Que Sera Sera

This is our motto for the next few weeks. Whatever will be, will be. We're right in the middle of packing and hope to start our move Monday July 6th. We are freaked out by the whole thing, and have pretty much decided that we have NO schedule for this move. We are going to wing the heck out of this thing! (Which, for the usually well organized librarian is a terrible thing indeed)

However, we are committed to opening up again on the 17th of July. We decided we would rather move over as soon as we were able to operate at a functional level, so that we could avoid another month's rent, so that we could open our doors to our patrons as soon as possible, and so that we could be back home in a building with working plumbing. What that means to you is you will have the opportunity to play "I Spy" in the new building while hunting down the new items arriving each week.

I know that some of you might have noticed the extreme emotions running through the staff at this time. Rest assured, we should all be back to our normal happy fun (sane) selves by about... December? No, really we should be ready to have fun and party on both July 17th for the Ribbon Cutting ceremony, and on August 8th for the Grand Open House.

During the next two weeks, we will try to keep you posted on what's happening in the library and look forward to seeing each and every one of you at the ribbon cutting ceremony on July 17th. The parade will begin at 9:30 and start at the temporary location at 1270 Lee Blvd., and finish up two blocks away at our real home of 955 Lee Blvd. The Ribbon Cutting ceremony will begin at 10:00 am, and the doors should open by 10:30am.

Stay cool and we'll see y'all in two weeks!

Theresa

Beware of flying Peeps!

The staff is starting to freak out at a rapid pace now, realizing that Opening Day is just FOUR WEEKS AWAY! We are in the midst of so many projects that have to be completed before we can open and it seems each and every day, something new gets added. If you happen to be walking past the back staff area and hear strange noises like thumps or screams, just ignore us - chances are, we are throwing something against the wall in frustration! Our favorites include some stale Peeps left on a desk months back, a cush ball, a super ball and a couple of stuffed items. We are trying to maintain our composure while we are out in the main area, but if you happen to witness a small temper tantrum, know that it is nothing our patrons have done, it is just stress getting to us and either ignore us, or feel free to offer us chocolate!

Over at the site, the upstairs that was so huge and open in months past, is now being filled with book shelves and it is beginning to look a lot like a library. Outside, they are finishing up the landscaping and the patios. On the main floor, the last of the carpeting is being installed in the meeting rooms and the finish wood work and tile work is coming to completion.

Mark your calendars for two big dates - Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and first day back "home" will be Friday, July 17th. On this day, we will have speeches and dedications and formal ceremonies before you get to peek inside.

The big blow-out party day will be Saturday, August 8th from 10:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. On this day, we will have local musicians, jugglers, remote control cars and planes, Eric Herman performing for the kids, face painting, and to end the evening, the JavaTones will be blasting out the blues!

Until next week, Lisa

We need a nap...

Well, it is 21 days before we close this place down to move back home, and almost all of the staff has been putting in extra hours both in planning the move back, and in getting this place ready to move. We have placed RFID tags in almost all the books, with just the last half of non-fiction and the biographies to go. We are cataloging and processing the Richland Collection materials, including some very interesting old Corps of Engineers documents from 1947. We are also eagerly awaiting the delivery of our "Opening Day Collection" materials that need to be finalized before they can go out on the shelves. We are very very tired right now!

Over in the library, it is positively swarming with people. The carpet is almost finished, the handrails are being installed in some staircases. The elevators are in working order. The bathrooms better be in working order by the time I have to start working over there. Everything is beginning to come together.

Shelving was delivered yesterday, and already the upstairs has lots of shelves roughed out. It does diminish the open feeling a bit, but it's still a beautiful space and I know you will all love the second floor.

This was the first day that we could really see the impact that no school has on our facility. Summer reading sign-ups for both children and teens are going like gangbusters, and several people have inquired about our first ever Adult Summer Reading program. That will actually begin on July 27 and go through sometime in September, so be on the lookout for that when we reopen.

Just a little reminder. Absolutely Nothing Nothing NOTHING is due back on July 3 -July 17. So please, unless you really feel the need, don't worry about returning material to the library while we are closed. We will be closing our book drop at 1270 Lee Blvd. on July 2 at 5:00 pm, and nothing will be able to be returned to this building after that. The book drop at 955 Northgate will more than likely be open by July 3, but I'm not promising anything right now. Also, while we are closed, there will be no telephone service. You will still be able to monitor your account online, so make sure you know your user id and pin number before we close. If you have any questions about any of this, just inquire at any of the service desks in the library.

Enjoy your weekend, and get some sleep. I know I plan on doing so!

Theresa

It's official....

Probably the worst kept secret in the Tri-Cities can finally be officially announced. We will be closing at 5:00 pm on Thursday July 2, 2009. We will remain closed until Friday July 17, 2009. During those scant 12 days, the library staff will be moving every single book, movie, books on tape/CD, game, music CDs, periodical, newspaper, and just about anything else you can think of back home. The only thing we will be leaving are (most) of the bookshelves, the office systems and the public furniture. As for what will happen to the things we don't bring back with us? That hasn't been decided yet that I know of. As soon as someone tells me something definite, I will let y'all know!

On July 17, we are planning an official and very dignified Ribbon Cutting and Dedication. It will involve speeches by various important personages (mercifully, we will keep the speeches very brief!), a formal flag raising ceremony, and some other activities that we'll let you know about in a bit. On August 8, we are planning a very unofficial and rather undignified open house that will involve many musical guests, demonstrators, dances and other surprises. Look for more information on both of these very soon (gulp!)

