This patio area hosts many outdoor programs during the warmer months. Local artist Yen Azzaro led a a community-sourced ground mural to decorate the patio, which was funded with grants from the Michigan Arts and Culture Council and Ann Arbor Kiwanis.
Past the patio, we built accessible raised bed gardens. These are used for library programs centered on gardening and growing food. These were provided by a grant from the Ann Arbor Farm and Garden Club.
Another exciting building feature is the library’s solar installation on the south side of the building. The 46 kilowatt installation generates enough electricity to cover most of the library’s energy use. This installation was made possible in part by an anonymous donation.
Although initial plans for the building specified a reading garden on the south side of the library (past the teen and adult reading areas), the library had to put that project on hold due to budget constraints. We are not done growing, though! The building is designed with expansion possibilities, areas identified to double the building in size if demand warrants it.
