Bibliothèque Maisonneuve officially inaugurated after major renovation work

Bibliothèque Maisonneuve was officially inaugurated on Friday

The library on Ontario east in Montreal has been renovated and enlarged with the addition of two glass wings adjoining the original Beaux-Arts-style building.

“This new-generation library offers spaces for meeting and teamwork, knowledge, reading, play, learning and creation,” the city said in a press release.

An open house will be held Saturday, June 10, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The library will officially open on June 13, according to its regular schedule.

“Located in a century-old building of great heritage and architectural value, the new Maisonneuve library integrates contemporary elements into the original structure, so that the monumental aspect and its beauty coexist with comfort and technology.”

The new library offers new spaces:

– 230 seats;

– five teamwork rooms and a silent lounge;

– social and meeting spaces: a community room, a café area;

– learning and creative spaces: a media lab with internet stations and an animation room for school groups;

– play areas for toddlers, young people and teenagers, including a video game room;

– a public square and outdoor social spaces;

– an indoor mini-garden;

– a rooftop garden.

Bibliothèque Maisonneuve library inauguration, June 9, 2023. (CREDIT: Matt Tornabene, CityNews Image)

(Courtesy: EVOQ Architecture)

The new Maisonneuve library boasts a refreshed and renewed collection of over 75,000 items, including a major collection for the teenage public.

On the rooftop, accessible to the public on a scheduled basis, a container garden will produce vegetables and herbs that will be donated to local organizations. Activities will be organized to promote urban agriculture and agricultural literacy.

The library is also universally accessible.

Major rehabilitation and expansion work

The rehabilitation and expansion of the Maisonneuve library, the refurbishment of sidewalks around the library and the refurbishment of Place Ernest-Gendreau require a total investment of $42.6 million. These costs are being funded by the Ville de Montréal as part of the Entente de développement culturel de Montréal signed with the Government of Quebec. The borough is investing $750,000 in the purchase of some 20,000 new documents to enhance and refresh the collection. It is also responsible for the $700,000 refurbishment of Place Ernest-Gendreau, located behind the Maisonneuve library. Once the new library opens, the borough’s financial contribution will be allocated to the operating budget.