The Clay County Public Library will temporarily close beginning April 3 as construction crews enter a major phase of the facility’s expansion and renovation project.
Library Director Alecia Burns said the library will be closed to the public until June. Burns said the closure is needed as the contractor has progressed the project to begin connecting the expanded space
“They have to tear down the wall that is going to connect the new building to the old building, and we can’t have people in here during construction,” Burns said. “So we just have to, for their benefit, with the remodel that they’re going to do to the old building as well.”
Burns said renovations to the existing building will include new ceilings, flooring, updated windows, and reconfigured interior spaces. Though it was a tough decision to close for nearly two months, Burns said the library is working to maintain services for the community.
“I actually have a meeting with him on Monday,” Burns said. “We’re going to try to do a small, I’m kind of calling it a pop-up library in one of our government buildings where we will have a select few books and movies that people will be able to come to us and check out a couple at a time so that we won’t fully be closed to the public and we’ll still be able to give them their books and their movies. We just won’t have all of our printing and stuff like that up to offer.”
Burns said construction on the expansion has already made significant progress.
“We have a concrete pad… and then we have the beams, the roof, the trusses… as well as plumbing and electrical outlets that are in the floor already,” Burns said. “When we close in April, they will be in the dry.”
While the library is targeting a partial reopening in June, Burns said the full expansion project is expected to be completed by the end of August, in line with grant deadlines.
“We will have a grand opening sometime at the end of August,” Burns said. “But we will be in here and kind of functional before then in June.”
Burns said the expansion will consist of a new meeting room, virtual health rooms, and improved accessibility, including an ADA-compliant bathroom. Burns said the long-awaited project will significantly expand services and opportunities for Clay County residents, particularly for children and community programming.
“We’re so excited,” Burns said. “To see it finally come to fruition and be able to offer the county more. We’re not just books and movies anymore, like libraries used to be.”
Until then, Burns is asking for patience from the community as construction continues.
“Just bear with us,” she said.