As if there weren’t enough unique amenities and attractions that make visiting northern Colorado worth your while, Greeley just added one more to the list.
Library and Innovation Center — better known as the LINC — officially opened its doors to the public this past Saturday, with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The LINC occupies the former Greeley Tribune at 501 Eighth Ave. The original construction of the building took place in 1986.
The library district bought the old Tribune building in August 2021 for $4 Million and broke ground on September 30, 2021. The construction cost was estimated at around $31million and was carried out by GH Phipps Construction in Greenwood Village. Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture has offices in Dallas as well as Denver.
Matthew Hortt, executive director of the High Plains Library District, was spot on when he called the center the “Meow Wolf of libraries.”
The LINC will bring 62,000 square feet worth of adventure, wonder, and awe into northern Colorado.
“You can find yourself at LINC —in a book, in a program, in a conversation with someone you met at the library,” library manager Melissa Beavers said. “It’s a perpetual hide and seek game at LINC. We want you to seek, we want you to dream, build, create, innovate and discover something around every corner — and we have a lot of corners in this building.”
With its murals, eccentric roof line, large windows and other architectural attributes, the outside of the building let’s visitors know to expect the unexpected once they cross the threshold of the front doors.
On entering the building, staff will welcome guests with a large desk to the right. Here you can obtain a Library Card, register for various activities and events, receive help in finding certain materials, as well as get the “lay of the land” of the center.
Patrons are also welcomed by a “river of books” on the left of the entrance, leading to the adult section of the library, a quiet reading room and other seating areas.
The LINC boasts a materials collection of more than 100,000 items and will be the new home to the High Plains Library District’s Local History and Genealogy Collection as well as copies of newspapers, photos and other materials from the Greeley Tribune.
Around the facility, sixty computers are available for customers to use. They can be used for work, school or personal needs such as catching up with emails or news posts or social media.
The LINC isn’t just a nifty new library where people of all ages can check out materials or use a computer. The new facility includes five study rooms and four meeting rooms. It also has two collaboration spaces and two classrooms for computer classes.
Two projectors are available, along with large screens and a platform. The space can hold up to 193 people.
One of the center’s unique features, the atrium, allows visitors the option of enjoying nature year around. The atrium’s circular glass has an indoor/outdoor wood fireplace, seating areas and trees.
The natural light that filters through the atrium’s open roof creates a warm and inviting space and the large windows are sure to offer an amazing view, especially during the fall and winter months.
“It’s beautiful; it’s amazing. This is something that Greeley needs and definitely something the families need,” staff member Marisol Dominguez said. “We would see the maps and blueprints, but you couldn’t create a picture to what it is now.”
The outdoor patio located at the back of the centre is perfect for gatherings with friends, family or business. The area was specifically designed for food trucks, with the curb cut to make it easy to enter and exit.
The center is also a crafter and creatives’ dream, with 3D printers, laser engravers, die-cut machines and a UV printer. A gallery will be available where artists from the area can show their work, or visitors can make their own pieces.
The center’s innovation bays offer patrons access to a variety of woodworking equipment such a CNC router, table saw, planer, lathe and other tools.
A recording studio, green room, and podcasting area are available for those who wish to produce their own music or video. People of all ages, with a little instruction, can create content on different social media platforms.
“We hope that people get motivated and inspired to do things they never thought they could do,” Dominguez said.
The children’s area of the center is one to rival libraries across the nation. With its “hobbit door” and decorated ceiling, the bright open space is a womb for wonder, adventure and learning for kids, and even adults, of all ages.
The new children’s space is a world away from the small area at Lincoln Park Library, where everything “ran together” and kids really didn’t have their own space.
“I would have loved something like this as a kid. I know this is the children’s area, but I can see myself hanging out here,” Greeley parent Amanda Knolls said, laughing. “This is unreal.”
And that’s just the first floor of the facility.
Why not use the net and log route to reach the second floor instead of the elevator or stairs?
Wes Bruce created an installation in the upstairs area that takes visitors on another adventure. Bruce was a Greeley native. The installation pays tribute to one of Greeley’s most precious resources — water.
Bruce’s art installation alone is worth the climb — stairs or otherwise.
The second floor is also a great place to explore and sit.
“It’s just amazing. Being able to see the books in all these different directions, it makes it seem like there’s millions of them. I love seeing all the books on these waving shelves,” Greeley resident Sue Tjardes said. “I think this open staircase is really wonderful and, of course, the courtyard. I am also excited to see what uses people make out of all of the innovation spaces.”
LINC, despite being located in Greeley welcomes visitors of all communities.
The LINC will host a number of events, including:
- Power Tower Architect Challenge — 2 p.m. Thursday, June 1
- Come Together and Create! — 2 p.m. Saturday, June 3
- Inside Out Paintings — 2 p.m. Thursday, June 8
- Light Fantastic — 2 p.m. Saturday, June 10
- Friendship Minigolf — 2 p.m. Thursday, June 15
The LINC library and innovation center is open 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Mondays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and from 1 -5 p.m. on Sundays.
To learn more about the LINC, including how to book a room, upcoming events and activities and more, go to www.mylibrary.us/LINC.