Which Part of the Bloomfield Township Library Is Closed Depends on the Month
October 15, 2026
October 15, 2026
When the Bloomfield Township Public Library surveyed the community before its renovation, more than 500 people answered. One theme was that the building on Lone Pine Road had become too big to manage for some patrons with mobility issues, C&G Newspapers reported in August. Director Tera Moon told the paper that this feedback is why hold items, public computers and printers are moving to the front of the building.
The construction schedule follows the same front-to-back logic. The walls go up first where families and quick drop-in visitors spend their time. Over the winter they shift north toward the study rooms, and next summer they reach the adult collection at the back. Which part of the library you lose for a few months depends on how you use it.
The library closed from Aug. 31 to Sept. 11 to get ready for Phase 1, then reopened. According to the library's October 2026 newsletter, temporary walls now close off the Youth Room, the Magazine Room, the Vending Café and the Commons. Carpet and casework have been pulled out ahead of the electrical, mechanical and plumbing work. The library's Oct. 9 progress update says the masonry walls, openings and repairs are finished.
For anyone who still visits, here is what that means day to day:
According to the October newsletter, the library is open 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 5:30 p.m. Sunday.
The library's renovation page lays out three phases. It says the dates may change and the exact wall locations aren't set yet.
| Phase | Estimated window | Areas behind walls | Most affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Late August 2026 to late January 2027 | Youth Services, Welcome and Circulation desks, the Commons, the magazine room, parts of Adult and Teen Services | Families with young children, quick drop-in visits |
| Phase 2A | Late January 2027 to early May 2027 | North end, from about the atlas stand through the study rooms and Computer Lab | Students, remote workers, computer users |
| Phase 2B | Early May 2027 to July 2027 | Most of Adult and Teen Services, including its service desk | Adult and teen browsers |
The Oct. 9 update puts building and site work at September 2026 through July 2027, with occupancy in July 2027 and punch-list work after that. The library also says study rooms may be closed during some phases, though some seating will stay open for the whole project. If you study at the library, the change to watch for comes in late January. The youth wing should be close to reopening by then, and the north end goes behind walls.
The library said up front that it would offer fewer programs during construction but keep story times, book clubs, discussion groups and the Chamber Music Concert series. Even with that cut, the October newsletter lists plenty from today, Oct. 12, through the holidays:
The library closes at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 25, stays closed on Thanksgiving, and reopens at 9:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 27. The nine book clubs, the Friday English Language Conversation Group and the first-Tuesday Movie Discussion Club continue too. The September director's report doesn't list a chamber concert for January through March. The next one found is April 9, 2027, also in the Community Room.
With seating short now and the study rooms closing in Phase 2A, a nearby library can fill in. Bloomfield Township belongs to The Library Network, whose card lets you borrow at more than 100 locations. Some local restrictions and residency rules apply. Birmingham's Baldwin Public Library and West Bloomfield Township Library's Main and Westacres branches are on TLN's list of participating locations.
Under Baldwin's card policy, you can register for a reciprocal card if your home library is a TLN member that offers reciprocal borrowing. You bring your home library card and a current photo ID. The card comes with full borrowing privileges for Baldwin's physical collection, subject to Baldwin's rules. It's worth checking each library's current terms before a first visit, since TLN says rules vary by location.
Library trustees approved the bid package on July 21, 2026, with a total project budget of $7,743,432.75, the Birmingham-Bloomfield Bulletin reported. McCarthy & Smith, the construction manager, prepared the package. C&G reported that the money comes from the library's existing fund balance. Township voters renewed the library millage in 2024.
The two sources measure the cost in different ways. The Bulletin splits the budget into about $4.2 million for hard construction and $1.7 million for furniture, fixtures and equipment. The rest covers contingencies, bonding and insurance, permits and professional fees. The July 21 board packet approves a guaranteed maximum price of $3,617,274 for the construction contract, which includes $3,018,374 in subcontractor awards. That figure leaves out furniture, shelving and moving costs. The design team includes C2AE, Reed Walker Design Collective and Library Design Associates, which is handling phasing and relocation planning.
The money is going into a building that has worn out from use. The last major renovation ran from 2005 to 2008, so most of the furniture and carpet is about 20 years old. The library says it has averaged 4,800 visitors a week over those two decades. Once work wraps up in summer 2027, the library plans to have holds, public computers and printers near the entrance. It also plans a magazine room set up like a coffee shop, five new study rooms, a sensory room, a lactation room, two wellness rooms, an adult and teen programming room, a more flexible computer lab and relocated service desks. Occupancy is scheduled for July 2027.
Projects like the Lone Pine Road renovation are part of what owning in Bloomfield Township will mean in 2027, and Jerome follows them closely. If you're curious how township investments like this one show up in your home's value, Residential Rome can help. Request Your Home Valuation, and Jerome will walk you through it personally.
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