Obama Presidential Center to house public library branch: Chicago mayor

CHICAGO, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel announced on Wednesday that a new public library branch will be located at the future Obama Presidential Center to benefit the neighborhood in the city's south side.

"The Chicago Public Library branch at the Obama Presidential Center will offer tremendous educational and cultural benefits to the South Shore community and all of Chicago," said Emanuel.

The mayor was joined by representatives from the Obama Foundation and Chicago Public Library in making the announcement.

Usually, U.S. presidential libraries keep vast archives of documents for researchers to study. Obama Presidential Center will be the first to include a public library for community residents of all ages to gather and learn.

Mayor Emanuel, who used to be Obama's Chief of Staff, claimed that the Obamas always "think new, think fresh and think about neighborhood."

In May 2017, Barack Obama unveiled the preliminary design of his presidential center in Chicago's lakeside Jackson Park. Obama expressed his hope that the center, expected to be completed by 2021, will draw hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, and in the meantime revitalize the relatively less prosperous south side. Enditem