The Ford Rockwell Branch Library first opened in 1976, five years after talks began to build the city's first freestanding library branch in east Wichita. Prior to that, only the main library downtown had its own building, while branches were mostly located in strip malls.
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 making extensive renovations to Rockwell, particularly to the children's room. It will expand the current meeting room while adding smaller meeting and study spaces. Other features new to Rockwell include a teen section and a drive-up window for picking up requested materials. The iconic fireplace will remain and a small "living room" will be built around it.
Construction at Rockwell commenced on July 18, 2024 with a groundbreaking ceremony. The project will have two phases. In the first phase, an addition will be built on the east and north sides of the building. In the second phase, the interior of the original facility will be remodeled. The entire project is expected to be finished in 2025.
Construction Updates
- March 7, 2025: Application of exterior air barrier/waterproofing has been completed. Temporary windows and doors have been added.
- February 21, 2025: Exterior wall framing and sheathing has been finished. Interior wall framing has begun, and rough-in work is ongoing.
- February 7, 2025: Exterior wall framing has begun, and sheathing has been added to the south and east walls. Overhead ductwork is being installed. Plumbing work has also begun.
- January 24, 2025: Roof decking installation has begun in the addition.
- January 17, 2025: Work continues on the addition's frame.
- January 3, 2025: More structural steel has been installed.
- December 20, 2024: Structural beams for the new addition have begun to come up. Exterior brick has been removed from the areas of the building that will be added onto.
- November 22, 2024: Vapor barrier, rebar, conduit, and floor boxes have been installed in the new addition.
- November 1, 2024: Work has focused on preparing the ground for the foundation of the new addition.
- October 18, 2024: Work has included demolition of some exterior walls in preparation to pour new footings.
Interactive Floor Plan Comparison
The addition to the building's north and east sides will bring the Rockwell branch from 9,604 square feet to 16,054 square feet. Use the slider to compare the existing interior space to the new floor plan.
A Materials return
B Drive-up window (existing: curbside pickup)
C Customer service desk
D Children's area
E Teen space
F Meeting and study spaces
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 Rockwell branch will include:
- Teen window graphics by Brickmob (Wichita): brightly-colored translucent window graphics with a stained glass-inspired look define this area as separate from the rest of the library
- Artwork above fireplace by Lindsey Kernodle (Wichita): bas relief sculpture on top of a painted background mounted above the fireplace to enhance the warm, inviting "living room."
- Children's mural by Katie Lukes (Chicago): colorful mural above the shelves on the new east wall of the children's room
- Community meeting room artwork by Kelly Tompkins (Enid, OK): mural with imagery related to the history and mission of the Library as well as a connection to the outdoor sculpture
- Entry lobby artwork by Sheldon Draper (Wichita): a welcoming, engaging art installation seen by patrons coming into the newly expanded meeting room
- Outdoor sculpture by Sujin Lim (New York): a dynamic, eye-catching sculpture located to the north of the building
