New chapter begins for the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library during open house week

Final preparations are underway for the much-anticipated unveiling of new and improved spaces within the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library in Midland, with an Open House week scheduled for the public February 23- 28.

After months of redesigning and relocating spaces within the library, the library will close next week, February 16th-21st, but not for a nice mid-winter break. According to Library Director Miriam Andrus, staff will be hustling to move materials and add final touches.

“We are going to be disassembling our temporary library and moving everything back to where it belongs in the building. We’re getting new furniture installed. We’re going to be moving our public computers upstairs. That week, we’re going to be just trying to get everything back to where it belongs,” says Andrus.

While patrons have been able to see some of the updates, there are areas of the library that have yet to be revealed. These spaces, including the Modern Innovation and Design Makerspace (MidLab), the dedicated “tween” space, the relocated local history and genealogy area, and additional meeting and tutoring spaces, can be fully explored during the Open House week. Though major renovations did not take place on the lower level, the children’s area did receive an exciting facelift and the addition of a kitchenette area for families.

“I am excited about everything, but I would say the thing that I am the most excited about is going to be the kids’ area,” says Andrus. “We are making it so fun down there, with an educational tilt to it. We really said, ‘Okay, if our kids area is going to be closed during this and we’re going to be under construction, why don’t we take the opportunity to see what we can do to make the kids area more interactive and more fun? What can we do to really engage kids and make them want to do more?’”

LEGO walls, interactive wallpapers designed by the library’s Graphic Designer and Makerspace Specialist, Jon VanDerhoof, and a variety of other engaging experiences will be available to kids during the open house. Likewise, adults will feel like kids in a candy shop as they explore the expanded space and new tools, including newly-added laser-cutters, in the MidLab Makerspace area.

The renovation projects do not stop with the interior reopening, however; lesser known are the exterior improvements and beautification efforts coming to the library later this year. Spring 2026 will include a facelift for the area outside of the library, including landscaping and new seal-coat and striping of the parking lot. A complete timeline of completed and upcoming projects is available on the library’s website.