New Fairfield Library to open Oct. 6

Henrico's newest library will open next month.

County officials will dedicate and open the new Fairfield Area Library at 1401 N. Laburnum Avenue at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6.

The 44,000-square-foot facility will be nearly twice a large as the existing Fairfield Library, which opened in 1976, and will bring expanded library services, hours, staff and amenities with it.

The new library was designed with input from hundreds of Fairfield residents and from the library system and architects Quinn Evans Architects of Richmond (formerly BCWH) and Tappé Architects of Boston. The team is known for visually striking, award-winning architecture and compelling community spaces for library collections, programs, and services.

“Libraries have become progressive, inclusive places where all types of learning and collaboration take place,” said Henrico County Public Library Director, Barbara Weedman. “The new Fairfield Area Library will offer new books, technology, and innovative programming in a spacious, light-filled building with skilled and welcoming staff. The new library has many attractive meeting spaces for the community and countless exciting opportunities to explore."

The new library will feature large spaces dedicated to collections for adults, children, and teens. A large meeting room, two conference rooms, and a variety of study rooms will be reservable online. A digital media lab will feature state of the art technology, such as 3D printers and Adobe Creative Cloud software.

The library will have an interactive Trailblazers Wall, presenting multimedia biographical accounts of people who made notable contributions to the history and culture of the county, the state, and the nation. The county will seek LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certification for the building. The U.S. Green Building Council awards LEED certification to buildings for environmentally friendly design and construction.

The new library will be open on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. beginning Oct. 13, meaning residents can use their library seven days a week. The library will be accessible by bus from Laburnum Avenue. The county has extended Watts Lane to connect the neighborhood behind the library to the facility and to Laburnum Avenue, making the area accessible on foot or by bike to nearby residents. A crosswalk with traffic light was added to the intersection of Laburnum Avenue and Watts Lane.

The library is across Laburnum from the Eastern Henrico Recreation Center, the Henrico Health Department East Clinic, and the future Henrico Aquatics Center. County officials hope the cluster of county facilities will make the area a convenient destination for residents of all ages seeking a variety of activities.

“We have already heard from residents who can’t wait to browse for new books at the library after taking an exercise class at the Eastern Rec Center,” said Weedman.

The existing Fairfield Library will close after business Saturday, Sept. 21 to transition to the new facility. Between Sept. 22 and Oct. 6, residents are encouraged to call or visit nearby North Park, Libbie Mill, Sandston, or Varina libraries.

For details about the new library and the opening celebration, residents can visit henricolibrary.org or call (804) 501-1900.