Changes in Coppell is not exactly new to Coppell residents. What some people do not know is that the William T. Cozby Library was one of the first to start the chain reaction.

In 2010, the library board members met and discussed renovations that needed to be made to the library. Due to budget, the project was put on hold. This October was the official start to construction and the library is not expected to open again until at least October 2016.

Through the year of construction, the library will be completely updated. New meeting rooms, technology and conventional study space will all be added to the new layout.

“In 2010, the library worked with a consultant with a survey of the layout, how it’s being used, the services we’re providing or currently not providing,” library director Vicki Chiavetta said. “So we started working with the consultant to see how we can expand on the space.”

The main goal of the project is to create more space to expand on a business center, including more meeting space for businesses and clients to meet in a professional atmosphere and create more study rooms for the students that frequent the library after school for a collaborative learning space.

“There were kids sitting on the floor because there weren’t enough chairs or seating areas for them,” said Chiavetta.

It is also not just upgrading the technology but adding to it as well. A green screen, along with a videotaping center will be open to anyone who wants to bring their creativity to life.

While the library is under construction, the temporary location at 500 Southwestern Blvd still has books and the staff the community has gotten used to over the years.  

“We don’t have the facilities we need,” librarian J.J White said. “We’re increasing the size of the children and teen area and activities. It’s going to be really cool.”

Those facilities such as the study rooms and and extra seating are not available but the Coppell Northlake campus lobby and the Irving Public Library have spaces for studying or work.

It is definitely more cozy, but the temporary location still has all the books to make it more familiar. However, the small space won’t keep readers and Coppell residents away.

“Although the space is tight, we still have wonderful library staff,” Coppell resident Maureen Corcoran said. “I look forward to the new library with more space to browse, read in a quiet corner and conduct meetings.”

Corcoran really appreciates the library and what the new layout can do for the community.

“Coppell is lacking meeting space and the library will provide the opportunity to do what libraries were created to do: open our minds to new ideas through digital, paper and person-to-person interaction,” Corcoran said.

Possible hiccups in the construction process isn’t the only concern Chiavetta and the staff have for the upcoming year.

“One of our main concerns was whether or not we are still going to have books when we come back,” Chiavetta said. “Our circulation has gone down since construction but I don’t see people will ever stop reading.”

The library had increased their collection of ebooks before closing, so with an increase in technology use, the number of hardcover books returning to the library is uncertain. However, Chiavetta is optimistic for the future of hardcover books when the library reopens.

“I don’t see books going away ever. We need them for our history, to support schools’ curriculum and we provide those tools for ongoing education. There’s a different experience reading a hardcover book”, Chiavetta said.

And with that, the upcoming year will be full of changes for the library: changes that will hopefully uncover a new chapter for the community of Coppell.