The St. Charles Public Library will be closing May 17 as we begin our move back to our permanent building at One S. Sixth Ave. I want to thank Community Unit School District 303 for allowing us to use Haines Middle School as our temporary home this past year. We couldn’t have completed this project within our time frame without their support.

Though our building will be closed for a short time, our online services are always available, and our neighboring SWAN libraries will welcome you for in-person visits. Our staff will be available during normal business hours by phone, email, text or chat to answer any questions you may have.

We are very excited to announce that our newly-renovated and expanded library will be ready for the community this summer. After many years of deliberate planning and responsible financial stewardship, the library’s renovation project came to fruition, resulting in a beautiful, accessible library for our community. Early in the process, feedback from stakeholders, patrons and focus groups was critical to the design of the building. We are thrilled to be opening our doors to the community to show the library’s new features and expanded space.

Our Grand Re-Opening Celebration is scheduled for Saturday, July 17 at 2 p.m. Due to social distancing requirements, we will record the ceremony and post to our YouTube channel for all to enjoy. The ceremony will include our Landmark Plaque Dedication, courtesy of the Historic Preservation Commission and the city of St. Charles; the dedication of our commissioned bronze relief sculpture generously donated by the St. Charles Public Library Foundation; and remarks from the Library Board of Trustees and our esteemed city officials.

In addition to the ceremony and opening day events, we have special plans to celebrate the entire week through Friday, July 23 with guided tours and a variety of programming and activities for all ages. For more detailed information about these events, make sure to visit us at scpld.org and follow us on our social media channels.

With sincere gratitude, we thank you for your patience during our renovation and expansion project. We know it has not been easy, but the result is something we can be proud of for generations to come.

Edith G. Craig is director of the St. Charles Public Library District. The “Discover Your Library” column runs the second Thursday of each month. Feedback can be sent to editorial@kcchronicle.com.