Beverly Arlequeeuw, Executive Director of the Logan County Libraries recently released this press release:
The Knowlton Library has been closed for restoration since the water lines in the fire suppression system burst on December 25, 2022, due to extreme cold weather. Not surprisingly, our most frequently asked question at the library this year has been, “When will the Knowlton Library be reopening?” While we know you have been anxiously awaiting this announcement, at this time we do not have a projected date for fully reopening the library.
Although the Knowlton Library doesn’t have a projected date for fully reopening, we are happy to announce a partial reopening with our library’s community room at the Knowlton Library during the week of September 18 for library programs. Up until now, we have been holding our library programs at various outdoor locations throughout Logan County including local parks and even our library parking lot. By reopening the library community room, we can offer quality library program inside the library as the weather get cooler. The lobby, restrooms, and community room are the only sections of the library that will be open to the public at this time as the rest of the library is still under construction.
In addition to conducting library programs in the community room, we will also be holding our annual book sale for the public on November 16, 17, and 18. Hundreds of gently used books can be purchased just in time for the holidays, featuring books for children, teens, and adults as well as music, movies, and audiobooks. All proceeds of the sale will benefit the Logan County Library Foundation.
We will be able to assess a more definitive date for reopening the library when the new library furniture begins to arrive from our vendor. Most of the furniture is custom-made to fit the exact location and measurements of the area where it will be installed, such as the circulation desk and the reference desk which are very large and essential furnishings for library function. The rest of the furniture is custom-made for the wood stain finishes and fabric choices that we have selected. The furniture is expected to arrive in two phases, with the first phase projected to arrive at the end of September, and the second phase at the end of November. As we approach the date of the second phase of furniture delivery, we will make an announcement with a more definitive date for reopening the Knowlton Library.
Finally, we hope to dispel any misinformation about the library’s restoration project. We want to assure the residents and taxpayers of Logan County that they are not bearing any of the costs for the restoration since it is being covered by our insurance—no taxpayers’ money is being used for the restoration. Also, the length of time that it is taking for the restoration is due to two factors–the extent of water damage that we sustained during the flood, and the lengthy approval process from the insurance company for replacing damaged items. As the damaged items have been approved for replacement, we have also been faced with supply chain delays which have affected the timeliness of deliveries of materials. The list of materials for the restoration includes drywall, flooring, ceiling grids and tiles, insulation, lights, electrical floor outlets, networking cables, telephones, security system, furniture, chairs, tables, desks, cubicles, library display cases, storage and file cabinets, doors, office equipment, computers & monitors, scanners, metal shelving, office and craft supplies, plumbing, copiers, printers, and more. Due to the large scope of this library restoration project, having a projected reopening date near the end of this calendar year is not unreasonable.
We know all of you are eager to be back at the Knowlton Library, and we are just as eager to have our patrons back in the building once again. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we continue to work through restoring the building and getting it ready for reopening to the public. Please understand that there are still too many variables that prevent us from reopening or even setting a definite reopening date. However, we strongly believe that the restoration will make the Knowlton Library a place that you can all be proud of and love!
For continued updates and answers to frequently asked questions, please visit the library’s website at HERE.
