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Monticello Library Opens!
A brand new Library has opened in Johnson County, and you’re invited to check it out!
The Monticello Library stands elegantly at 22435 W. 66th Street in Shawnee, KS and is the first new library location in the County since 1994. Design for Monticello Library benefitted from extensive public input and deep analysis of evolving needs for Library services in the 21st century. Scott Sime, project coordinator for the library system, said comments from residents have consistently centered around needs for meeting space, a robust children’s area and availability of diverse technology for public use.
“We haven’t built a brand-new library building since the 1990s, so it’s been a good opportunity for us to really think through what a library of the 21st century can be,” said Sime.
The Clark Enersen Partners of Lincoln, NE are the project architects, and local firm McCownGordon Construction helped bring the building to life. The two-story, 30,000+ square foot building features floor-to-ceiling glass along three sides designed to let in lots of natural light and to be stylishly visible to those driving by on Shawnee Mission Parkway. Total project cost is $18.1 million.
The Library and County identified a site in 2010, and the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth Health System made a generous donation of adjoining land to provide adequate parking.
The building’s interior incorporates flexible spaces and design strategies so it can adapt to future uses and public needs without requiring physical expansion.
The first floor features a dramatic central stair, self-checkout stations, new books and materials as well as a large area for children’s materials and programming. There is lots of cozy seating available along the windows, study rooms, an area for DVDs, magazines and other media and a large meeting room to seat up to 100 people. View a PDF of the floor plan tour here.
The second floor hosts adult fiction and nonfiction areas, teen materials, public computers including Mac workstations, one conference room and several additional study rooms. An ecologically sensitive green roof adjoins a terrace with ample seating.
Dinner with Joshua Mohr
Want to chat with a bestselling author over dinner? You and a friend could win - read on for details on how!
Johnson County Library is pleased to host author Joshua Mohr in September. He’ll conduct writing workshops and book discussions, and present a Meet the Author event. One of our lucky patrons will win an opportunity to dine with Joshua at Q39 on Saturday, September 15th. It could be you! Tell us in 1000 words or less why Joshua should eat dinner with you and your bestie. He’ll choose the winner from all submissions. Submit your essay here.
"Joshua Mohr is no stranger to second chances. In his memoir Sirens he recounts his journey from addiction to recovery to relapse and back again, and the experience of suffering three strokes in his 30s, the last of which reveals that he has an 8-millimeter hole in his heart. Mohr's prose is lean and scrappy — a featherweight boxer that packs a punch... He speaks with as much fluency about literary structure as he does about tattoos and punk rock. 'I'm not afraid to bare all,' Mohr says, and that while writing this memoir he found himself 'clinging to the capital-T truth...' " Agatha French, Los Angeles Times
Joshua Mohr is the author of the memoir Sirens (2017), as well as five novels including Damascus, which The New York Times called "Beat-poet cool." His work Some Things that Meant the World to Me was one of O Magazine's Top 10 reads of 2009. Termite Parade was an Editors' Choice in The New York Times. His novel All This Life won the Northern California Book Award.
Did you hear that the end of Summer Reading is just the beginning?
This is a very special episode of Did you hear? OK, who are we fooling? They're all very special episodes! This one is a visit with Youth Services Librarian Jennifer Reeves. She gives a recap of our 2018 Summer Reading program! Spoiler alert: it was an amazing success! She also lets you know what little ones, kids and teens can look forward to next!
Throwback Thursday Power & Light District!
Do you like to hang out at the Kansas City Power & Light District? The one in Overland Park is closer. Well, you will need a time machine! Check out early downtown Overland Park circa 1935.
For even more local history visit jocohistory.org or follow our hashtag on Twitter.
What's in a Storytime?
Have you ever wondered what our storytimes are all about, or how to choose the one that's right for your family? At "What's in a Storytime?" you'll meet some of our storytime leaders, sample some silly rhymes and songs, and get ready to have fun with your little ones!
Did you hear The Black Creatures?
We feature The Black Creatures of Kansas City in this special music episode of Did you hear?
"I'm an exhausted temptress—BFFs with my mattress."
In case you didn't know, Did you hear is the Johnson County Library Podcast! It's where you'll find everything audio that we produce here at the Library. That might be Librarians talking about upcoming events, bibliophiles bantering about books, interviews with your favorite authors, or live local music recorded in our branches like this one!
Local Music
Our local music blog features over 200 Kansas City area musicians and composers, including the indie band Mess, whose debut EP heartswithholes creates a sound that is at once textured, sprawling and intimate. Check out more local music, hear tracks, and read exclusive interviews on Local Music.