On opening day, patrons discovered the gems inside new $25.6 million Olathe library

About 19 months after breaking ground, the city opened the doors of its new Olathe Downtown Library April 29 to an appreciative crowd. The $25.6 million building significantly increases the amount of room for events and study areas patrons had in the previous location.

“We’re excited to have more space for people to just gather and study together, read together, work together,” said Sara Eccles, the library system officer for the Olathe Public Library. “At our old location, we were really running out of what I would call people space to just sit and work.”

In addition to 37,000 square feet for the library, the building also houses the Olathe Chamber of Commerce.

A few features set it apart from Indian Creek Library, which opened its own new building in 2019. One is the third-floor rooftop terrace, which can accommodate up to 100 people for events. The library also has another event space with retractable seating that can hold 211 people.

The fourth floor is the spot for local history buffs. The collection there includes a display of historical photos, maps and microfilm of publications dating back to the late 1800s.

The children’s area on the second floor has a story-time space and plenty of books.

“We have an interactive wall in our children’s area that is a series of magnetic gears that kids can put on the wall to create their own design and then a crank for them to make all of the gears work together,” said Eccles, who is responsible for the downtown library.

Like Indian Creek, this library has a branch of Sweet Tee’s Coffee Shop that serves both drinks and snacks.

On opening day, Olathe resident Ridley Bokowski was so excited to see the library, she took the day off from work. She’s looking forward to the different views the new library offers.

“I like to study at the library, so I’m excited about the pond,” said Bokowski, a student at Johnson County Community College.

In the first hour of the building being open, Olathe residents Naomi Olea and her 6-year-old daughter, Ariana Vela, had already picked out a whole stack of children’s books to take home.

“We are so excited to come and enjoy it. It’s new and beautiful. It’s amazing,” Olea said.

Live music from Pic & Bow’s David Smart drew people onto the rooftop terrace.

“The rooftop is unique. It’s good for studying, good for conversations,” said David Luna of Olathe.

Outside on the ground level, Olathe resident Bianca McCollough took time to dangle her feet in the large fountain on the south side of the building.

“I take great pleasure in the fountains,” she said. “It’s an immersive experience.”

The green space containing the fountains is called Michael E. Copeland Civic Center Park after the city’s previous mayor, who died in 2020. The library’s rooftop terrace also bears his name.

Still to come for the library’s outdoor decor is a mural on the retaining wall in the parking lot. Eccles said she expects it to be painted by the end of June.

“We’re hoping that becomes a spot to take your picture and post it,” she said.