Quiet has returned to London’s Central Library.

The construction phase of the $4.5-million facelift to the Dundas Street library is now complete.

The one-year renovation brought some major changes to the library, including swapping out the escalator system for stairs, installing new flooring, adding a digital media studio and study rooms, replacing walls with glass partitions and upgrading bathrooms.

To understand what users wanted the redesigned library to feature, officials collected feedback from 8,000 people.

“We really listened to users about how they wanted to use the space,” said Julie Gonyou, the project manager of the refurbishing.

Walls were removed or replaced with glass partitions on the ground-floor to create an open-concept layout that provides better access to the Rotary Reading Garden, an outdoor space on the east side of the building that wasn’t getting enough use.

“One of our guiding principles was to increase the visibility of the reading garden,” Gonyou said while giving a walking tour of the library.

A technology lab on the main floor has rows of iMac computers that allow users to edit both videos and photographs.

Outside the lab, two large drop-down screens will soon be installed, making the space ideal for events and teaching.

On the second floor, group work rooms line the perimeter, while a media lab is being outfitted with a recording studio.

More power outlets have been installed throughout the library, making it easier to power up laptops and cellphones.

New carpeting gives the library a fresh, clean look. And to ensure that carpeting stays stain-free, it was installed in sections, allowing soiled areas to easily be replaced.

The biggest and most visible charge to the library is the removal of the escalator system, a leftover from when it housed the Hudson Bay department store prior to 2002.

“They were at the end of their useful lives,” Gonyou said of the escalators, adding that sourcing parts for repairs was becoming increasingly difficult. “It made the most sense to put stairs in.”

So far, the revitalization project has run on time and on budget, Gonyou said.

The city provided $2.5 million to fund the renovations, with some trust and reserve funds and fundraising covering the rest of the tab.

The second phase of the project involves decor- and technology-related upgrades.

Gonyou conceded the year-long renovation disrupted the library — a crane was brought in to install the staircases — but said users have been understanding and patient.

“They supported us though it, and now that we’re getting close to the finish line, they share our excitement.”

dcarruthers@postmedia.com

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