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Patrick Henry Library staff are preparing for a temporary move as Vienna approaches the long-awaited construction of a larger library and public parking garage.
Fairfax County Public Library announced Jan. 31 that employees have begun moving collection items and clearing shelves for relocation or storage. The library’s public meeting room will no longer be available for reservations beginning in April, with notices telling patrons that access ends after March 31.
A temporary branch is expected to open in late spring or early summer at 262C Cedar Lane SE, formerly home to El Sabor Grill in the Cedar Park Shopping Center.
The 2,800-square-foot location will operate as a quick-service library. Patrons will have access to a limited browsing collection, hold pickup and book returns, public Wi-Fi, Chromebooks for onsite use, and light programming such as storytimes.
The Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services is soliciting and selecting a construction contractor. Department spokesperson Sharon North said the library’s relocation preparations align with the anticipated start of construction in early summer 2025.
The Vienna Town Council approved the renamed Vienna-Carter Library on Oct. 28, 2024. The approximately 19,000-square-foot, one-story building is designed to serve the current and future needs of patrons and employees.
It will replace the existing Patrick Henry Library at 101 Maple Avenue East. Opened in 1971, the building has become one of the Fairfax County library system’s busiest community branches.
Plans for the new facility include an outdoor reading and gathering area and a flexible community space that can remain available both during and after regular library hours.
The project also includes a four-level garage with 209 parking spaces. The Town of Vienna has secured 84 of those spaces for general public use.
Sustainability features are expected to include rooftop solar panels on the garage, geothermal heating and cooling, and skylights in the main library building.