Construction crews have begun work on a 5,000-square-foot renovation project at the Gardendale-Martha Moore Public Library.

Library director Connie Smith said some parts of the library will completely redone, and some would even be brand new. She said everything in the library is being improved in some way.

The renovation plan includes a computer lab, new meeting room space, “teen” and children’s areas and other elements.

The project was designed by Evan Terry Associates architectural firm and is being constructed by Richardson Construction, Inc. The Gardendale City Council accepted a $1,220,000 bid from Richardson Construction at their Feb. 7 meeting.

The largest contributor to the renovation fund was a $300,000 grant from the Alabama Public School and College Education fund; the city had to match funds to receive the grant. Smith said the fundraising efforts go back as far as 1998, when the library board added the renovations to its five-year goals.

Smith said the project really got off the ground when the Gardendale Magnolia Festival committee presented the library with $10,000 to start their fundraising.

Smith said other contributors to the funding were a penny sales tax, several private contributors and an ongoing fundraiser that allows patrons to purchase a square foot of the library for $20.

She said the construction would cause a few hiccups in the library’s day-to-day operations, but the staff would try to work around it the best they can. She said the library will have to close a few days, and it will be loud, and much of the parking lot will be roped off until the construction is complete.