Countdown to opening is on

Finally, all the shelves are out of the way and we can look up the stairs into the addition to the children's library. We have much of the downstairs organized by this point, thanks to all the volunteers who have spent many hours moving books around for us. However,there is still work to be done upstairs. Some of the furniture for the children's library won't be arriving until later this month.







The newest hole is being framed in. The original stained glass inserts in the top of the windows have been removed for restoration. After being exposed to the elements for almost 100 years, the leading had become very brittle and there were a few cracks in some pieces of glass.

Still some demolition

There is now a big hole in the wall opening up the former office area. This will be a sitting area in the young adult area.

M-day

M-day stands for moving day. We have closed for the next week in order to finish alterations to our original space and to get everything set up in the new space. Here goes our circulation desk from upstairs. We're excited about the addition, however, we are going to miss working upstairs with the high tin ceilings.

Many hours and many sore muscles later, a lot of material has been moved downstairs. These are the new wooden shelves loaded with the junior non-fiction.

After being cramped for so long, it looks so empty now upstairs. This is the former reference and junior section. Part of the wall will be coming out to open up the former office.

Functional elevator

The elevator passed inspection on Tuesday and this is the first 'official' ride on it. It will certainly be put to good use moving books down to the lower level. It's amazing to look at after seeing all the parts it arrived as.

Shelves were put into place downstairs over the weekend .

Steps and light

Upstairs, the last new ceiling light has been installed in the corner where the steps lead to the addition. Speaking of the steps....










....they have been completed on the sides with drywall, paint, handrails and trim on the edges. Because of the cramped conditions behind the shelf, the flash of the camera does not accurately portray the colour of the paint.

Bits and pieces

This time, let's start our tour outside. The canopy over the main entrance and the emergency exit is finished. Notice we're not looking through or over a fence? The fence disappeared while I was gone.

Upstairs in the accessible washroom the toilet, sink and grab bars have been installed. Don't mind the carpet remnant that's laying there for a short time.

It's hard to see unless you click on the picture to enlarge it, but the elevator is showing signs of life with the red button on the left side of the door. The elevator technicians have been on hand testing to be ready for inspection next week. We need the elevator to move books downstairs next week!

More stained glass

I'm back and excited about what has happened in my absence. Thanks to DeAnna for keeping the blog up to date.

Stained glass panels have been inserted in the south windows of the upstairs level of the addition to insure privacy for our neighbour. The design was adapted from the clerestory windows that line the back wall of the original building.

In the kitchen, the sink has been installed and handles put on the cabinets.

Lights, ceiling, action!

Our in house blogger has deserted us for a trip across the pond... We hope she is having fun and comes back well rested. We will be busy moving books into the beautiful new bookcases.

Circulation desk update

The circulation area is nearing completion; the countertops are now installed and looking grand.

Railings installed and ready for a steady flow of library users.

Lots of wood

We're thrilled to see the circulation area start to come together with the installation of the cabinets. Watch for updates as the countertops are installed and the hardware put on.

Hidden treasures

Are we ever going to enjoy our new space when construction is done. Right now, we have moved books on shelves again in order to free up room for the carpenters to build the steps to the upstairs of the addition. There are tiny little aisles around the shelves - very hot and stuffy in this warm weather we are getting again.

So the old shelves were taken off the wall to make room for the stairs. Behind where the C's and D's of the adult fiction were shelved, the beautiful woodwork of a door frame was discovered. The former chief librarian had told me at one time that originally there was a desk across the main archway of the library and all the books were housed behind it in what currently is the adult non-fiction section. The front of the building were reading rooms. To get a book, you had to ask the librarian to get it for you from behind the desk. We speculate this was the door to the 'inner sanctum'. In conjunction with the general contractor, we are figuring out a way to save this and possibly install small shelves to make it a display area within the frame.

This is as good a shot as I could get in the confined area of the steps into the addition.








Moving along downstairs, the carpet has been laid in the main part of the downstairs addition.





Meanwhile, outside sod has been laid in front and beside the library.