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in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, F eb ru ar y 6, 20 20 | 4 Flat Rates to Airport & Out of Town www.oakvi l leunitedtaxi.com 905.338.0044 • 10% Discount On Parcel Service • GPS Computerized Dispatch • Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles • Corporate Accounts Welcome • 10% Senior Discount - In Town • Largest Taxi Company in Oakville ThemeTeR RATe 20%OFF OAKVILLEUNITED TAXIDOWNLOAD OUR APP Parcel Service OAKVILLE UNITED DOWNLOAD OUR APP OAKVILLE UN DOWNLOAD OUR APP when using our APP! OAKVILLE UNITED TAXI 24 HR • 7 DAYS AWEEK Oakville's #1 ChOiCe fOryears! The Oakville Public Li- brary's (OPL) Glen Abbey branch has reopened with an array of new features fol- lowing a seven-month reno- vation. The library, which is lo- cated inside the Glen Abbey Community Centre at 1415 Third Line, opened its doors on Tuesday, Jan. 28 to an eager crowd of more than 100 people. "This renovation stemmed from the chang- ing use and role of the li- brary, and the increased de- mand for work, collabora- tion and study spaces, li- brary programs and collections in the Glen Ab- bey Community," said Jeff Knoll, Oakville councillor and chair of the library's board of directors. "We're not just about books anymore. As you are going to see as you wander through the library today, we have services and re- sources and programs and tools for all sorts of - not just learning - but collaboration and creation. It is an amaz- ing environment and your library is just getting better every day." Some of the new servic- es, technologies and ameni- ties offered at the renovated Glen Abbey branch in- clude: • A new Creation Zone, which organizers described as a versatile makerspace filled with devices and tech-filled with devices and tech-f nology that are unique to the branch, including sew- ing machines, a Cricut vi- nyl cutter, 3D printers, iMac workstations, design software and equipment for detailed laser and wood en- graving; • A bright and airy Kids Zone for families; • Larger quiet study spaces; • New collaboration and meeting rooms, which or- ganizers say are perfect for meetings, remote work or teleconferencing; • Refreshed program rooms with technology up- grades to house library pro- grams and community gatherings; • Loanable laptops and MacBooks; • An updated collection of materials to borrow; and • Modern furnishings for reading and lounging. Area resident Norman Lay says he likes what he sees. "It's nice to see the li- brary reopened," he said. "Looks like they're real- ly bringing it up for current needs and usage. There's more space, a Creation Zone ... It's up to date, which is where it needs to go." Oakville Mayor Rob Burton called libraries a portal to all the wisdom of the world. He said since the 1990s, the OPL has believed that public access to infor- mation means so much more than books - some- thing it clearly put into practice with this renova- tion. "I can't tell you how ex- cited I am by the number of people coming through the door," said OPL CEO Tara Wong.Wong.W "We didn't know what to expect today. I think it just goes to highlight how des- perately this community missed this library." She said the Glen Abbey branch hosts more than 350,000 visitors annually. The library closed for the renovations in mid- June. The renovations cost around $3.2 million. "We're just really excited to be able to respond to the growing and changing needs of the community," said Wong. "We still have a great concentration of books for people's reading pleasure. I think that's really impor- tant because reading builds empathy, which is some- thing that is desperately needed. Also, to be able to encourage creativity and collaboration really shows how much the library is be- coming that essential com- munity hub." NEWS POPULAR LIBRARY REOPENS FOLLOWING $3.2M RENOVATION DAVID LEA dlea@metroland.com Oakville council and residents cut the ribbon at the Glen Abbey library branch as it reopens to the public following a seven-month renovation. David Lea/Torstar