Eastside Public Library Grand Opening on March 15: ribbon cutting, kids’ events, workshops, yoga and tai chi, live music, and an all-day Friends Book Sale, 10 am, 3000 Blake James Drive. 

“The Lexington Public Library’s newest branch will open its doors to the public for the first time at 10 a.m.Tuesday, March 15.

The grand opening of the Eastside Branch, at the corner of Palumbo Drive and Man o’ War Boulevard, will begin with a ribbon cutting followed by live music, workshops, and other special programs for adults and children throughout the day.

The Eastside Branch will replace the Eagle Creek Branch, which is off Richmond Road. The old branch will close for the last time at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26. Holds for Eagle Creek customers may be picked up at the Tates Creek Branch until the Eastside Branch opens.

At about 32,000 square feet, the new branch will be the Lexington Public Library’s largest branch library. It will include a drive-through window for pick up of holds, an expanded children’s area, a teen space, a large meeting room, study rooms and a makerspace for hands-on workshops and creating.

The larger space—Eagle Creek is a 15,000-square-foot building—also will allow an increase in the number books and other materials. The building, located at 3000 Blake James Drive off Palumbo Drive, originally was a car dealership.

“We’re happy that we were able to repurpose an existing building to expand our services to the Hamburg area while still remaining convenient for our current Eagle Creek customer base,” said Ann Hammond, executive director of the Lexington Public Library. “The new Eastside Branch will be a model of a modern library, with plenty of materials, plenty of places to read, learn, create and meet your neighbors.”