Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County
News Release
Rochester, NY-- The Rochester Public Library, the Reynolds Library Board and the Friends & Foundation of the Rochester Public Library held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the grand opening of the new Reynolds Media Center at the Central Library of Rochester & Monroe County, located on the first floor of the Bausch & Lomb Public Library Building, 115 South Avenue.
Mayor Lovely Warren, Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks, Monroe County Library System and Rochester Public Library Director Patty Uttaro and Jason Schwingle, President of the Washington Square Park Neighborhood Association were in attendance.
The Rochester Public Library, after undertaking a multi-year Central Library reorganization process, has completed a Master Space Plan to reflect and support evolving changes in library service, collections, staff and community use. Today’s event celebrates the completion of the Reynolds Media Center, an effort funded in part through a combination of various public and private sources.
The Reynolds Media Center features approximately 5,800 square feet of library space that offers residents of Rochester & Monroe County the opportunity to explore, imagine, learn and borrow the latest electronic and digital products and services in the marketplace. The collection includes tens of thousands of audio books, musical sound recordings and videos for loan—both fiction and nonfiction in DVD and Blu-Ray formats.
In addition, the Reynolds Media Center offers rentals of audio visual hardware including, eight and sixteen millimeter projectors, slide and overhead projectors as well as video projectors for a small fee.
Features of the Reynolds Media Center are as follows:
• Three self-checkout stations using a state of the art security system
• Large format Overdrive Catalog monitors to browse e-content including audio books and music
• Gadget Bar—the latest in tablets including iPad minis, Amazon Fire, Polaroid Digital Instant Print Cameras, Google Glass and Finch Robots.
• Laptop Bar—this area overlooking E. Broad Street houses five workstations for patrons to work while charging or replenishing power to their own personal electronic devices
• Two electronic iPad catalog stations to browse and find the latest titles to borrow
• 50 inch large-format monitor that displays movie trailers, new DVD releases and library program announcements
At the celebration, library guests toured the new facility, observed demonstrations at the “gadget bar” and sampled and learned about the latest technology trends in the marketplace. Expertly trained librarians and library assistants who focus on the latest technology trends and collection development are prepared to provide customer service to patrons of the library.
In the coming weeks the Reynolds Media Center will feature audio listening stations to sample musical sound recordings.
For media inquiries, please contact Sally Snow at 585-428-8051.
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