Nov. 30, 2025 11a
(WGTD)---If you ask the director of the Kenosha Public Library, the one-year-old K-P-L Kids at the Uptown Lofts Library has been a big hit.
Over 35,000 people have visited the new library on 22nd Ave. during its first year, according to Sarah Townsend. "We're seeing people come from all over Kenosha County and farther to experience what is really a fantastic place that is all in on serving kids," Townsend says. "We've also seen people coming from other libraries around Illinois and Wisconsin who are looking at redoing their kids' spaces and want to learn from what our staff is doing."
Townsend began her tenure as K-P-L director well after the children’s library opened in the summer of 2024.
The library occupies part of the lower level of an apartment building that replaced a structure that was damaged in the 2020 riots in Kenosha.
WGTD visited the library shortly after it opened and produced a video version of The Morning Show.
One interesting statistic: The new library hasn’t taken away attendance from the library’s Uptown Neighborhood Library which is located a few blocks away.
The new children’s library was financed with private donations and Covid relief funds that the city received from the federal government.
Over 300 individuals and representatives of various foundations, charitable trusts, agencies and companies that donated were invited to a reception that was held at the library earlier this month.
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