The Oxford Lane Library is looking to reopen its children's area soon. It's been closed since a small fire on Sept. 22.
"We don't have an opening date, but we are hopeful that it will be late next week," Carrie Mancuso, public relations manager for the Lane Libraries, tells WVXU. "That's just our hope at this point, without having those (final repairs) completely scheduled, that is a little bit out of our hands, but we're getting close, and we're very excited to get back to normal in the branch."
Final repairs have been pending an on-site visit from fire investigators. That visit took place Monday. Now, Mancuso says, the library can begin replacing damaged furniture and carpeting, cleaning the HVAC system, and returning cleaned materials to the space.
A faulty light fixture is to blame for a small fire Sept. 22 that damaged the area beneath it in the Children's Department. Some furniture and computers were damaged along with the carpeting. The library previously noted there wasn't much damage to books and materials. Those have been professionally cleaned and are ready to be returned to shelves.
"They've removed the faulty light fixture, which was definitely the issue. That has gone off-site to a lab for further investigation," says Mancuso, noting replacing the fixture will take a while longer.
"When we get up to speed and we open the branch, we won't be 100% in terms of the lighting, but we will be functional. We will be able to open up for kids to come in during the day, to put our programming back in its normal places, for people to browse the materials. Functionally, we'll be back on track very soon, and then we'll have to make sure that light fixture is replaced properly," she adds.
The library itself was only closed one day, though the Children's Department has remained sectioned off. The library brought its Bookmobile in several times to make items accessible to children, and moved some rolling shelves into the entryway.
Mancuso says the total cost from the fire isn't yet known. The library system is awaiting further information from its insurance company on those details.
The Oxford branch moved into its current space on Locust Street 10 years ago and had planned to celebrate its anniversary the week of the fire.
New branch in Fairfield Township
Meanwhile, construction on the Lane's newest branch is underway in Fairfield Township.
The 21,750-square foot, mass timber facility is being built on 7 acres near the intersection of Hamilton-Mason and Gilmore roads, next to StoryPoint.
Crews broke ground in July. The library expects to release more details next week.
"The footers are done. The ground structure work is coming to a close in November, and during the winter, they will start working on the wall structures, the roof and the internal and exterior structures," Mancuso explains. "So, construction is moving forward, and we will start to see it rise from the ground here in the next couple of months."
A set opening date hasn't been determined, but Mancuso estimates it will be sometime in mid-2026.
Architecture firm Community Design Alliance — which has worked with Lane Libraries on several projects — describes the design concept for the new branch as one in which patrons can experience "the building itself as a path rather than simply a circulation path within the building." Sustainability and outdoor program space are key priorities, the firm adds.
The estimated cost of construction is $12 million and the library bought the land in 2023 for about $685,000. Mancuso says a total price tag for the project isn't confirmed.
She describes the planned library as full service, with fewer computer terminals than other locations, but lots of spaces for people to plug in their own devices and connect to Wi-fi. There also will be a wide variety of gathering and meeting spaces, she says.
Other highlights include a children's department, teen zone, outdoor event space, and a set of "story stairs" that can be used for programs, meetings, showing movies, and more.
The Lane Public Library was built in Hamilton by Clark Lane in 1866 and opened two years later. The Great Miami River flood of 1913 damaged the library and many of its contents. The library reopened a year later, and was dedicated as the Lane Public Library. Branch locations in Fairfield and Oxford opened in the years following World War II.
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