Open House
The community is invited to rediscover Odell Public Library, 307 S. Madison, with an Open House on Sunday, April 30th from 1:00-4:00 pm. A ribbon-cutting with the Morrison Chamber of Commerce will kick off the event at 1:00pm
refreshments, and give-a-ways.
These projects would not have been possible without the community’s generous support and patience along with assistance from the City of Morrison. The roof replacement was a project years in the making. Due to the unique architecture of the Prairie-style build. The gathering is a celebration of the completion of the building’s new metal roof and the installation of more than 8,000 square feet of new flooring. Join the Odell Public Library Staff, Friends, and Board for a tour of the updated space as well as games,ing that houses both Odell Public Library and Morrison’s Community Room, water often collected on the roof, causing many leaks over the years. Eventually, the costs to patch and repair each season became excessive and the Board began researching replacement options. Former City Administrator Barry Dykhuizen and Odell Director Meridith Layne collaborated on a USDA grant for the project which was approved and awarded in 2022. The grant monies greatly offset the cost of the roof and funds generously gifted to the library through Don Miller’s estate brought the project to completion. Mr. Miller served on the Odell Board for more than 40 years and his legacy gift now ensures thousands of library materials will stay safe and dry for decades to come!
Like the roof, Odell’s carpeting was original to the 1995 structure and showing signs of wear and tear. The biggest issue came over the summer months, when high humidity levels caused the carpet to bubble creating tripping hazards. The Odell Public Library Friends, a group of dedicated library supporters and advocates, decided to take on the sizeable fundraising required to replace all 8,300 square feet of flooring. With a goal of $80,000, the “Fund Our Floor” campaign was launched on December 1, 2021. By the end of January the group had secured $50,000. By March, donations totaled just over $90,000 thanks to gifts large and small from individuals and businesses local and beyond. The Friends, Staff, and Board were honestly and absolutely floored by the generosity of the community.
Over the next several months, the Friends and members of library staff researched hundreds of different flooring samples, finally landing on a variegated carpet plank and a coordinating luxury vinyl tile. The installation of the new flooring took place over a 3-week period in March and April of this year, during which the library was closed to the public. Flooring was completed in sections as the heavy shelving was shuttled in and out of work zones. The library reopened Monday, April 10th and while some projects are still underway, the response to the transformation has been wholly positive. Helping to complete the new look, Andy Beranek Painting added fresh pops of color in blue and green to the walls. As an added bonus, Amanda (Olson) Cook designed a fresh new logo for the library, depicting Odell’s beautiful architecture as well as the treasure trove of books within. The Odell Public Library Staff, Friends, and Board cannot wait for the community to explore this newly renovated space. Please join them in celebrating these improvements on Sunday, April 30th or whenever you’re able to drop by your local library.