Mike Wolanin | The Republic Workers from Jack Laurie Group remove carpet around the circulation desk at the Bartholomew County Public Library in Columbus, Ind., Monday, March 13, 2023. The carpet and tile flooring at the library are being replaced.
The Bartholomew County Public Library has reopened following a brief closure for flooring replacement that marked the start of a seven-month project.
The closure, which lasted from March 6 to March 10, is expected to be the only time the entire library shuts down during the building-wide endeavor, said library Director Jason Hatton. However, smaller, departmental closures are expected to occur throughout the process, which has an estimated September completion date.
“Things really went pretty well last week, and we’re off to a good start this week,” said Hatton.
The front entryway has been completed, and lower-level areas near the staircase and elevator have been tiled. Workers also removed floor tiles from the staff room due to concerns about the possible presence of asbestos and are now placing new tile in the area.
Work is going on in front of the circulation desk as well. Contractors have ripped up the carpet and are “grinding down the adhesive,” he said.
As a result, the circulation desk has been temporarily moved to opposite side of the front entryway. It is now on the left of those entering the building and will remain there until the tile is completed. Library staff are hopeful that tiling in this area will begin today.
“The main staircase is inaccessible at this time, but floors are easy to navigate using the elevator or staircases exterior to the building,” library staff shared.
Due to some materials arriving sooner than expected, work on the back staircase might begin next week or the week after, said Hatton.
Additionally, the flooring project is expected to cause closures of different library departments in the coming months.
“Those’ll just be piece by piece as we move through,” said Hatton. “And we’ll make sure that as those departments are closed, we will have kind of essential services from those departments with some, still some materials and service points to be able to still make sure we’re serving the public.”
The rough schedule of these closures is as follows:
- Large print and graphic novels — May
- Children’s department — June
- Nonfiction areas — July
- Fiction — August
- DVDs — September
The estimated cost of the project is roughly $800,000. This includes $550,000 for the flooring contract, as well as other costs such as moving bookcases, construction management, contingency fees and acoustic work.
He said that the span of the flooring project is comprehensive, with “every single flooring surface” in the library set to be updated.
“We just ask people to bear with us, and it’s going to be beautiful when it’s done,” said Hatton.
