The Lady Lake Library will undergo a major expansion.

No library closings or changes in services or programming are planned. However, the construction fence will be in place on Monday, October 28. The west entrance, which borders the Guava Street Athletic Complex, and the adjacent parking area will be closed.

Patrons may continue to use the front and youth library entrance on Guava Street. All other public car parks will remain open.

In August, the Lady Lake Library announced that it was awarded a $1 million Lake County Library Impact Fee grant to support its ambitious expansion project. This allocation will contribute to the Children’s Library portion of the project, with the City of Lady Lake funding the remaining cost, which includes an expansion of the Information Technology Department and the addition of the Growth Management Annex.

The project aims to improve the library offer by expanding the area of ​​the library for young people from 4,560 sqm. to 7,697 sq m., an increase of 69%. It includes an expanded lobby, an additional public elevator and a landing area for the new second-floor children’s library, adding more than 3,000 square feet to the public spaces.

The impact fee awarded by the county is justified by the expansion of the library and the projected increase in the city’s population. Lady Lake Library, part of the Lake County Library System, serves more than 16,000 registered cardholders and receives approximately 14,500 visitors each month. With the city anticipating a dozen new development projects, with a projected population growth of 8,500 people by 2030, the expansion is timely.

The expansion will provide much needed space for additional shelving, reading areas, a larger story room, a multipurpose room and more study spaces. The library hopes to grow its children’s collection by 25 percent, and the expanded space will allow for more programs.