After a $10 million renovation, the upgraded Northeast Library will open to the public on Monday.

During a tour of the building at D and Seventh streets NE, it was clear that a high level of attention had been paid to the details. Chris Wright, project manager for DC Public Library’s capital construction department, said historical records helped them preserve the character of the building while updating it.

A clock in the adult computer lab, for example, was designed in the style of one that had been there when the library opened in 1932. Replicas of the originally reader tables — tweaked to be ADA compliant and allow for power cord storage — live throughout the building. The warm paint colors, while not an exact match, were chosen after a paint analysis and are “historically sensitive,” Wright said. Floors have been replaced with a cork material tile, similar to what would have been used when the building was first built.

The Northeast Library is the first to be renovated after a requirement was put in place that requires the interior of government buildings to be reviewed by the Historic Preservation Office. Wright said the challenge is keeping the historic integrity of the building while making the space open. So instead of taking out walls, opening were made and wood moldings preserved and restored. An elaborate display case on the third floor was moved to a more prominent position.

The entrance of the building has been moved so that people who enter from the stairs in the front and the accessible ramp in the back meet in the same space. The circulation desk now resides in this area, which mixes originally crown molding with modern glass. The addition of a glass room houses the staircase and elevator.

Of the many dramatic changes, the one that stands out the most is the huge increase in community space. The first floor is now home to four study rooms. A large room in basement has been transformed into a colorful, inviting spot that can hold up to 100 people. A mezzanine that overlooks the first floor, now reinforced with steel beams, also serves as a community space.

The library will reopen to the public on February 3 after closing in September 2012 with a grand opening party on February 8. Don’t miss the building tour at noon.