This Day in Henrico History: Oct. 6 – New Fairfield Area Library welcomes more than 2,500 on opening day
On this day in 2019, Henrico County opened the new Fairfield Area Library at 1401 North Laburnum Avenue, drawing more than 2,500 visitors to the building on its first day.
The 44,803-square-foot, two-story library replaced the former Fairfield Library, which had served the community since 1976. A ribbon-cutting ceremony at 2 p.m. preceded the opening of the new building to the public.
The building's design was inspired in part by the differing educational philosophies of two prominent Black Americans, Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois. Among its new features were spaces designed to encourage academic learning and practical skill development, including a creation classroom, youth conference room and one-button recording studio.
The library also incorporated the Fairfield Community Trailblazers Wall, an interactive exhibit recognizing people with connections to the Fairfield area who made significant contributions to Henrico and beyond. By the end of 2019, more than 1,600 people had interacted with the exhibit.
The new library represented a dramatic expansion from the original Fairfield facility, which opened in 1976 with about 16,000 square feet.
Sources: Henrico County Public Library; Henrico County FY2021 budget; Virginia Association of Counties.
