The Library Board has prioritized the development of a replacement facility for Corinth Library as our next largescale
capital project, with construction expected to begin sometime in 2026. Funding for a new facility has already been allocated through the Comprehensive Library Master Plan, which was approved in 2015 as a framework to guide the Library’s sustainable growth of services, operations and facilities. This means residents will not see a tax increase to pay for a new Library.
Corinth Library is Johnson County Library’s oldest facility. The branch opened in February 1963, and for more than 60 years, has served the Prairie Village community and beyond as a popular neighborhood resource and gathering spot. Though beloved, the aging facility lacks modern infrastructure to support 21st-century community needs and has significant structural issues that limit economically justifiable improvements.
A joint study with the City of Prairie Village and the YMCA to explore a shared campus with a community center and new Library
concluded in fall 2024, with the Prairie Village City Council determining that the project was not feasible. At the same time, the Library also conducted a “test fit” study of the current Corinth Library site to determine if the needs of a modern library — including a drivethru for returns and holds pickup and reconfigured parking — will work in the existing plot. At the request of the Library Board, who owns the property at 13 of 14 Library locations including the existing Corinth building, staff are also exploring the availability of other nearby sites.
After a final location is determined for the Corinth Library Replacement, staff will work to select an architect and begin design work. The community will then be invited to give feedback on specific features and services they’d like to see in a new facility. Updates will be shared through this page, @jocolibrary on social media and at the existing Corinth branch.
