Demolition and equipment deliveries are underway at Dearborn's Bryant and Esper branch libraries, with the architecture team reviewing interior finishes for both buildings, according to the library’s October director’s report.
The Dearborn Public Library Commission will hear a renovation update at its Wednesday, Oct. 14, meeting at 5 p.m. in Room 111 of the Henry Ford Centennial Library. The update, listed under old business on the commission's agenda, comes roughly four months after Bryant Branch closed June 1 for what the city estimated could be up to a year of work, according to its closure announcement.
Library administration met with the architecture team to review color palettes and interior fixtures for both branches, according to the October director's report included in the agenda. Site work is moving forward on schedule, the report says.
The two projects carry different scopes. Public Works Director Tim Hawkins told the commission at its Sept. 9 meeting that Bryant is primarily a restoration, according to the proposed meeting minutes. Workers have stripped the building to a clean shell, uncovering original arched masonry that staff hope to preserve.
Hawkins set a targeted Bryant reopening of April 2027, saying at the September meeting that an earlier December target was unrealistic, according to the proposed minutes. No reopening date for Esper appeared in the September or October commission documents.
Esper is a more extensive rebuild. As of September, crews had removed all materials, begun demolition, started replacing flooring and installing electrical and plumbing systems underneath. Windows were removed and boarded up while the team evaluates new sizes and placements, according to the proposed minutes.
Public Works and library administration meet every Thursday with contractors and architects to keep the projects on track, Hawkins said in September, according to the proposed minutes.
While the branches are closed, the October director’s report records increases in visits and circulation. August visits reached 15,500, up from 12,725 a year earlier. Circulation climbed to 20,507, compared with 16,720 in August 2025.
Staff are also preparing for what comes after construction. The library received a $25,000 grant for a "Makerpreneur" program that will help students use makerspace equipment and sell their creations. The grant will fund most of the new equipment at Esper, according to the Sept. 9 proposed minutes.
Library staff have attended the Guild of Library Makers Convention to build skills for the planned STEAM Lab at Esper, according to the October report.
A free tutoring program run by teen volunteers has served 24 elementary and middle school students in math, science and reading. Tutoring is available every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 5 to 7:30 p.m., according to the October report.
The commission's next meeting after Oct. 14 is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 18.
