Mike Wolanin | The Republic Staff from Jack Laurie Group take out carpet all-around the circulation desk at the Bartholomew County Community Library in Columbus, Ind., Monday, March 13, 2023. The carpet and tile flooring at the library are getting replaced.
The Bartholomew County Community Library has reopened following a transient closure for flooring substitute that marked the start off of a 7-month task.
The closure, which lasted from March 6 to March 10, is anticipated to be the only time the full library shuts down all through the setting up-vast endeavor, said library Director Jason Hatton. Nevertheless, smaller sized, departmental closures are envisioned to manifest through the process, which has an estimated September completion day.
“Things truly went fairly perfectly very last 7 days, and we’re off to a very good start out this 7 days,” mentioned Hatton.
The front entryway has been finished, and decreased-level locations around the staircase and elevator have been tiled. Workers also removed floor tiles from the employees room thanks to problems about the possible existence of asbestos and are now positioning new tile in the spot.
Do the job is going on in entrance of the circulation desk as very well. Contractors have ripped up the carpet and are “grinding down the adhesive,” he mentioned.
As a outcome, the circulation desk has been quickly moved to reverse aspect of the entrance entryway. It is now on the remaining of those people entering the building and will stay there right until the tile is concluded. Library staff members are hopeful that tiling in this spot will start out now.
“The key staircase is inaccessible at this time, but floors are effortless to navigate working with the elevator or staircases exterior to the setting up,” library personnel shared.
Thanks to some products arriving sooner than expected, perform on the back staircase might commence upcoming 7 days or the week soon after, explained Hatton.
Additionally, the flooring task is expected to lead to closures of unique library departments in the coming months.
“Those’ll just be piece by piece as we transfer through,” mentioned Hatton. “And we’ll make guaranteed that as those people departments are closed, we will have kind of vital products and services from those departments with some, continue to some resources and services details to be equipped to nevertheless make absolutely sure we’re serving the community.”
The tough routine of these closures is as follows:
- Huge print and graphic novels — Could
- Children’s department — June
- Nonfiction areas — July
- Fiction — August
- DVDs — September
The approximated expense of the undertaking is approximately $800,000. This incorporates $550,000 for the flooring agreement, as nicely as other expenditures such as moving bookcases, construction administration, contingency charges and acoustic do the job.
He reported that the span of the flooring challenge is thorough, with “every single flooring surface” in the library established to be up-to-date.
“We just ask men and women to bear with us, and it’s likely to be lovely when it’s performed,” reported Hatton.
