Boise Public Library to close downtown first floor for 9'12 months starting September 2025 for major renovations

Jessica Doerr, director of the Boise Public Library, told the Boise City Council that the downtown library will undergo a major renovation of the First Floor beginning with construction preparation in August and a projected construction start in September 2025.

Doerr said the work is the final phase of a facilities plan that began after a 2020 council decision and a subsequent conditional facilities assessment. She said the renovations will replace core building systems (electrical, plumbing, HVAC), add accessible restrooms in the youth services area, relocate the circulation desk and expand flexible program space. Doerr said these system upgrades also include a new fire pump, a 30-year roof, geothermal-line replacement and better access to cabling to ease future maintenance.

Doerr said the library is downtown'the city's busiest branch'serving about "900 people visiting each day" and that last year just under half of system visits occurred at the downtown location. To complete the work safely and cost-effectively, she said staff recommend closing the entire First Floor for the duration of the renovation. She said the Second and Third floors will remain open and staff will prioritize access to youth materials, computers and Wi-Fi during construction.

When Council member Corliss asked about ownership of the timeline, Doerr confirmed the current planning calls for construction to begin in September 2025 and estimated the work would take about 9 to 12 months. Doerr said the library and Public Works have coordinated to reduce disruption, and Lindsay Erb, senior project manager for Public Works, was present as a project partner.

Doerr described how the public will access services during construction: an alternate entrance and elevator near the Learning Lab will provide access to upper floors; the library will keep regular hours, maintain staffing, offer adjusted services and publish frequent construction updates via library and city newsletters, social media and a construction update page on the library website. She said there will also be on-site signage and displays to show progress.

Council members raised staff-safety and dust-control concerns. Doerr said contractors have prioritized abatement protocols and barriers during prior work and that those practices will continue. She said the project aims to improve accessibility, reduce future maintenance costs by exposing systems, and provide more flexible, child-centered program space.

Doerr asked the council to note that bids are opening for electrical work now and full plan bids are expected next month; she said the project will go through the normal public design-review process and be presented to the library board of trustees and the public. "We are gearing up for summer reading" and will continue regular services until construction begins she said, adding that the city and library will coordinate closely to minimize disruption.