Mary Riley Styles Public Library Back Open, Ribbon Cutting Held

FALLS CHURCH, VA — On Friday, residents got to do something they haven't done in over a year and a half: enter Mary Riley Styles Public Library and check out materials.

"Who's missed going to the library the past 18 months?" Falls Church Mayor David Tarter asked a crowd outside the library at a ribbon cutting Friday.

To that question, the mayor got a resounding sound of agreement from the crowd.

Mary Riley Styles Public Library reopened this week at 120 N. Virginia Avenue after an 18-month project. A ribbon cutting was held Friday with library officials, City Council members and library patrons. Afterward, library staff welcomed patrons into the library to check out the new interior and check out materials.

"This place is really the center of civic life," said Tarter at the ribbon cutting. "People come here to gather. It's in the physical center of this city. It's such a great place to go and to meet people, to make friendships, to learn, to gather information and knowledge."

The library had been closed since February 2020 for its renovation and construction project. It was temporarily moved to trailers outside Oak Street Elementary, but the pandemic prompted the library to move to curbside service. Mary Riley Styles Public Library remained in curbside service until its temporary closure to transition back to the permanent location.

Tarter noted the project was supported by a bond referendum approved by voters in November 2016. The city contributed $10.3 million to cover the project cost.

The crowd attending the ribbon cutting was a testament to the library's importance to many Little City residents. Stephanie Oppenheimer, chair of the library board, said she and her family came to Falls Church in 2008, and one of the first things they did was go to the library. They went every week, and her young boys asked if they could move in one of the houses across from the library. Her oldest son eventually worked at the library as a teenager.

"I've always thought of a library as the heart of a school, and this library as the heart of this city," said Oppenheimer at the ribbon cutting.

The renovated library is 25,727 square feet, a 6,849-square-foot addition from the old building. The project consolidated the adult collection on the main floor, moved the teen and children sections to the lower level, expanded conference rooms, computer stations, enhanced the Falls Church History Room and made the building ADA compliant and LEED Silver certified.

The upper level hosts adult fiction, nonfiction and periodicals, an Adult Reading Room, a conference room and the Falls Church History Room. New items are featured along the front, and an elevator is located near the front entrance. The lower level has teen and children's sections, a teen room, two group study rooms, a conference room, computer stations and a kids reading area.

Library patrons can join the Meescan app to check out books instantly or use their library card at the self-checkout kiosks or full service counters on the upper and lower levels. Eleven public computers are available with privacy screens, and printing is provided through the Wi-Fi. Conference room reservations will be available in October.

Public restrooms were renovated to include four family bathrooms, no-touch fixtures and updated plumbing, while HVAC and lighting were also updated. The library has new security measures such as cameras, secure card access and an emergency exit.

The architects for the project were from the BKV Group, and the construction manager was Centennial Contractors Enterprises. Library director Jenny Carroll thanked them for "bringing our vision to a reality."

"As the center of the community, it was important to get this project right," said Carroll in a statement provided by BKV Group. "BKV Group worked with all of the stakeholders, including patrons and library staff, to transform a building that had not been substantially updated in almost 30 years. They delivered our vision of the new Mary Riley Styles Public Library that will serve the community for many years to come."

Carroll also thanked library patrons and staff who make the library feel like a community.

"The library I think was my first love when I was growing up in Arlington, Virginia," said Carroll at the ribbon cutting. "And I have the best job in the world. I work in the library. If you haven't been in yet, I can't wait for you to come in and see all of the new things."

Library hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Curbside pickup hours are 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Visitors are required to wear a mask inside the library.

For more information, visit the Mary Riley Styles Public Library website.