No Tricks all Treats...

Happy Halloween to all!

Over at the construction site they are plugging away at enclosing the building. Right now, we are waiting on the delivery of the windows. Once those get in, they can put up the final panels and the building will be ready for winter. They are also still working on grading and finishing the parking lot before winter sets in. (Judging by today's weather, they don't have much more time left!)

The inside of the building is getting pretty full right now with all the supplies and equipment they are stockpiling for winter. It's pretty exciting to think that we are about 9 months (we hope) out from moving back. We've been in this spot for almost a year now, and are beginning to feel like we've been on a long journey. We've had fun and it's been exciting to be in a different place, but home is where our heart is, and we can't wait to move back there.

A big thanks to everyone who has been so gracious about the construction. Our library has been on the same spot for 30 plus years, and we've seen that spot grow from a quiet out of the way location to a very busy center of the town with many different medical and school buildings that we've watched grow up around us. It's quite exciting to be in such an exciting part of town!

Remember, we are still hard at work over in this location (1270 Lee Blvd.) On Saturday (tomorrow!) we will have a workshop on creating a story for children. On the 4th of November, the kids will have their own election and get to vote for their favorite Washington Children's Choice Picture Book award title. November is Native American Heritage Month, and on the 6th we will have a local storyteller sharing Native American stories and artifacts at 7:00pm. So much to do in this small building -- just wait until we have our own space again!

Theresa

We're positively ELECTRIC...

When you're in the dark and you want to see,
You need uh... Electricity, Electricity
Flip that switch and what do you get?
You get uh... Electricity, Electricity
Every room can now be lit
With just uh... Electricity, Electricity... *

Yes, the power to the building has been restored! The low-voltage rough-in should be complete this week, and some miscellaneous mechanical rough-in is still going on. The furring for the windows and doors has begun, and we should being to install the insulation next week.

Ongoing projects include roofing on the new part of the building, exterior and interior framing, and MEP rough-ins.

The storm, sewer and water lines have all been installed, and grading is underway, and will continue for the next two weeks. Light pole installation should begin next week. The goal is to have the building completely enclosed before the rough weather starts. They are also trying to get the parking lot paved before the paving companies close down for the winter.

Back at the temp spot, we have an awesome Halloween program coming up next Wednesday the 29th, and plans are underway to hold the Holiday Movie Marathon on December 19th. Check out our newsletter for more details, and remember to leave us a comment on the blog!

Theresa

*thanks to School House Rock for the lyrics at the beginning of this post!

Yes, they really are working...

Several times over the last weeks, I've had patrons ask if the work is still progressing on the building. Rest assured, our construction crew is working very hard. Most of the work right now is taking place inside the building, but soon you should start to see some more improvements to the outside. The crew is very anxious to get the parking lot poured before the winter weather sets in, and they are also awaiting any day now the arrival of the windows.

Work on the roof at the southeast corner of the building is going on, as well as preliminary work on the canopy for the walk up book drop, and sheathings for the automobile book drop. Wall framing is about 95% completed, and as soon as the windows are installed, they will begin to work more on the interiors. The roof panel installation for the new addition is just about complete, and the concrete panels are all in place, as well as all the parapet wall framing.

What many people don't understand is that this remodel was a complete tear-down on all aspects of the building. We have completely redone the sewer system for the building and also the storm drain system. While it may not be very exciting for patrons to see, trust me, when you don't have to deal with the pond in the middle of the parking lot, or attempt to find a bathroom that is not out of order, you will be very grateful for the time taken to improve these things!

In the temporary building, staff is continuing to work on the move back, and also looking at furniture for our individual work stations. It's quite a daunting task, but staff is handling it with their usual grace and aplomb.

Theresa

Playing in the dirt

There's lots of dirt and debris on the building site right now, partly due to our glorious fall weather and partly due to the excavation for the storm sewer system. That particular project includes revamping the Library site's system as well as the pipes that connect out to the street. The site is full of new materials, pipes for the sewer as well as huge mounds of roof insulation waiting for the crane to lift them up to the roof to be installed. The parking lot is completely gone now, and much thanks to CBC for allowing our construction crew to park on their lot.

You may have noticed that the precast concrete panels were being installed last week. They are all in place now, and will stay in their plastic wrapping to protect them during construction. The really big excitement (to me, at least!) is that the windows are scheduled to arrive within the next two weeks. Once they are installed, our building will really begin to look fully formed. After they are installed, the interior sheet rock work will begin. The concrete floor, both old and the new slabs, have been filled and smoothed out. Interior steel stairs have been installed, and much of the duct work and the rough plumbing is finished. Work continues to be done on the sprinkler system and the low voltage systems.

Back in the temporary space, we are still providing quality programs for our patrons. In October alone we have a visit from the Puddle Ducks Herb Farm, a celebration of Diwali, the Festival of Lights, a Halloween After School Program, and a visit from Clifford the Big Red dog! So come by and see us -- and be sure to leave us a comment on the blog!

Theresa