Preview of major renovation coming to Palm Springs library following $6.5 million grant

A major renovation project is in its early stages at the Palm Springs Public Library focused on ensuring the building, which was first constructed in 1975, is functional and safe for the community.  

The library was recently awarded a $6.5 million dollar grant by the California State Library and the city of Palm Springs is matching the grant, meaning there’s a $13 million budget for the project.

"There’s a lot to be done. It’s a huge project,” said Jeannie Kays, Library Director at the Palm Springs Public Library.

The project addresses critical infrastructure needs, which Kays said includes upgrades to “air conditioning, plumbing, restrooms" and ADA accessibility which she celebrated as "a really great thing."

News Channel 3 toured the library to see first hand what improvements are upcoming. The list includes the installation of an indoor sprinkler system, which the library currently does not have, along with seismic retrofitting. 

Sturdier windows will take the place of the current ones, and a modern electrical system that keeps up with today’s technology will also be installed.

Parts of the library’s exterior will also get a makeover. “If you walk outside you can see some of the concrete finishes have started to pop off," according to Jeannie Kays, Library Director at the Palm Springs Public Library.

While the grant covers a lot of areas, it doesn’t include some exterior projects, like a new parking lot. The money for that endeavor will have to come from elsewhere.

“We’re going to reach out with our friends of the library partners and our library foundation partners to try to do fundraising," said Kays.

The library will also need new outdoor landscaping, shelving, furniture, and computers not covered by the grant. 

Library staff will have to put everything in storage and find a new temporary location during construction, which must be completed by 2026.

Stay with News Channel 3 for continued coverage.