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Clark library prepares to begin new chapter

September 19, 2008|Fred Petke

The book moving crew arrived this morning, clearing shelves at the Clark County Public Library for the final stages of the facility's renovation and additions.

Residents have until Sunday to do their part in checking out enough books to hold them through the library's month-long closing to finish the project.

"Our patrons have been in to get their books," Director Julie Maruskin said, "so they won't be without. Our most regular patrons have been in to get as many as they could to tide them over."

The library will be open through Sunday, then will close for approximately one month while the interior is redesigned and the 8,000 square foot addition is completed.

The addition will contain the Lynne A. Boxley Library for Young People, the final touches of which have been going up. Just this week, Boxley's name was installed over the entrance in gold letters.

"In the last week, they've done amazing things," Maruskin said. "Everything's on schedule."

In recent days, interior barriers have moved, allowing patrons a peek at the project and get an idea of how things may look when finished, she said.

While the staff will be working through the closure, the library's phones will be turned off. Employees will be checking the book drops daily, she said. Though due dates on books have been extended to Oct. 31, DVDs are due back on Sunday. Extensions will not be offered, due to the size of the collection and that DVDs are more easily lost, she said.

In all, the library has approximately 100,000 items which must be moved and reorganized, she said. Staff members and contractors have already been through the final checklist for the interior work; the exterior checklist is being examined today, she said.

If everything continues according to plan, the library should reopen on Oct. 20, she said.

"We're looking forward to it," Maruskin said. "Everyone's getting excited now that everything's in place."

Contact Fred Petke at fpetke@winchestersun.com.

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