City council members voted Thursday to name the city’s main library after former President Barack Obama.

ST. PETERSBURG – City council members made it official after a public hearing Thursday (April 19): St. Petersburg’s main library will be known as the President Barack Obama Main Community Library.

“Highlighting Barack Obama’s extraordinary story and history-making presidency in this way will inspire generations of young people in St. Pete and will complement the city buildings and other amenities that bear the name of local trailblazers,” St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman said. Kriseman had spearheaded the move to name the library after the 44th president.

The name is not the only change for the library,  3745 9th Ave. N. It’s also slated to undergo about $6 million in renovations that will be funded with money from the Penny for Pinellas sales tax.

Among the upgrades: 42 parking spaces, complete sprinkler system, ADA-compliant rest rooms, rear patio renovation and outdoor gathering space, and reconfiguration of interior spaces with new programming areas. It is unclear when the renovations will begin.

Illustration of renovated President Barack Obama Main Community Library courtesy of the city of St. Petersburg.

Barack Obama | St. Petersburg Library | Rick Kriseman | Tampabay News

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