Our Library’s Legacy
The story of the River Falls Public Library is the story of community commitment and values. Its history can be dated back to the 1890s with the support of several area women’s organizations including the still active Tuesday Club. Through their advocacy and the efforts of elected officials, the library was established in 1923 serving as a vital resource for learning, and exploration. When that original building was eventually declared both unsightly and unsafe thirty years later, a new structure combining the Library and City Hall was completed in 1958. By the 1990s the community, recognizing the pressing need for expansion, built a free-standing library building. In 1997, our current large and beautiful facility was opened; the lower level was constructed in 2003. The values and vision of the River Falls community have created the largest library (in circulation, size, and collections) in both St. Croix and Pierce Counties.
Our current building has worked very effectively for over twenty years; we expect that it will continue to serve us well into the future. However, our community has grown in size and diversity while digital influences have become profound. As a result, the purpose of libraries has changed – from a focus on the written word to one of facilitating community gathering spaces which utilize all of our new tools of learning.
The Need
- The current building presents significant challenges in meeting the ongoing and developing needs of our growing community. These challenges are as follows:
- Inefficient functioning of existing shelving, furniture, patron seating, and service desks.
- Inadequate meeting and study spaces
- Inflexible programming spaces
- Outmoded technology infrastructure
- Insufficient and ineffective staff work areas
- Antiquated allocation of bathroom spaces on main level
- Inadequate outdoor spaces for programs and events
- Planning for the Future
Community input has confirmed a need for an updated facility with more flexible, accessible, efficient, and sustainable spaces. Beginning in April 2022, the Library Board of Trustees engaged a Twin Cities firm, Bentz Thompson Rietow, Inc. (BTR), to prepare a Facility Assessment and Library Master Plan. Using a collaborative process, BTR included the Library Board, Foundation and staff, City leadership, and community stakeholders. The process included an analysis of the existing space and its collections, focused listening sessions with groups of parents, seniors, teens, and families, as well as a community brainstorming workshop to set the vision. This inclusive approach in creating a Master Plan was completed in April 2023.
Our Vision for a 21st Century Library
The revitalized River Falls Public Library will be welcoming, well-lit and well-designed. It will bring
together the best of current physical and digital resources to create an inviting, comfortable learning hub that supports technology, hands-on activities, small and large-group learning, and both collaborative and individual study and work spaces.
Features of the Revitalized River Falls Public Library
Our vision for the renovation includes:
- Optimized spaces for material collections with more comfortable spaces for patrons
- Relocated service desks, to maximize efficiency and sight lines
- Dedicated adolescent area with improved visibility, functionality, and comfort
- Enhanced children’s area with interactive learning spaces
- Additional meeting rooms and study spaces of diverse sizes
- Improved versatility of large programming rooms with flexible flooring and storage to support interactive and creative spaces
- Modernized technological infrastructure throughout the building, and expanded outdoor Wi-Fi connectivity
- Sufficient and efficient staff work areas with better connectivity and workflow
- Reconfigured existing bathrooms with an additional one to meet the needs of families, caregivers, and individuals
- Revitalized lower-level spaces and improved ADA accessibility to the outdoors
- Developed outdoor spaces for programs, events, quiet reading, and open-air Internet access for working, studying, or browsing while relaxing in natural settings
- Enhanced visibility from Main Street, including better signage for library/community events
Our Library’s Future
As previous River Falls residents enthusiastically supported and contributed to earlier library projects, we are asking our community to do the same for our collective future. The renewed River Falls Public Library will be an attractive, inviting, and engaging space where residents are eager to gather, learn, create, and find inspiration. It will continue to be the heart of our community, adapting to meet our changing needs, while honoring our rich history and shared love of learning.