Get a look at planned updates for Siouxland Libraries' Oak View Branch

Megan Raposa -

Simplified: A library on the northeast side of Sioux Falls is getting a glow up this summer – including a fenced-in outdoor patio space. Here's what you need to know about renovations at the Siouxland Libraries' Oak View Branch.

Why it matters

  • The Oak View Branch was initially built 20 years ago, and Director Alysia Boysen said the renovations and updates are all about modernizing the branch and improving the experience of folks who come to visit.
  • Changes include renovations to the front entrance, including sidewalk and driveway improvements. These renovations also create an opportunity for landscaping around a new neighborhood sculpture coordinated by the Oak View Neighborhood Association.
  • The changes will also mean the branch will close starting Monday, Aug. 18, and it'll likely be closed throughout the fall. The city anticipates Oak View will reopen in late December, which means regular visitors will have to find a different branch to go to for the next several months.
"We appreciate everyone’s patience during the temporary closure, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to a refreshed and revitalized library that will truly enrich the lives of our guests,” Boysen said in a news release.

Tell me more about the changes

Beyond the front entrance updates, improvements to the facility will include:

  • Updating restrooms,
  • Reorganizing staff areas to improve efficiency,
  • Enlarging the quiet room and adding four new study rooms,
  • Updating landscaping,
  • And creating a new fenced-in outdoor patio space.

The courtyard patio space is funded by a $140,000 donation from the Lansky family, and it'll be used to expand programming opportunities, including the Birth to 5-year-old programming.

What happens next?

Study rooms and meeting rooms will close to public access on Monday, Aug. 11 in anticipation of the renovations. Guests who have holds available at the Oak View Library after Aug. 17 will have those items transferred to the downtown branch.

Construction is expected to wrap up by the end of the year.