Carpeting is just about complete in the upstairs portion of the building, as well as on the first floor. The floor in the staff areas is also virtually finished, with just a few spots here or there to complete. Next week, we hope to begin installing the shelving system. It's been quite a nail-biter on when the shelving would be able to start to go in, and we're very happy that it's turned out to be sooner rather than later.

The concrete pad outside the building is being poured this week, and if you've noticed, the flag pole is back up, and placed in a much more prominent spot now. Many thanks to the Knights of Columbus, who have taken care of our flag needs for many years now.

In the midst of all this hoopla, summer reading sign ups are underway. Children and Teens can sign up for the first part of the program now, and then complete the program when we open back up again in our real home. Adults will be able to start their summer reading program once we move back. All in all it looks like this is going to be a very busy summer!

Stay cool, and come and see us during our last few days in exile at 1270 Lee Blvd.

Theresa

We're floored by the progress...

We have carpet in the second floor and recycled flooring in the staff areas on the first floor! We are all very excited about that, because that means we could have shelving installation on the second floor very soon. The carpet is actually (to my surprise) very nice. When we first saw the carpet squares, neither Lisa or I were terribly excited -- it looked to us like a bad flashback to the 1970's. But when it is all laid out in the basket weave style they decided on, it looks very nice. A HUGE thanks to the two guys (and a daughter) who spent the weekend arranging and gluing the squares down. They did a magnificent job!

The flooring in the staff areas downstairs is very cool looking. It is made from recycled tires and tennis shoes, and is very environmentally friendly. The area smells a bit like Les Schwab right now, but that should dissipate in a week or so. Upstairs where the carpet is, I can't smell any glue at all. Everything we are using is designed to be very good for the environment, and to minimize the impact on patrons with sensitivity problems. I'm not saying it will be perfect for everyone, but it should be much better than when we opened up in the temp spot.

Most of the ceiling work is finished, with just a few open areas left. Casework continues to be installed, and everything is looking very nice. After 17 months in a holding pattern, we are all very anxious to move back home. Our patrons are anxious as well, not a day goes by that someone doesn't ask us how soon before we can leave this building. Not soon enough is our reply!

However, before we leave, we will be starting the Summer Reading Program. June 1 is the start date, and check at the children's desk for information about the sign-up rallies. We also have a great teen program, and a new adult reading program for this year. All questions can be answered at the Reference & Children's information desks -- don't be afraid to ask them anything!

Have a great week, and enjoy the beautiful weather!

Theresa

On the homestretch...

Well, we are beginning to see the end of this project...finally! Most of the big construction/renovation work is done, and we are getting down to the finishing work and looking at punch lists and finalizing things.

Outside, the landscaping is almost completed, with some lovely trees and bushes flourishing in their new environment. The new birch outside of Ann's office is magnificent, and we anticipate the squirrels coming back home very soon. The entrance of the library is very impressive, with the plain and the fritted glass being not only environmentally friendly, but creating a striking visual impression as well.

On Wednesday, they were in the process of cleaning up the floors -- vacuuming and leveling and getting them ready for the carpet in the public areas, and the very cool recycled flooring for the staff areas. The feature wall behind the staircase is getting the wood planking added to it, and if Lisa and I get to work, the rest of that wall will be ready by the time we open.

Speaking of opening... the exact date for that is still not quite ready to be announced, but will be definitely sometime mid July. When we finally get the go-ahead to let you know (although I'm beginning to think it's the worst kept secret in this town!), we will let you know, and we will also fill you in on the dedication ceremony and the rockin' open house we have planned for August 8.

In the meantime, we are still plugging away at 1270 Lee Blvd. Summer Reading Programs are set to kick off on June 1, and that includes children, young adult, and this year we debut a new adult summer reading program! A huge thanks must be made to all our wonderful volunteers, and all the staff putting in extra hours on the RFID process. It's quite tedious, time-consuming, and sometimes frustrating, but will make things so much easier on both staff and patrons when we move back!

Have a beautiful week, and get out and enjoy this incredible weather!

Theresa

Pane-fully clear...

Whoops! Sorry about the missed post last week! I was on vacation all last week in the beautiful Big Sur/Monterey Bay area of California, and Lisa was supposed to do the blog entry, but we started a huge project with our collection, and she never got a chance! Mea Culpa.

We did make it over there today, and I can't believe how much got done in the space of just one week! The main thing to see right now are all the windows! The exterior windows are in and some of the framework is installed. The windows in the doors are in, and the windows in the offices are there. The floor to ceiling windows in the board room are installed, and it's just a tiny bit freaky to stand there and look straight down at the first floor!

The other big news is that the entryway floor is being sanded down to the final color. It's hard to see from the pictures, but the colors are a mixture of browns and golds and bronzes. Quite striking when the light hits it!

The circulation desk is installed, and makes a statement when you walk in. There's no missing where you can check your material out! Some of the interior "feature walls" have been painted as well -- they are very pretty with a kind of dusty blue and marigold color.

The flooring for the back area is not installed yet, but the rolls are there. It is some sort of composite recycled tennis shoe flooring, and should be very interesting. We have also heard a rumor that the carpeting upstairs will begin maybe this week, but that's just a rumor right now.

Outside, all the bare twigs and branches have leafed and flowered out, and the grounds are looking very picturesque. Soon we hope to be installed back where we belong, out of this temporary spot and into your beautifully restored and remodelled new building.

Theresa