The Livingston County Library Board of Trustees announces the opening of the Lillian DesMarias Youth Library.
A soft opening will be set for Monday, September 14, 2020, with doors opening at 9:00 a.m. The hours of the new youth library are currently set to match the hours of the main branch and are as follows: Monday-Thursday: 9- 7 p.m., Friday: 9-5 p.m., and Saturday: 9-4 p.m. A community celebration and grand opening date will be announced at a later time.
“This is a very exciting time for the Livingston County Library as we look forward to what the Lillian DesMarias Youth Library will offer to children birth through age 18,” said Library Director Candice Warren. “Our hope is that this library will become a destination for future generations to foster learning, growth, and connections to a lifelong love of literacy. While we are fortunate to be the generation to help this come into fruition, none of this would have been possible without former Library Director Lillian DesMarias. A huge amount of gratitude goes to Ms. DesMarias for her love of the library and her gift that allowed for the creation of this youth library.”
The remodeled 10,450-square-foot facility, completed by Case Contracting, LLC., was designed to encompass collections for youth birth through 18 years of age. The facility has expanded space for collections for picture book readers, middle readers, and teens. The building also includes a youth computer lab, two study rooms, a dedicated teen study space, an Ellison room, a nursing room, a storytime room, and two program rooms.
There are many whimsical features and cozy nooks for children and their caregivers to explore and was created to be a welcoming space for all youth. The initial funding for the Livingston County Library Charitable Trust that led to the creation of the youth branch was provided by a generous donation from the Lillian DesMarias Trust.
Ms. DesMarias was Livingston County Library Director from 1970 to 1980. She was instrumental in getting the original elevator and establishing a separate Children’s Library in the basement of the current library. Ms. DesMarias died in 2012 at the age of 99. She had a Master of Arts Degree in Library Science and worked in several libraries throughout her career. A huge thank you also goes to the Livingston County Library Charitable Trust.
