Newly Renovated Enka-Candler Library Reopens

The Enka-Candler Branch Library opened its doors on Sept. 15, 1997, in a historic building that dates back to the 1930s. Since opening, it has become a cornerstone of the community, and as a result of its success has seen demand surpass its capacity.

The newly renovated Enka-Candler Library is now open for the public. The library celebrated with an open house on Nov. 18, 2019, and there is no doubt this community loves its library. Library Director Jim Blanton was excited to unveil this next chapter in Enka’s rich history. “Our buildings should be welcoming and inspirational, and celebrate the full potential of the library,” stated Blanton at the opening. “These renovations provide essential features for establishing Enka as a fully resourced library destination, and ensuring that it remains a hub of lifelong learning and community engagement for many years to come.”

The renovations and expansion include:

• 2,800 square feet of added community space
• New storefront windows throughout the facility
• New HVAC units for the entire facility
• New carpet throughout the entire facility
• Repainting and redesign of the children’s area
• Repaired and refurbished circulation desk
• Repaired and repainted several windowsills on the existing library side
• Converted all light fixtures to LED
• New furniture throughout the facility
• Pressure washed the metal awning around the entire facility.

Blanton added that the new community space will feature:

• A meeting room for accommodating community gatherings and library programs

• A reading room for quiet study and relaxing with a good book

• A dedicated children’s area that supports family reading and together time

• A teen area for students to spend time after school

• Improved Wi-Fi, comfortable seating and attractive furnishings
• And of course more space for books and materials (which is surely helpful considering Enka circulated 92,000 items last year)

In his remarks at the celebration, Blanton thanked all of the dedicated officials, staff, and community members who made this possible; “our County Commissioners, who recognized a need and ensured we had the funding to make this a reality; our Library Board for offering their support and advocacy for this critical project; our General Services team whose hard work made it possible to extend our funding for a spectacular result, and who did a fantastic job of renovating the new space; our passionate staff who inspire our community by making this library come alive each and every day; our Friends of the Library for their advocacy in communicating the need for these upgrades, and for their ongoing support of our library programming; and a most special thanks to the Enka-Candler patrons who make this well-used, well-loved branch the heart of the community.”

The Enka-Candler Library is located at 1404 Sandhill Road. The hours are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you have any questions, please contact the library or visit our website.

All smiles at the Open House Celebration. Click the photo to see the full photo gallery.