After almost 40 years in operation, the Madison branch of the Huntsville-Madison County Library has a new building, just two lots down the street. The new library cost $10.2 million in total, $2 million of which was raised from the community. Going from 15,000 square feet to 25,000 square feet, the new building makes the most of this new space with shelves set up in an open format. Walls of glass windows provide natural light and easy visibility. Perhaps best of all, a sound-dampening room exists for children’s programming.

Leslie Chu, a Bob Jones student and library volunteer, said, “They have the new study rooms, which I really appreciate, because you can definitely study just in quiet, and close off all the other noise and just focus, but if you want you can also go in there and talk with your friends to study and not have to disturb anyone else.”

Among the new amenities are more self-checkout stations, a large number of musical instruments, and an automated book sorter. An entire room in the new building has been turned into a makerspace, with a 3D printer, vinyl cutter, CriCut Maker, and CNC carving machine.

“I also like the new makerspace, because they give you a lot of cool gadgets, like the engraver and the 3D printer, and they’re also going to have a Cricket and a sewing machine and other stuff like that. I think that’s really cool,” said Chu.

The furniture in the building takes it one step further. “Every piece of furniture in here, whether the table or the chair, has a USB plug or regular plug so you can actually charge without having to leave your spot,” said librarian Aretha Sellers.

The wall decor and shelf ends go further than that. “All the new colors are direction. So instead of having a lot of signs, the colors can point you where to go. So we can point you to an orange wall, or to the purple.  I guess purple would be for the graphics and the nonfiction [in the children’s department],” said Sellers.

One feature of the large space is how every department in the library is much larger than before. “It’s a whole lot bigger than what we had before! Look at all these people that can fit, that couldn’t fit,” said Maggie Allen, children’s librarian.

This lovely building opened to the public at 10 a.m. after a private ceremony Friday. Masses streamed through the doors to view the new building. National English Honor Society (NEHS) students helped the librarians shelve books, serve cake and entertain children.

Dalia Altubuh, a volunteer with NEHS, said, “It’s definitely an improvement. Like, in the last library, it was cool, like this one, but this one has more of a peaceful atmosphere. Like, the structure, how you can look outside and see what people are doing, just… the library’s meant to be a peaceful place, and you can just look outside and see beautiful scenery, you can see little kids hang out, you can see parents watch over the kids with smiles on their faces.”