Gardner residents will lose access to their neighborhood library branch for up to three months starting Sept. 1, as crews tackle a partial roof replacement, shelving and layout updates, and carpet replacement at the building on East Shawnee Street.
The closure means patrons who rely on the Gardner Library at 137 E. Shawnee St. will need to use other Johnson County Library branches potentially through late November. The nearest alternatives are the De Soto Library at 33145 W. 83rd St. and the recently renovated Spring Hill Library at 109 S. Webster St.
Library staff said the building must close entirely because of the noise and odors from adhesives and paint involved in the work, the Johnson County Post reported Thursday.
The Gardner project had been delayed while crews finished a nearly year-long renovation at the Spring Hill branch, which reopened June 3. Officials were reluctant to shutter both branches at the same time, according to a library background document cited in the report. The Johnson County Library board authorized the Gardner repairs without comment during recent board meetings.
Gardner Library staff will be reassigned to other branches during construction. Spokesperson Elissa Andre explained the system's approach to such closures in September 2025, when the Spring Hill and De Soto branches shut down for renovations: "Current library employees already rotate between locations based on a regional model."
Cardholders with holds queued for Gardner pickup can log into their account at jocolibrary.org or through the library app and select a new pickup location. Johnson County Library shares an online catalog with the city of Olathe's separate library system, so a Johnson County Library card also works at Olathe Public Library branches.
No specific reopening date has been announced.
The library system's project page at jocolibrary.org/library-projects is the place to watch for updates.
Gardner is not the only branch facing downtime this fall. Leawood Pioneer Library will close for about four weeks in October for rooftop HVAC replacement, and Blue Valley Library will close for roughly one week in October for mechanical-system maintenance.
Upcoming community dates:
- Sept. 1 — Gardner Library closes for repairs (up to three months)
- October — Leawood Pioneer Library closes approximately four weeks for HVAC work
- October — Blue Valley Library closes approximately one week for mechanical repairs
For questions, contact Johnson County Library at 913-826-4600.
