The opening of the Howard County Library System’s (HCLS) new Charles E. Miller Branch & Historical Center in Ellicott City recently was celebrated by the local community.
The new, 63,000-square-foot building, which is adjacent to the library’s former home, offers three times the space of its predecessor for a larger collection of print, audio and electronic content; enhanced research assistance and instruction; cultural and community displays; and a heightened focus on history and health education.
The branch includes nine study rooms, a 3,000-square-foot meeting room, a tech lab, and a terrace overlook that allows customers to read and work outdoors. Another key component will be the Enchanted Garden, a sustainable, community-based teaching garden that will focus on health, nutrition and environmental education. It is slated to open in May.
The building is a 21st century facility for a 21st century public education, said Valerie Gross, HCLS president and CEO.
“We express our deepest gratitude to Howard County government for funding this project, recognizing that a strong investment in public education for everyone is a strong investment in our future,” she said. “We also thank the Maryland State Department of Education for the grant funding awarded to the project, and the Friends of Howard County Library for donating the water features and frog statues.”
Exploring the Past
Through a partnership with the Howard County Historical Society, the library is envisioned as a hub for historical research in Howard County and central Maryland.
Howard County Executive Ken Ulman expressed his pride in the new facility and said that people from all generations will enjoy its many resources. “Our library system is a tremendous public asset in Howard County, and I am very proud to have the new Miller Branch provide a unique space for learning and exploration for all ages, especially our children,” he said.
The branch is now the HCLS’s largest branch. Designed to capture the benefits of natural lighting and maximize energy efficiency, the facility is designed to achieve LEED Silver Certification from the United States Green Building Council. The building also features a green vegetated roof on the second floor.
Stacie Hunt, the Howard County Library Board of Trustees chair, greeted the crowd and introduced remarks from Gross, Ulman, U.S. Congressman Elijah Cummings, Sen. Jim Robey and Maryland State Del. Guy Guzzone. Boy Scout Troop 757 presented the colors.
Group Cooperation
“The new library is an incredible amenity. I’m just pleased that the county, state and library system were all able to work together to provide it. The branch is needed in a community that places such a high value on education and learning,” Guzzone said. “It’s part of the whole learning environment and the whole learning system in Howard County, and I’m very grateful that we were able to pull all of that together.”
State and county officials commented that the Enchanted Garden, which will be situated on a quarter-acre parcel adjacent to the building, will be a creative outlet for teaching library visitors healthy habits. It will enable visitors to explore spaces that open from the end of a tunnel of roses or discover themed planting areas, such as the “pizza and stir-fry gardens”; a bronze statue of two great blue herons greets visitors as they enter through the garden gates.
The garden, the first library teaching garden in the nation, is named for the former Enchanted Forest theme park that was located on Route 40, also in Ellicott City. The park was beloved by many people and families who spent their childhoods in and around Howard County and the Corridor; many of its characters live on at Clark’s Elioak Farm.
The garden beds, which contain more than 65 mostly native plant varieties, will be used to teach children and adults how to grow edible, indigenous plants.
Staff Enthused
The Miller branch not only will be a beautiful location in which library visitors can learn, but it also has been much-anticipated by administrative library staff. “The staff is thrilled,” said Christie Lassen, HCLS director for public relations. “We are over the moon, and we are excited to work in this new facility.”
The other news concerning the new branch is that the HCLS’s annual gala, Evening in the Stacks, will be held there on Feb. 25.
