Burnhaven Library to get major update

In the 15 years since the Burnhaven Library was last remodeled, things have changed a bit: The world has moved online, databases have replaced old magazines and "energy efficiency" has become a catchphrase.

This fall, the library will play catch-up.

"We thought it was the bee's knees in 1995 when we opened up here," said Nancy Wisser, who heads the library. "And now we can see how inadequate in many ways it is."

The Dakota County Library branch, located at 1101 W. County Road 42 in Burnsville, will undergo a $2.3 million renovation that will modernize the building and bring in a co-tenant -- a county license center.

Constructed in 1974, the brick building looks tired despite its last update. Wisser said the Burnhaven Library gets about 22,000 visitors per month, and in the summer that number can jump to 32,000.

"With that kind of traffic, a lot of things need replacement," she said. The carpet is worn, a back room is crammed full of odds and ends, and the building is far from inviting.

The remodeling will add about 2,000 square feet to the 26,000-square-foot building.

The front entrance will be brightened up, the teen book section will be expanded and the children's section will get more space as well as new colors and themes. The checkout and information desks will be merged into one central desk.

One of the more popular changes should be the addition of a computer lab, which will bring in 12 more computers.

"It's an incredibly popular service that the public library offers," said librarian Maggie Hein. "At times there is a 30- to 60-minute wait."

Daryl Campbell of Burnsville uses the library computers at least two to three times per week for his job search. On a recent Monday, he walked in about 20 minutes after the library opened only to find all 19 Internet stations taken.

"Sometimes there is a line, especially when the kids get off school," he said.

In addition to reorganizing the current space, the project will make room for the Burnsville license center -- continuing a trend in Dakota County of pairing the two services under one roof.

The center plans to move from the space it rents near Interstate 35E and Hwy. 13. The move is projected to save the county about $55,000 a year in rent, offsetting the cost of the new license center in about six years.

The license-center portion of the project still needs state approval: The Department of Public Safety rejected the license-center plan because, by law, new license sites have to be more than 10 miles from existing sites. The county has proposed legislation that should resolve that, said Jean Erickson, deputy director of the county's Public Services and Revenue Division.

The remodeling project is expected to take about seven months, shutting down the library from September to April. Normally the county would seek a temporary library space, but there aren't any facilities available, said Ken Behringer, director of the county library system. So customers will have to use other libraries in the system or in Scott County.

That isn't good news for Joanie Gibson of Burnsville, who comes to the library at least twice a week for books. She isn't happy about having to travel to Apple Valley.

"As far as I'm concerned, Apple Valley, I'm packing my bags and getting my passport out to go," Gibson said.

During construction, librarians will work at other branches. Wisser knows the transition won't be easy. "It's a lot of work and a lot of stress. But the end result I'm very much looking forward to."

Peter Cox is a St. Paul freelance writer.