Butler County's Lane Libraries are preparing to break ground on a branch location in Fairfield Township. The 21,750-square foot facility will be built on 7 acres near the intersection of Hamilton-Mason and Gilmore roads.
Carrie Mancuso, public relations manager, says a groundbreaking hasn't been set yet, but will likely be this spring, with a proposed opening in 2026.
"Fairfield Township is a really growing community — has been for a long time — and we've seen so much activity out in that area in terms of growth, of families coming in, and people of all ages moving into all types of developments," Mancuso says. "As we just saw the incredible growth over the last several years in that area, we knew that we wanted to more directly be able to serve that market with a permanent location."
Architecture firm Community Design Alliance — which has worked with Lane Libraries on several projects — describes the design concept for the new branch as one in which patrons can experience "the building itself as a path rather than simply a circulation path within the building." Sustainability and outdoor program space are key priorities, the firm adds.
The estimated cost of construction is $12 million and the library bought the land in 2023 for about $685,000. Mancuso says a total price tag for the project isn't confirmed.
She describes the planned library as full service, with fewer computer terminals than other locations, but lots of spaces for people to plug in their own devices and connect to Wifi. There also will be a wide variety of gathering and meeting spaces, she says.
"We could accommodate groups of four, groups of six, up to a meeting room that will fit 50 to 60 people. And those are going to be reservable areas, the bigger ones that are enclosed. But then there'll be all kinds of open air, smaller spaces for people to enjoy as well," says Mancuso. "We definitely looked at that as a focal point of this new location — to be a gathering space — because libraries are always changing in terms of what we're offering, and people really do still look to us to be a community center and a gathering space."
Other highlights include a children's department, teen zone, outdoor event space, and a set of "story stairs" that can be used for programs, meetings, showing movies and more.
The Lane Public Library was built in Hamilton by Clark Lane in 1866 and opened two years later. The Great Miami River flood of 1913 damaged the library and many of its contents. The library re-opened a year later, and was dedicated as the Lane Public Library. Branch locations in Fairfield and Oxford opened in the years following World War II.
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