By Andy Furman
NKyTribune reporter
It’s coming – and it’s needed. Those were the confident words from David E. Schroeder, executive director of the Kenton County Library, to the Covington Rotary Club Tuesday afternoon.
“There will be a new library – in Latonia on Winston Avenue – sometime in the spring of 2025,” he told the Northern Kentucky Tribune, on an early-evening telephone call.
“That neighborhood needed a boost,” he told the club over lunch, “They lost much time, during COVID-19.”
Schroeder, obviously was referring to Latonia-area school children, who were either home and studying via zoom – or home because their school was closed.
“We’ll be leasing space,” he said, “And there will be about 50,000 books, mostly for teens and children.”
And there will be no problem noticing the building – there’ll be a traditional theatre marquee with Latonia perched on the side – vertically.
“We had a meeting about the bids,” he said, “and we thought the project would be up and going in the Fall – but now we’re shooting for the Spring of ’25.”
The Latonia branch, he said, should be similar to Covington’s – and that’s good news. According to government figures released at the meeting by Schroeder, the Covington branch on Scott Street is the first library in the Commonwealth to be ranked – and currently it ranks 13th in the nation.
Moreover, in the Commonwealth, the Covington branch ranks third – behind traditionally stronger counties – Jefferson and Fayette – the homes of Louisville and Lexington.
“We start programs with infants – yes infants,” Schroeder said – “That is for parents and grandparents. We’re showing adults – in children’s lives – how to read and what we do.”
He says the goal of the Kenton County library is to give every child from birth a library card.
“We have about 130,000 cards out now,” he said.
And this is not your mom or pop’s library.
“If you think there’s nothing in the library because you’re no longer a child, then think again,” Schroeder said.
The Covington branch does passports – just make an appointment, Schroder says. “We also do the photo.”
Notary Public is another service – again, he says call ahead.
“We do about 300 a month, between our three branches,” he said. “You can read the New York Times or the Cincinnati Business Courier, free, on-line,” he says.
And, of course the History and Genealogy – faces and places with some 131,000 images.
The Covington branch is the official record keeper for St. Elizabeth hospital, according to Schroeder.
“The hospital was opened in 1861, and we have the records through 1945,” he said. “We have their very first admittance, and we stopped their record-keeping just before the HIPPA law was passed.”
The Scott Street branch is the official library for Gateway Technical and Community College.
“They needed a library for their accreditation,” he said. “We provide that service for all Gateway students, since we’re just a block and-a-half away.”
Dave Schroeder is a native of Kenton County and was named executive director of the nationally-ranked Kenton County Public Library in April, 2007. He began his career at Kenton County Public Library in 1986 – as a shelver. He may end it with a statute in front of the new branch in Latonia.