Beginning at 5 p.m. Wednesday, the Leavenworth Public Library will be closed for two weeks while several repairs and upgrades are completed.
According to Kim Baker, the director of the library, the early closing time on Wednesday will allow for staff to pick up several displays and take apart the library’s computers in order for work to begin the next morning.
The facility is expected to reopen on Sept. 9. In the meantime, Baker said there are a number of improvements that are scheduled to be made.
Carpet in all but the young adult addition to the library completed last year will be replaced. Baker said the replacement is the result of an insurance claim filed after a sprinkler head broke during the construction of the new addition in January 2009.
“There was water throughout the original building,” she said.
At the same time as the carpet replacement, Baker said the library will be upgrading two of its computer databases — one used for the online catalog and another for circulation.
“Both those projects have to take place when the library’s closed,” she said.
The time between the end of the library’s summer reading program and prior to the time when area students will need resources to work on assignments are typically the least busy days for the library, Baker said. That makes the next two weeks ideal for the completion of the carpet and computer upgrades.
There will be a few staff members in the administrative offices during the work, Baker said, but for the most part the facility will be completely shut down — no mail, no deliveries and no new items for patrons.
“We have had some people in here stocking up,” she said.
For those who currently have materials checked out from the library, Baker said staff has adjusted due dates through its computer database so that no materials will be late or accrue fines until at least Sept. 9 when the doors open again.
The drop box outside the library will still be available if patrons want to drop off their books.
