Central Library reopens Philbrick Hall, opens new Teen Center

Posted by on March 12, 2012

[posted from United Way’s What Matters newsletter]

Central Library reopens Philbrick Hall, opens new Teen Center

After nine months of restoration work, Philbrick Hall at the Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine Street in Philadelphia, has reopened.

Made possible by the Annenberg Foundation, the renovation of Philbrick Hall opened up 2,500 square feet of previously inaccessible space to the public, including the Hall’s third floor mezzanine. The renovation features new seating, shelving, and window treatments; refurbished, original terrazzo floors; a restored, intricate plaster ceiling; and energy-efficient new lighting, allowing the historic grandeur of the Beaux-Arts room to shine through.

At the same time, Philbrick Hall has been fully outfitted with several modern features, like plenty of new computers and video walls that display information about upcoming programs and other Library news.

In addition to the restoration of the space, 4,400 new items have been added to the already-extensive collections of contemporary fiction, non-fiction, and DVDs housed in Philbrick Hall, with more materials to be added in the coming weeks.

The Hall is also home to the Parkway Central Library’s first-ever Teen Center for young adult customers. The 1,000-square-foot space features special lounge seating, work spaces for completing homework and other projects, and a selection of both Macs and PCs.

http://libwww.freelibrary.org/blog/index.cfm?srch=3&postid=1473