My grandmother was a librarian. My uncle was a librarian. My mom starts conversations with, “What are you reading?” My daughter’s first signature was on her library card, and years later when she was a new driver, Eva Perry Library was one of very few places she went to and from alone. To say that my family is excited about the completed renovation of Eva Perry Library is an understatement.
Since it opened in 1996, Eva Perry Library has become one of Wake County’s busiest libraries, but in recent years the 22,900-square-foot building was showing its age. Last year, the Wake County Board of Commissioners approved approximately $1.4 million from a 2007 bond to update the library’s interior, and between December 2019 and July 2020 the library was closed for those renovations. In July, as the last construction punch list items were being completed, library staff began unpacking and shelving books.
Re-opening During the Pandemic
In mid-August, Eva Perry Library re-opened in accordance with state guidelines pertaining to COVID-19. At first, the library was only able to offer Books on the Go, a county-wide program started in response to COVID-19 through which patrons can reserve up to 30 titles and schedule appointments for contact-free pickup.
Express Library Service at Eva Perry Library began on November 2. A limited number of people can now come in without an appointment for a 30-minute visit to return books, browse the collection, pick up reserved materials, select children’s On the Go kits, and check out items. Everyone entering the building will undergo a temperature check and health questionnaire and be expected to wear a face covering and respect social distancing—welcome safety measures in order to enjoy our local library once again.
With Express Library Service running smoothly, Regional Library Manager Carrie Lee treated me to a tour. We talked about the changes that were made—both in regard to the renovation and to the pandemic—and I can tell you that Eva Perry Library is looking better than ever!
Earth Tones and Bright Light
When I arrived, I had with me some books to return. The outdoor book return is closed as a health precaution, but in the building’s entryway was a large bin into which I placed my books. Returned books are quarantined before being handled, checked in, and re-shelved. On a nearby table, Books on the Go bags sat labeled and waiting for pickup. A security attendant walked me through the quick automated temperature check.
Inside, the library was spacious, full of natural light, and wonderfully busy. The design theme—intentional on the part of the architect—brings the outdoors in through fresh white paint, sage green accent walls, and new gray carpeting. The bookshelves are considerably lower than what you might remember and lined up at an angle to the windows, and the brightening effect is immediate. New LED lighting complements the sunlight as you look across the library and easily see the trees outside.
Tables displaying books are interspersed here and there and Lee said, “We’re trying to emulate a bookstore to facilitate ease of people coming in and browsing and being able to find books they want to check out pretty quickly.” Unlike a bookstore, however, seating is temporarily unavailable due to gathering restrictions. I got a peek at a large collection of new comfy-looking chairs and ottomans stacked in the conference room and in the Ruth W. Holleman Quiet Reading Room, both of which are temporarily closed and being used for storage. When permitted, there will be lots of lounge seating, study tables, and individual laptop stands.
Adult Services Area
“By far,” Lee said, “the question I’ve heard the most is, ‘Where are the books on hold?’” The reserved books and self-checkout stations that were near the entrance have been moved to a section of wall to the right of the Customer Service desk. “That’s one of the big changes,” Lee said. “We now have the greeter station at the front as people are walking in, so we can help direct people to what they’re looking for.”
She added, “We have a nice laptop bar along the windows, and stools that go along with that are temporarily in the Quiet Reading Room. It’ll be a workspace for people who come in with their laptops and there are places where you can plug in. We don’t have a high public PC usage, but we do have a lot of people who come in to access WIFI. Before COVID, we had a lot of people who liked to use [the library] as a space to work on their laptops or study, so we were trying to build in more spaces for that.”
There will be computers and printers for public use, along with self-service payment kiosks, and Lee explained, “We’re in the process of implementing new technology that will allow patrons to pay for printing with a credit card or by cash. In the past, patrons had to pay for printing at the service desks and cash or check were the only forms of payment we could accept. We’re still getting it up and running, but it’s coming in the future.”
As you head toward the Youth Services area, you’ll notice new drinking fountains (one of which is specially designed for refilling water bottles) and a family restroom in addition to the other restrooms. Lee said, “We didn’t have that previously and we have a large number of families with young children, so it’ll be nice to meet their needs with that.”
Youth Services Area
Remember the giant tree in the children’s book section? It’s still there! The picture book shelving was replaced with bench seating around the tree trunk and will eventually feature some inviting cushions. At the moment, Lee explained, “We’re using the fixture to store our Storytime on the Go bags. They’re all themed, Storytime always has a theme, and inside there are a few picture books that fit the theme, an activity sheet, [and other things]. Just come in, and if you see one you like, you can check it out.”
Lee also pointed out the painted mural that spans the wall of the Youth Services section. “It’s funny,” she said, “even though it’s been here forever, people walk in and say, ‘Oh, is that new?’ I think it looks much brighter now. With the paint colors we used to have, it was a little bit darker. With new paint up against it, the colors pop a little more; it just seems a little more vibrant.”
In the children’s program room, huge new globe lights hang from the ceiling and fresh green carpeting resembles the forest floor. The stage was permanently removed to open the space and give the room more versatility—an update being made to any area library undergoing renovations. For now, the room is a holding area for the bins containing returned books in quarantine and a collection of darling wooden chairs and tables which Lee hopes to put in place sometime soon for the library’s young visitors.
See You at the Library!
Patrons, employees, and families returning to Eva Perry Library have had positive comments across the board. “For staff,” Lee shared, “it feels a lot brighter, lighter and more open. And we have much better sight lines with the lower shelves. We’ve gotten a lot of nice feedback from people who are just happy to be back in the library, who’ve missed coming in and being able to browse and check out their books. That’s been very gratifying to hear from people. They’re happy to see the changes from the renovation because when we closed last December, things looked very different and this is the first opportunity people have had to come inside and see what it looks like.”
It has not been easy for our libraries to make adjustments during this past year. No one knows when larger numbers of people will be permitted indoors for longer periods of time, when seating and study areas will be allowed again, and when in-person events will resume. For now, we must be patient.
Virtual programs put in place by Wake County Public Libraries at the onset of the pandemic will continue to be offered for the foreseeable future. These include Storytime Anytime; requests for Book Club Kits, Book Bundles for young children, and custom Book Bags for adults; online book discussions, webinars, and consultations with librarians; and much more.
Support Eva Perry Library by visiting during Express Library Service hours. And if you cannot, the Books on the Go program will remain available by appointment. Lee said, “We recognize that not everybody is able to come into the library, so we want to keep [Books on the Go] for the vulnerable, at-risk populations. If people want to use Books on the Go, they can just give us a ring when they get a hold notification that they have a book or books [ready for pickup]. We’re happy to set up an appointment and can usually set something up for as early as the next day. We [also] have lots of ways people can use the library without physically coming in.”
Visit www.wakegov.com/libraries. It’s the resource that will lead you to all of the information you need about Eva Perry Library’s hours of operation, programs and services for adults and children, online events, frequently asked questions, and more.
