Please use the elevator

The new public elevator is operational! So now, we're closing the big stairs. Don't worry... it's just for a little while so workers can do some work that requires scaffolding. Once they're done next week, at least one side of the staircase will be open at all times. (We will close off each side, one at a time, so workers can install new tile on the steps.)

So what else is new this week? A lot. After a few weeks of being closed to the public, the areas under renovation are almost unrecognizable. Here are some photos of the Children's Department.

 Check it out... the walls of the children's bathrooms are gone! (Don't worry... they'll be replaced!)

This morning, we noticed a new wall in the rear of the Children's Area, seen above. (Directly left of this photo is the doorway that goes into the back hallway of the building).

 It's very difficult to convey in photos, but the two shots above show where the new Children's Desk will be, as well as the wide hallway through the center of the building. This area USED to be our Circulation Work area and Tech Services (where we process materials). When renovation is complete, the center of the building will house programming space for the Children's and Young Adult departments. The wide hallway will house the Children's Area computers along the walls!

Meanwhile, over in the Young Adult Department, the "trenches" that were cut into the floor to run wiring have been filled in, as seen above.

Also downstairs, we got completely disoriented when we entered the old Talking Book Center (where Circulation has been temporarily located, at the rear of the building.) There all kinds of new walls and offices back here, which will house Tech Services when complete. The following photo was taken from the former temporary entrance. If you look to the left, that's where the Circulation Desk was!

Finally, all kinds of changes are happening upstairs. The Administration offices are being reconfigured. The shot below shows the Public Relations office!

  Also, our Board Room is being widened.

To close, here's a shot of the former Reference Area, which will become Nonfiction when renovation is complete.

Wow!

Demolition

We're kicking into high gear with the renovation of the Young Adult and Children's departments! Check out these photos from today... you can hardly recognize our space!

In the Children's Area, carpet has been ripped out and workers are clearing out the space, including knocking out drywall:

 

Meanwhile, on the other side of the building in YA, we saw THIS:

It's not every day you see a trench dug in the middle of the library! Workers had to cut through the concrete slab to make way for plumbing and wiring. (In case you were wondering what that drilling noise was last week, this is what they were doing!)

They've got the new Circulation Workroom framed out:

 This is at one end of YA, close to the Browsing Area.

Please continue to bear with us as we wait for the public elevator to open. For now, we're directing everyone who needs it to the elevator at the rear of the building, but it hopefully won't be for much longer!