The first listening session is at 6 p.m. Sept. 4 at the First United Methodist Church. The second is at 10 a.m. Sept. 13 at Broadway Baptist Church.<\/p>\n
If you go<\/p>\n
What: Fort Worth Central Library\u2019s public engagement sessions allow residents to weigh in on the future branch<\/p>\n
When: 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 4; 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, Sept. 1<\/p>\n
Where: Sept. 4 at First United Methodist Church, 800 W. 5th St.; Sept. 13 at Broadway Baptist Church, 305 W. Broadway Ave., Fort Worth<\/p>\n
More information: Participate in the city\u2019s online survey about the library here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThrough our community listening sessions, we\u2019re hoping to connect with residents and learn what types of experiences they\u2019d like to have in a new downtown library,\u201d said Theresa Davis, communications manager for Fort Worth Public Library, in an email. \u201cEach of our branches reflect the unique neighborhoods they serve, and this location will be no different.\u201d<\/p>\n Davis said the city is looking to hear what types of programs residents would be interested in attending, what services they\u2019d like to see and how to utilize the building\u2019s spaces.<\/p>\n The city also is hosting smaller, community partner listening sessions with organizations invested in downtown and the library system.<\/p>\n The six-story building needs a previously estimated $6.5 million in renovations, which have yet to start. The project\u2019s timeline remained blurry until August, when the city launched<\/a> community engagement efforts, asking for residents\u2019 opinions in an online survey<\/a> and at the listening sessions. Davis said over 400 residents have participated in the survey.<\/p>\n The new location\u2019s renovation will be completed in phases as funding for each is secured. Phase one includes the main entry, basement and first floor. On the second floor, the city will need funding for a technology package to make the floor\u2019s theater and stage functional for events. Additional phases will be planned accordingly, the city\u2019s website explains.<\/p>\n \u201cThe project timeline remains flexible at this stage,\u201d said Nikita Watts, a Fort Worth property management official, in August. \u201cGiven the complexity and significance of the scope, the library department is being intentional about conducting thorough community outreach.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The library\u2019s future home opened in the 1920s as headquarters for the Fort Worth Elks Lodge fraternity, with assembly meeting rooms on its first and second floors, and hotel rooms on the third through fifth. The Center for Transforming Lives, then known as the Young Women\u2019s Christian Association of Fort Worth and Tarrant County, purchased the building in 1955 and was headquartered there until May.<\/p>\n \u201cRecognizing that some residents have nostalgic feelings about previous locations, we hope that those who choose to attend these sessions are prepared to provide constructive input on what we should keep and what we can improve,\u201d Davis said.<\/p>\n Drew Shaw is a government accountability reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at drew.shaw@fortworthreport.org<\/a> or @shawlings601<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative<\/a> for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.<\/p>\n Republish This Story<\/p>\n
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