Amherstburg library ready to reopen after repairs
Just the slightest hint of life at the Amherstburg library drew the curious up the steps to see if it was open.
Residents have been without the Essex County Library branch on Sandwich Street since Feb. 20 when it was shut down to repair basement water damage. With work now complete, the branch reopens Monday at 1 p.m. “You can tell people really care about the library here,” said Rob Johnston, the manager of community services for the Essex County Library. “People have been coming up to the door, everyone is excited to have it back open.”
The 105-year-old Carnegie Library was originally damaged by a severe storm last fall. Engineers thought it would be a five-week shutdown when repair work began in February.
The process proved a bit more involved than originally thought, and instead of a March opening it was pushed back to the end of April.
“That’s always the fear when you start taking down walls in a 100-year-old building,” Johnston said.
To maintain a presence in the community during the closure, the ECL system offered a pop-up library at the Libro Centre and mail delivery of books and other materials.
At the town’s main branch, workers had to remove the basement’s west wall in order to repair the original stone foundation. That meant the basement space had to be emptied of the books, shelving and desks that normally hosted the children’s section. Much of the stock was lugged upstairs in blue boxes while some was shipped off to other branches or the ECL’s administrative offices. Library staff was busy this week putting everything back in place. “When you put all these books back you’ve got to get them in the right order,” Johnston said of the formidable task. Repairing the building, which is owned by the town, cost $68,000. Another $70,000 was spent on refurbishing the parking lot. The library’s basement now features a fresh coat of paint, new flooring and an updated staff area. The stairs leading to the basement were also redone. Upstairs, staff took advantage of the closure to give everything a thorough cleaning and to rearrange the layout.
“We’re making it a little more attractive and more accessible with a better flow,” Johnston said. They ’ve added a new Young Adult (YA) area complete with new furniture and the all-important outlets for plugging in personal devices. Patrons will also see plenty of new books on the shelves. “We did a collection refresh,” Johnston said.
“We sent a lot of new books here. It’s not a new library but we want to have an exciting new collection that people want.”