The city’s 28th library branch officially opened its doors Monday, ending a long wait for a bigger public library in Westwood.
The neighborhood will now have two public libraries: the new Lena Archuleta Branch and the older Westwood Branch.
The existing library — about a mile from the Lena Archuleta Branch — is the smallest location in the city. The new branch is 6,000 square feet and will feature a larger collection and more resources.
Construction of the $13.8 million facility was funded by the 2021 RISE Bond.
The new branch will open at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday, with varying closing times. It will be closed on Sundays.
What's in a name
The new location is named after Lena Archuleta, the first Latina principal in Denver, who died in 2011. She served students in the 1970s at the now-closed Fairview Elementary School in Sun Valley.
After retirement, she helped found the Mi Casa Resource Center, which operates just a few blocks down from the new branch.
The city is due to open even more libraries.
First on the list is a new branch in Globeville. The library will be situated in a 250,000-square-foot development that will also include 170 units of affordable housing.
Voters also approved the Vibrant Denver bond package, which includes $10 million for a new library in eastern Denver, which would also be co-located with affordable housing units.
