Connell Library Remodel

After a months-long interior remodel, Mid-Columbia Libraries’ Connell Branch opened to the public on Thursday, Feb. 10 with a new look, expanded collection, and new hours. A ribbon cutting and grand reopening celebration is scheduled for Saturday, March 19 at 10:30 am.

In addition to new carpet, paint, shelving, and light fixtures, the remodeled library showcases a 3D custom-sculpted juvenile saber-tooth cat, icebergs, and fish in the children’s area. There are colorful images of popular authors and inspirational quotes on the walls. A historic photo mural featuring the Connell community and surrounding farming area is complemented by a map of the Ice Age floods in the Pacific Northwest; a restored, 1940s-era Columbia Basin Irrigation Project map; and an 1894 map showing the distribution of the tribes of the Upper Columbia Region in Washington, Oregon and Idaho with an accompanying Native lands acknowledgement.

Other improvements include an ADA-compliant entryway and computing station, eight public computers, USB charging stations inside and outside the branch, additional books and materials, and new picnic table seating behind the branch, as well as a new, branded exterior library sign on the front of the building. Click here for frequently asked questions about the remodel.