The newly renovated Thomas Memorial Library in Cape Elizabeth is set to reopen on Feb. 4 with a series of special programs and events designed to introduce the community to the new space.

The first of the celebratory events will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 6, with a demonstration by the Cape Elizabeth High School robotics teams in the new Community Room.

Then, that afternoon, from 3-5, there will be a reception for the inaugural art exhibit in the Stier Family Gallery. The exhibit, “The Art of the Story: A Celebration of Maine Illustrators,” showcases works by eight Maine artists and illustrators, including several pieces by Dahlov Ipcar.

A formal ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place on Monday, Feb. 8, at 9 a.m. Kyle Neugebauer, the new library director, said Tuesday, “It’s going to be a delight to welcome our community into the new library.”

He added, “This is a building for all of Cape Elizabeth to utilize and enjoy. We hope to see you at the one of our opening programs in February (and) all of us at the Thomas Memorial Library are very excited to be nearing completion of our beautiful new facility.”

Voters approved the $4 million renovation and addition project in November 2014, which increased the size of the library from about 14,500 square feet to 16,000 square feet.

The new library building includes new media labs, tutorial rooms, ample space for programming and a wider selection of library materials for adults and children. The two-story building is also energy efficient and includes new outdoor programming space, such as a children’s garden.

Jay Scherma, the longtime library director who has now retired, told the Current in a prior interview that the overall goal for the project was to create “really improved space that patrons will find not just attractive, but comfortable.”

Overall, the new library was designed to be “highly adaptable,” while also providing dedicated space for specific activities, Scherma added.

With the renovation, the library’s lower level became the children’s area, while the upper level houses the adult and young adult collections, along with several study spaces and media labs.

A new elevator is also available and service desks are located on both levels for easy access. However, patrons now also have the option to borrow materials through centrally located self-checkout areas.

On Thursday, Feb. 11, at 6:45 p.m., the library will show off its new media and sound system with a presentation with Tim Caverly, author of “An Allagash Haunting.” Adults and older kids will appreciate the multimedia event that follows the story of 10-year-old Olivia as she finds herself canoeing in the remote woods during the worst storm ever.

Visitors to the library on Saturday, Feb. 13, will be treated to Valentine’s Day-themed concerts, which will be held throughout the day in the lobby and gallery area. The jazz combo at Cape Elizabeth High School and the Russ Gershon Duo are both set to play.

And, on Tuesday, Feb. 16, comic book artist Jay Piscopo will teach kids ages 7-12 how to create cartoon art at a workshop called “Draw on Your Creativity!” The workshop starts at 10:30 a.m. and advance registration is required. Using simple geometric shapes, Piscopo will teach workshop participants how to build anatomy and perspective to create art that tells a story.

In a presentation to the Town Council in August 2014, library architects Dick Reed and Cynthia Loebenstein said the project also offered the town “an opportunity to create a pedestrian connection between the library and elementary schools that support and encourage shared resources.”

Loebenstein added that by removing the 1985 connector building, which connected the main building to the former Spurwink School, “it opens up the space between the town center and the schools, providing a more welcoming environment for everybody in the community.”

She said that the design agreed upon by the community also “honors the history and heritage of Cape Elizabeth by retaining the Pond Cove annex building and the front lawn area.”

She said the goal of the new two-story building was to “maximize green space while minimizing the building footprint, (which) reduces energy-consumption costs.”

This week, Town Manager Mike McGovern also acknowledged the dedication of and commitment the various citizen-led committees that “have worked on this new library for many years.”

And like Neugebauer, McGovern said, “I look forward to it opening.”

With the library no longer needing to use the former Spurwink School, the Town Council is weighing options for future use of the building, including a proposal from the school department to create a specialized learning space focused on the arts.

A ribbon cutting to celebrate the re-opening of the Thomas Memorial Library in Cape Elizabeth will be held on Feb. 8. The year-long, $4 million construction project was designed to update and expand the library building located in the town center.