Hartford Public Library to be closed for months

Expansion plan in the works for Albany Avenue branch

In celebrating National Love Your Library Month, Mayor Luke Bronin and Hartford Public Library Director of Public Services Marie Jarry provided updates on ongoing repairs at the Main Street branch and the Albany Library expansion plan, part of which has gone out to bid.

Library officials said additional work is being done in the Hartford Public Library Downtown Branch, after water damaged the building on Dec. 23, leaving many residents who relied on its services and classes severely impacted.

Library officials said the work that has been done to date includes Servpro crews being on site for several weeks with specialized equipment to remove moisture from the building and combat mold growth.

About the Albany Avenue library branch, Bronin said it would become a part of a mini library campus, which will include the historic Northwest Jones School that is next door.

According to Bronin, the school is a historic building that has been vacant for a long time and in some disrepair. The city has gone out to bid now for remediation work to begin doing environmental work, as there has already been some work done to the building.

“I’m really looking forward to the formal groundbreaking and then ultimately looking forward to uniting these two buildings … into one expanded library here on Albany Avenue. And that’s something that is made possible, in part because of the American Rescue Plan resources that we’ve got, in part, because of our companies which stepped up in such a big way to be part of our long-term recovery,” Bronin said.

He said the Albany Avenue library branch has now become the main Youmedia studio, where youth can get access to new technology and learn how to do design and animation work, and other opportunities, as the Main Street branch is closed for repairs.

City Councilwoman Shirley Surgeon said she was excited to hear there was extra funding available from the American Rescue Funds to turn the Northwest Jones School into the extension of the library.

“This library really is for so many kids, like a home away from home. It’s a safe environment for kids in the community. And that’s what the library provides. You know, we have the media information, we have books, kids can rent a video, and take

Strong winds, heavy snow and high avalanche danger have prevented any attempt to retrieve the bodies. A pair of avalanche experts headed to the scene Wednesday to evaluate whether conditions might permit a recovery effort later this week, but they had not yet returned by Wednesday afternoon, said sheriff ’s Sgt. Jason Reinfeld.

Reinfeld said Wednesday the group was part of a New Yorkbased climbing club, but he had no further information about it.

Six members of the group were ascending the gulley, called a couloir, early Sunday afternoon when the lead climber triggered the avalanche, the sheriff ’s office said. Four of the climbers were caught and swept about 500 feet down.

A seventh member of the group, one who remained at base camp rather than participate in Sunday’s climb, hiked out to get help — an arduous overnight journey that included a descent of about 4,000 vertical feet over 8 miles. He was able to contact the sheriff ’s office by 8 a.m. Monday to relay what had happened, Reinfeld said.

A mountain rescue team reached the base camp early that afternoon but decided against venturing above the lake due to the avalanche risk.

Search teams declined to attempt to reach the area on Tuesday amid a heavy snowstorm and wind gusts of up to 60 mph.