Breaux Bridge – Residents of the community are being asked to attend the first in a series of meetings to offer feedback on plans for a new public library branch here.

The first meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 16, at 6 p.m. at the Breaux Bridge library at the corner of Main and Courthouse streets.

The St. Martin Parish Library Board of Control has begun preliminary planning for a new library. The original 4,108 square foot facility was built in 1956 and renovated in 1990 and 1999.

Library director Charlar Brew said that more renovations would not deliver the functionality and sustainability that is needed to take the library into the future.

Currently, there is no room to add computers or other technology, study and meeting rooms are inadequate, and areas are needed for youth and teen programming.

Brew also said that technology rules, and so the library must be “born digital” to remain relevant for today’s patron, as well as those of the future.