CLARKSVILLE, Tenn (CLARKSVILLENOW) – The Clarksville-Montgomery County Library has begun the design process for a second location in North Clarksville. The Montgomery County Commission approved funding for the design of a new building as part of the 2019-2020 budget.

Based on current plans, the new branch library will be located at the corner of Purple Heart Parkway and Jordan Road. According to library director Martha Hendricks, the building will be approximately 25,000 square feet in size and house up to 80,000 books, a third the size of the current library on Madison Street.

“The fact that people won’t have to drive half an hour to use library services is the most exciting part for me,” said assistant director Christina Riedel.

Plans for the new building include automatic checkout stations, a drive through book drop off and the ability to request books be brought from the main branch. The building will also feature free-to-use meeting rooms, children’s services and computer labs. Regular programming will also be offered, including bi-lingual story times and children’s nights.

“A lot of people still think the library is just books. I always say it’s almost like a community center,” said communication and event coordinator David Brockman. “We’re providing programs, adult computer classes, multi-lingual classes, we are looking at doing sign language… It’s [a place] where everybody is welcome.”

The Library hopes to have designs completed by the summer of 2020 so that funding for construction can be requested in the 2020-2021 budget.