We are thrilled to let our dedicated (and patient!) patrons know that PPL’s Burbank Branch will reopen on Tuesday, August 23, 2016.
Our Burbank Branch, which has been closed since last fall, has undergone a renovation to address ergonomic and accessibility issues and to make this small but high-use space more open and flexible. The project received a $300,000 CIP allocation from the City of Portland, and the Burbank community supported the project with gifts totaling nearly $100,000. This public/private funding partnership is always the key to the Library’s success, as the City supports our infrastructure needs while all the enhancements that make your library experience so special are made possible through private gifts. We could not have done this without the generous support of the neighbors and patrons who stepped up to support this renovation financially – thank you!
While we will officially open our doors on Aug. 23, we want to particularly invite everyone to our Burbank Branch Open House on Friday, Sept. 9 from 3-6pm. We hope you’ll join us that afternoon for some refreshments, a chance to reconnect with staff and other patrons, and plenty of fun in the new space! Keep an eye out for continuing event details on PPL’s Facebook page.
We want to particularly thank the PPL staff for their work behind the scenes: our Burbank team, who served as familiar faces for our patrons who visited the Main Library or Riverton; our team at the Main Library who not only helped welcome Burbank patrons but also helped ensure collection items got where they needed to go during the branch closure; and our maintenance crew, who did yeoman’s work on physically moving the collection as well as doing so many critical pieces to ensure the space was ready.
We want to give special recognition our fantastic team at our Riverton Branch, who – together with the Burbank staff – covered a schedule that nearly doubled the usual open hours at Riverton to accommodate a significant increase in patron demand. Now that Burbank is set to reopen, we will rebalance our Riverton hours.
The Burbank Branch holds a special place in the heart of the Deering Center neighborhood. We cannot wait to welcome you all back!
Getting ready for the Burbank Branch reopening! (Photo courtesy of Scott Simons Architects)
