The Lionel D. Alford Branch Library first opened its doors in 2003 as part of a master plan included, among other goals, building a larger library in south Wichita.

The Library's current master plan, titled Focused on Community: A Master Plan for the City of Wichita's Branch Library System 2019-2023 , calls for remodeling the interior of this building. The project is scheduled to begin in January 2025. The branch will remain open during construction with drive-up services as well as services offered from the meeting room that include a small browsing collection, public computing and printing, faxing, copying, and passport issuance.

Construction Updates

• February 21, 2025: Framing has been completed for new spaces and drywall has been hung. Electrical work is ongoing.
• February 7, 2025: A new sidewalk and drive connecting to the YMCA access road have been poured. Ductwork has been realigned to fit new interior spaces. Framing has begun for those spaces.
• January 24, 2025: Demolition has begun on the ceiling tile and grid. Concrete forms are being set for the sidewalk and new drive connecting to the YMCA access road.
• January 17, 2025: Shelving units and furniture have been relocated. The old service desk and flooring have been removed. Electrical work, which includes removing old light fixtures and cutting into the concrete slab to run new wiring, has begun.

Floor Plan

This design moves several spaces, including the teen and computing areas. It adds a number of study and meeting spaces for small to medium-sized groups. There will also be a new service desk at the front of the building.

Artwork

A call for professional artists received 138 submissions for ten new art pieces to be created at the Alford, Angelou, and Rockwell branches. Funding comes from the Percent for Art Ordinance and the City of Wichita's Capital Improvement Plan. In 2019, the Wichita City Council approved an ordinance that allotted 2 percent of capital improvement funds to a pool of funding allocated for the commissioning of on-site artworks that then become part of the citywide art collection. The administration of the Percent for Art Program is overseen by the Design Council, an 11-member advisory board.

The selected artists have been refining their concepts and presented to the Design Council in January and February 2025.

Artwork at the Alford branch will include:

• Children's mural by Heather Byers (Wichita): a colorful wall mural above bookshelves in the children's area, approximately 96 feet long by 7 feet tall
• Suspended art element in the teen area by Jessica Wolf (Cincinnati): multiple colors of translucent shapes inspired by the building itself hanging 10-plus feet above the floor