The Redmond Library is up for an upgrade — from updating meeting rooms and book displays to collaborative work spaces.

But construction, set to run from January 2023 through the fall of 2024, will close the branch for nearly two years. The current building is set to be demolished and replaced with a “much more dynamic community center,” according to communications and development manager Chantal Strobel.

It will open a temporary location at 2127 South Highway 97 during the downtown branch’s reconstruction. This means patrons will still be able to access materials and work in a smaller space while renovations are in progress.

The project will be funded by the $195 million bond that Deschutes County voters approved in 2020. Strobel said the Redmond branch construction will draw on 20% of the library system’s bond funds, with other portions going toward revamping libraries in Sisters and La Pine and building a new central library in Bend.

Strobel said controversy surrounding the central library location — in which the city of Bend declined an exemption for the the initial site — prompted a divided library board to select a new space. It did not impact the timeline for the Redmond project. The library sits just off downtown’s main arteries, 827 SW Deschutes Ave.

“We have experienced wonderful support and partnership from the city of Redmond, Redmond City Council and the Downtown Urban Renewal Advisory Committee,” she said.

Urban renewal program manager Chuck Arnold said the project ties into the committee’s goal of increasing community use of the downtown area — especially as Redmond continues to grow.

“We really wanted to make sure that the library remains a central gathering point for our community and a central part of our community,” he said.

For Strobel, that means renovations extend beyond simply expanding the Redmond Library’s book collection. She said many people in Redmond need a space to do work, but the town doesn’t have many places that people can access for free.

The new plan features study rooms, collaborative spaces, two meeting rooms that can remain open beyond the library’s hours of operation and creative spaces where community members can engage in crafts like painting, quilting or 3-D printing.

The first floor will also give room to a children’s discovery center, where kids can play with materials that foster learning and development, Strobel said. Youth will be able to access a dedicated teen space on the library’s new second floor.

The library redesign also includes a patio outdoor gathering space, a drive-up window for holds and drop-offs, solar panels and electric vehicle charging stations.

Samantha Korich, a library patron who recently moved to Redmond from Bend, said she enjoys the resources and events the library offers. She said it’s a great space within walking distance of her home for kids to hang out and to access movies and the internet.