Sep 21, 2026 By Conner Goetz 3 min read

Leaders at the nonprofit Mt. Lebanon Public Library are confident that an upcoming renovation project will ensure that the well-loved South Hills institution will remain safe, comfortable and accessible for the coming decades.

The three-phase renovation will cost approximately $4 million of mixed public and private funding, representing the largest infrastructure investment made by the library’s Board of Trustees in nearly 30 years.

According to Library Director Robyn Vittek, a sizable contribution from the Helene Bush Trust in 2024 for updates to the Children’s Library catalyzed a broader review of the library’s facility, eventually growing into the current project plan.

The first phase, which will go out to bid in October, will see a comprehensive update to the first central information desk area of the first floor.

Vittek said that this phase will include installing a new sensory room, increasing access to the courtyard garden, opening up the entrance to the Children’s Library and relocating the bathroom area.

Improving accessibility to the first floor bathrooms is a top priority for the board, Vittek said.

When the elevator connecting the first floor to the basement was inoperable for nearly four months in 2025, some patrons that use mobility aids such as wheel chairs had to exit the building and go around the outside ramp down to the basement entrance to use those bathrooms since the main restrooms upstairs are not accessible enough.

This situation was “concerning and upsetting” for library patrons and staff, Vittek said, so rectifying the first floor bathroom layout to ensure proper ADA compliance will be a substantial improvement.

The first phase will also fully redesign the entrance to the Children’s Library section on the first floor, which is currently a single steel fire door with limited signage.

“One of the main things I hear from patrons when I’m at the help desk is ‘where is the kids section?'” Vittek said, noting that the new, more open design will also allow double-wide strollers to enter the Children’s Library without issue.

Vittek estimates that the first phase will cost around $1.4 million and will conclude sometime in early summer 2027 if the project remains on schedule.

Construction efforts for the second and third phases should conclude in 2028 and 2030 respectively, she said.

These two phases will see new carpets, lighting and a host of associated fixture and furniture updates across the library.

“It’s going to be so gorgeous,” she said.

Vittek said that while the board has a rough outline of the next two phases, the exact fixture and cost details are still to be determined as the project progresses.

Library leaders benefitted from robust feedback and financial support from both patrons and the Friends of the Mt. Lebanon Library group during the planning phase of the project, Vittek said.

The Mt. Lebanon Public Library is one of the most heavily-trafficked libraries in western Pennsylvania, with between 80-90 patrons per hour during peak times throughout the year, and some program offerings regularly boasting over 100 attendees.

This strong support and the friends group have been “instrumental” in the continued success of the library, Vittek said.

“Our library is very well maintained by (Mt. Lebanon Borough Public Works staff), we want to keep our library up to date, safe and comfortable for the next 30-plus years,” she said. “We want to give our residents and patrons the best possible experience.”