Opening New Doors

We hear you! Thanks to voters in Rochester Hills and the comprehensive feedback from patrons in our biannual community and Find Yourself Here surveys, RHPL is set to undergo exciting renovations to ensure your library remains a vibrant, welcoming, and future-ready space.

Projects are slated to begin in late summer with the installation of a new elevator, followed by a complete overhaul of the Youth Services department beginning in late fall. From there, we’ll work on other enhancements and modernization, both inside and outside of the building. You can find more details about these projects at rhpl.org/renovations.

All of our upcoming renovations are driven by what you value and how you want to use our space. In our latest survey, 70% of patrons requested updates to the library, and the Director, Board of Trustees, and staff consulted with architects about the areas you commented on most. While disruption and change are inevitable with any remodeling, we did our best to plan around how and when people use the building, with a strict dedication to staying open and offering full service to all patrons. Services and programming will continue throughout the renovations. Where we can’t promise frictionless access, we will focus on limiting disruptions and providing flexible accommodations. 

To keep you informed about upcoming projects, and

building and service adjustments, we’ve created a new page on our website and will provide reports in the Monthly Current, our digital newsletter, to make it as easy as possible to keep up with changes. For the latest details about ongoing and upcoming improvements, including updated timelines, and to request assistance or accommodation during the elevator replacement, visit rhpl.org/renovations. Sign up to have the Monthly Current delivered right to your inbox at rhpl.org/news. 

Elevator

To complete much-needed updates to the elevator, a new car and equipment need to be built within the existing shaft, which means the elevator will be unavailable from August to October. We recognize this is a huge disruption to the way many patrons use the library, so to get you as close as possible to your preferred experience, a librarian will be stationed at the circulation desk, computers will be relocated to the MPR, and increased staffing levels will help with collecting books and other materials that you may need. While the entire project is slated to take six to eight weeks, we will return the elevator to service as soon as we are able to do so safely.

Youth Room

Youth Services has some of the oldest and most well-loved furnishings and fixtures, with some items originating as second-hand donations or dating back to the old building on Pine Street. In order to fully update the Youth Department, the room must be closed to patrons and staff during the renovation period for safety and efficiency. We’ll offer a pint-sized experience of the Youth Room elsewhere, with collections in the lobby, and other designated spaces for play and programs. While it can be disappointing to our littlest patrons to not have the exact experience they expect, we’re sure something of what you love will still be here, and we cannot wait to show you the new, comfortable, enriching, and family-friendly space.

More to Come

Upcoming renovations include roof repairs, bathroom makeovers throughout the building, entryway remodels, including the porticos outside of the building, parking lot replacement, Multipurpose Room modernization, and updates to the lobby to provide new multi-use spaces for patrons. Find information about these future projects at rhpl.org/renovations.