffee bar café. Omni Architects, in cooperation with Vitetta of Philadelphia and CMTA Engineers, designed the new library with geothermal heating and cooling and other “green” elements to lower the new branch’s cost of operations and support the Library’s sustainability mission.