Re-imagining The Lab

Renovation of The Lab (the computer room by the magazines and Secondhand Prose) begins Friday, November 15, 2024. This space will be transformed into a gathering space for groups seeking to collaborate.

The computer stations and tables will be removed. New furniture, designed to be comfortable but also easy to move, will be installed, and the doorway, walls and flooring will be redone. Once the renovation is completed, patrons will be able to adjust where chairs, tables and dividers are located to self-create spaces amenable to their own group size and purpose. There will also be a whiteboard wall and plenty of power outlets.

This room was formerly restricted to patrons 18 years of age and older, and computers were unfiltered. The library is required to provide unfiltered computer access under state law; this access will now be offered in the Web Express area, near the Information Desk. Unfiltered computers will be clearly marked and compliance with age restrictions will be monitored by staff. All computer use must comply with the CPL Computing Resources Policy.

The former Lab layout was designed for a different time, when Canton had different needs. We hope the renovation will launch us into what’s next.