 |
| Working in the stairwell |
As anyone who has been into the library in the past few months can attest, dust is flying and paint is drying! I joined the library staff a few short months ago to oversee a rather ambitious overhaul of the facilities and after a bit of settling and testing we’re ready to move into the meat of the operations. We see so many people on a daily basis that it’s no wonder that we’re a little overdue for a face lift!
The most obvious renovation at first will be the walls and floors. We plan to remove the old paper wall treatment as we bring the facility away from the pink and paisley theme into something just a bit more modern without taking away from the small-town aesthetic that makes the building comfortable. I’ve started this downstairs in the rear entrance to the building, though there will be slight changes as I get to know the old walls and how they work and keep improving.
Many of the improvements we have planned are not just
visual but are based on giving our current and future patrons better ease of
use and amenities when digging into a good book or using a public computer. We
plan on having new water fountains with water-bottle fillers, a fully
operational and always working elevator, brand new bathrooms, a new media room
with all kinds of fun gadgets, and much more by the end of the year!
I know the library is a place of quiet study and I’ve been
making my fair share of both noise and mess and would like to thank our patrons
as a whole for being very understanding as we go through this renovation
process. Construction is noisy work and I’m doing my utmost to cause as little
disturbance as possible moving forward. Thanks to everyone for their
patience and kind commiseration when someone sees me covered in paint and dust!
In the near future, rooms may be closed, halls shut off, or
meetings shifted to different rooms – I know all of these things are
inconveniences and promise to do my best to keep them at a minimum. But when
your child has a little paint on his fingers, or there is dust on your shoes,
please keep in mind that we are working towards having a comfortable,
functional, and good-looking community space for the town to use for many years
to come. We are partnering with area stores and contractors to help keep the
funds allocated for our improvement in the local community and I promise to use
as much locally-sourced materials, labor, and talent as possible wherever
possible.
Feel free to send any questions, comments, or concerns
related to the library remodel directly to me at mwilliams@bremen.lib.in.us and
we look forward to seeing you!
No comments:
Post a Comment