An investment in the future
Renovated space at Marshalltown Public Library celebrated with ribbon cutting
Rosenblum, center, spoke before the ribbon cutting as she explained the new meeting rooms and how they will serve the Marshalltown community.
Marshalltown Mayor Mike Ladehoff delivered brief remarks on the importance of the library in the community during the ceremony.
A view of the renovated space, which includes six new meeting rooms.
T-R PHOTOS BY ROBERT MAHARRY Participants celebrate after Marshalltown Public Library Director Sarah Rosenblum, holding scissors, cut the ribbon on the completion of the interior renovation project on Sunday afternoon.
Rosenblum, center, spoke before the ribbon cutting as she explained the new meeting rooms and how they will serve the Marshalltown community.
Marshalltown Mayor Mike Ladehoff delivered brief remarks on the importance of the library in the community during the ceremony.
A view of the renovated space, which includes six new meeting rooms.
T-R PHOTOS BY ROBERT MAHARRY Participants celebrate after Marshalltown Public Library Director Sarah Rosenblum, holding scissors, cut the ribbon on the completion of the interior renovation project on Sunday afternoon.
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The Marshalltown Public Library (MPL) has often been referred to as one of the community's most treasured assets, and on Sunday afternoon, library staff, trustees, Friends of the Library board members and the Chamber ambassadors welcomed visitors to a ribbon cutting celebrating a renovation on the northwest side of the building creating a total of six new gathering spaces.
Outgoing Director Sarah Rosenblum, who is retiring after 15 years with the MPL and over 40 years total as a librarian, delivered remarks that began on an especially positive note as she was happy to report that her missing cat had been found and returned home safely.
She then shifted her focus to the renovation, which was funded with support from private individuals and foundations along with the Friends of the Library.
"Today is a wonderful opportunity to recognize what can happen when a community comes together to support a place that belongs to everybody," she said.
From there, Rosenblum ran through a list of thank yous to the MPL Board of Trustees, her staff, city staff (especially the facilities management team and Public Works Director Heather Thomas) and the Friends, along with some of the major private donors -- the DW Legacy Foundation founded by the Norris family, Raymon Company, the Matt Perkins family, the Bob Brucklacher estate and the Nan Ryden estate. She also credited Hannah Schultz with FEH Architecture and the team at Garling Construction for their work on the project as well as those who made in-kind donations.
Rosenblum clarified that the new spaces were all created within the library's current parameters, so no square footage has been added to the 18-year-old building.
"This renovation demonstrates how we can modernize our existing building, improve comfort and functionality and create welcoming spaces where people can learn, meet, collaborate and connect all without expanding the building," she said. "These improvements represent a smart investment in our library and in the future of Marshalltown. This will help serve our community in new ways for years to come. This is more than a building improvement. It's an investment in the people who use and depend on the library."
She then addressed her own impending retirement and said living and working in Marshalltown has been a true privilege as it is the longest she's ever stayed in one place.
"I'm so proud of what we've done here. I couldn't have done it without Katie (Fink), Joa (LaVille) and my team," Rosenblum said. "We have a saying in library land that we build something and then we retire, and I guess I'm doing that."
After the ribbon had been cut, Mayor Mike Ladehoff also spoke briefly about what the library means to the community.
"This makes us remember that no matter how time goes on -- I remember when this library was first built -- it was state-of-the-art. It was great, and it has been great. But you have to roll with the changes, and these kinds of things bring it back up to state-of-the-art so that the whole community can enjoy it," he said. "And I do know the whole community enjoys this library so much. It's one of the crown jewels of Marshalltown, and we should never forget that."
Attendees were invited to enjoy cookies and lemonade while touring the new rooms, which include a lounge dedicated to the late Matt Perkins by his family and a room with dedicated podcasting equipment. Rosenblum and her replacement, interim director Katie Fink, explained that the new meeting spaces can fit more people and have new technology.
"It also takes a burden off the big room, as we call the community room, because sometimes we have groups in there that were too big for these rooms, but they didn't need to be in that," Rosenblum said. "So we can have bigger things in there... We have a lot more spaces."
The new spaces have also resulted in new groups booking the rooms for meetings since they opened in August, and Fink said overall bookings have already surpassed 600. Marshalltown Community College (MCC) students who live at home have frequented the spaces to study as well.
Fink, who is serving as the interim director until the Board of Trustees hires a permanent director next year, said the next major project will be putting up some new playground equipment on the west side of the property in memory of their coworker Teresa Hannam, who passed away in 2021 to be known as "Miss Teresa's Storytime Garden."
Contact Robert Maharry at (641) 753-6611 ext. 255 or rmaharry@timesrepublican.com.