LENNOX — A ground-breaking ceremony to begin renovation of the Lennox County Library was held Aug. 29, with county Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas and other dignitaries on hand.
Construction began several weeks ago to begin clearing out the facility which will expand to more than 10,000 square feet.
The library is one of the oldest in the county, located next to Los Angeles International Airport and nestled between the cities of Inglewood and Hawthorne.
To many longtime Lennox residents, the library renovation is long overdue.
During the 45-minute ceremony, numerous members of the community spoke. Ridley-Thomas may have summed it up best by explaining the importance of libraries for “improving the quality of life and literacy.”
“This was a proud day for the Lennox community and the project benefits children and the residents of the community,” said Ryan Williams, president-elect of the Lennox Coordinating Council.
No one was more excited then head librarian Peter Hsu. He said he has “waited more than 10 years for the expansion project to take place.
“Once the library is completed, it will have new computers, books, a community center and expanded services and programs,” Hsu said. Hsu said that due to the library’s close proximity to LAX and many large hotels, “tourists from around the world visit the library to check their emails, make copies and [use] other services”.
For some, he said, the Lennox Library is their first experience of American life and culture.
The ground breaking ceremony concluded with Ridley-Thomas and other officials taking turns breaking the wall down to officially mark the start of the project to the accompaniment of live mariachi music.
The renovation of the library is expected to take nearly two years to complete with a grand re-opening occurring sometime in 2014.
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