Palm Springs celebrates start of library remodeling project

The city will celebrate the beginning of the remodeling of a World War II-era library Tuesday.

City officials will mark the start of construction at the Welwood Murray Memorial Library at 9 a.m., and Peabody’s Cafe will provide refreshments. Once the building reopens later this year, it will provide library services and serve as the home of the Palm Springs Historical Society research library and archives. Visitors also will be able to get tourism information and free Wi-Fi, according to city spokeswoman Amy Blaisdell.

The library was built in 1940, shortly after Palm Springs was incorporated, and is the oldest civic building in the city still intact. It was designed by John Porter Clark, the city’s first resident architect, according to the Palm Springs Preservation Foundation.

The City Council voted unanimously two years ago to fund the library’s renovation, according to the foundation.