Kansas City Public Library Buys Property Near Bluford Branch, Plans Enhanced Services
Jan 26, 2023
(Kansas City, Mo.) – The Kansas City Public Library has purchased the former Rent-A-Center space at 3020 Prospect Avenue near its Lucile H. Bluford Branch, with an eye to greatly expanding the services and resources it offers the East Side community.
Opened in 1988, the Bluford Branch is one of the most active in the KCPL system. Patrons logged into more than 18,000 computer sessions there in 2022, second most among the Library’s 10 locations. It also saw the second-highest use of free phone service, prompting the installation of an additional phone to meet neighborhood demand.
Offerings at the branch extend further to U.S. Postal Service services, notary assistance, free health and wellness programs, Kids Café meals for children and teens in partnership with Harvesters, children’s storytimes, teen gaming nights, a Black Classics Book Club focusing on notable African American titles, and winter warming and summer cooling stations.
The facility’s interior was renovated in 2010. But at 15,000 square feet, it is undersized and struggles to meet the full needs of the surrounding community. The acquisition of nearby property is a first step toward necessary expansion.
No plans have been made. The Library will consult community partners and patrons to determine how to make the best, most impactful use of the property. In previous instances, it has relied on community listening sessions and surveys, among other measures.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas expressed excitement about the property purchase and prospects for bolstering the branch’s services. “The Kansas City Public Library is a trusted institution in our community and in the Bluford neighborhood, and I am delighted to see the Library's continued growth,” he said.
“This investment underscores the Library’s commitment to free, open access to critical informational and internet services,” Lucas continued, “and I share its desire to expand and enhance services in the Bluford neighborhood and throughout Kansas City's East Side.”
Karen Slaughter, president of the Key Coalition Neighborhood Association, likewise pointed to the Library as an essential community resource that is especially crucial to the low-income households of the Key Coalition neighborhood and surrounding communities.
“This project,” she wrote in support of the undertaking, “will directly benefit the wellbeing of Library patrons and our community members who struggle with everyday needs including computers with internet, phone service, or easy access to social services beyond what is offered at the Library.”
kclibrary.org | Library locations Facebook – Twitter – Instagram - YouTube