They really are working fast!

If you have driven past the site lately, you might have noticed that some of the precast panels have been put in place. Work is also continuing on the roof, more framing of the interior, and all sorts of other things that can't be seen by just driving by, but rest assured, our crew is working really hard to finish up. Some of you are getting a bit antsy, and wondering why things are taking so long. Let me tell you, this crew is actually getting things done in record time. Since we are doing both a remodel and an expansion, the process is actually longer than if we had started completely from scratch on a new site. But our crew is determined to finish this thing on time and on budget, and we thank them greatly for their efforts!

September marks the ninth month that we have been in our temporary location, and the staff of the Richland Public Library would like to extend a huge thank you to all of our customers who have put up with plumbing problems, Internet hiccups, and assorted cranky behaviors from the staff. Take comfort in knowing that this time next year we will (hopefully) be back home in a great new space. Personally, I can't wait to spend my lunch hour curled up in the browsing area by the fire, sipping on that triple skinny hot latte, reading the latest Stabenow or Reichs novel. and watching the leaves turn gold and red from my perch up high in the tree tops.

Keep thinking good thoughts, and stop by and see us in our temporary

location (1270 Lee Blvd)                     THERESA

If you feed, them they will work faster!

The library staff has been working under the premise that we can bribe the construction crew into speeding things along by feeding them.  Each week, we send cookies or some other tasty treat with our manager when she goes to the weekly construction team meeting.  Last week we decided to spice things up a bit and go "hog" wild - literally!  We cooked up a huge batch of pulled pork, sloppy joes and assorted side dishes and desserts.  The staff joined the construction crew for lunch on Friday and got to chat with the people who are building your library. After lunch, library staff donned hard hats and had a tour of what is happening on site.   This was extremely fun for us and hopefully this will keep the fantastic crew going at their continued great pace for a little longer!

This week, they have been busy roofing the high areas, then they will move on to the lower areas and after that, onto the new area.  Inside, the low voltage has been roughed in and outside, you may have noticed bulldozers and dump trucks clearing off the old asphalt and some of the landscaping that will be replaced with a brand new parking lot and low maintenance, low water landscaping.

Other work happening this week inludes:  stairs, handrails and other steel, framing for the monitors, the store front glass has been ordered, and when I came back to work last night, I was so excited to see the crane lifting the pre-cast panels into place on the Swift side of the building.

- - Lisa

Still moving forward...

Have you driven by the library site lately? Perhaps you've noticed the roof being placed on the second story? Or the work on the grounds? Things are moving along very nicely, and we are still on target for a move back date of sometime next summer. Bid packages for the coffee vendor, furniture, and signage are chugging along, and next month the staff moving committee will begin to meet so that we can plan the move back home. This move should be much easier, since we will (I believe) only be moving back our material, not the furniture or computers.

While we are in this temporary space, staff is experimenting with a few ideas. We have started to create a biography section, rather than interfile the biographies with the non-fiction. We are looking at new ways to store our DVDs, and working on new databases to acquire for our patrons. We are looking at this building as a sort of testing ground, where we can try out some of the ideas we have been wanting to try. So if you are in the building, and you notice something new or unusual, just let us know what you think about it. We are always looking for ways to better serve our members.

Remember, we are also attempting to keep up our programing while in this building. Our stellar Children's Department, led by the lovely Miss Kelly, has something for everyone to enjoy. Visits from Clifford the Big Red Dog, a celebration of the Diwali festival, and you can always come by and spend some time reading to Gunner or Phoebe in our Therapy Dog Reading Program. Just stop by the Children's Desk or check out the library newsletter.

Theresa

And the beat goes on...

I had the privilege of attending the last construction team meeting this week. Building a library involves so many people, it's hard to keep the players straight! Every Wednesday morning, the building team meets on site. The attendees are variable, with different people meeting when different situations arise. It's a really good way for the City of Richland, the Richland Public Library, and everyone else involved to keep up with the many & different challenges that crop up when you are working with a 30 year old building.

As for the building itself, they are really moving along now. Framing and drywalling in the old building will start soon, as well as prep work for the floors. Roofing is also continuing. The roofing is a pretty labor intensive job, the panels are extremely heavy, and even with the crane they can only hoist about 4 of the 30ft panels at a time. Windows are beginning to be framed in as well. The new stairs are looking good, as well as the new drive-up book drop.


You should start to see some real progress on the grounds as well. Soon they will start some more dirt moving, and begin tearing out the old concrete walkways and pouring new ones.

For our animal lovers, you will be happy to know that the library hawk has been spotted on the grounds. The squirrels are still there, and we hope the ducks come back next spring. The skunks have not been seen (or smelled) so we will see if they show up next spring as well. For any of the many patrons that were dive bombed by the nesting crows every year, they have not been spotted, but I'm sure they will be back when we reopen.

While we were there, Lisa & I took photos of our own. It's amazing how interesting everyday objects look when taken from a different perspective!



Theresa

PS -- in response to the comment about aerial views of the construction site, we will hopefully have some for you next week, but we are relying on others to help us with that one -- the cost of taking those pictures is pretty steep, and while it was suggested that someone be hoisted up by the crane to take the pictures, she declined that invite, so we will continue to look for other ways to fulfill that wish!

LEEDing the way...

Besides being absolutely committed to providing the best service we possibly can to our customers, the City of Richland and the Richland Public Library are also committed to making sure we leave as small a carbon footprint as we can. To that end, while we are not an official LEED project, we are striving to use the LEED principles in everything we build. One of the decisions we made was to salvage as much of the old brick as possible, for use in the places that need to be filled in, or in the places we need to connect the old building with the new building. Recently, the brick was used on the exterior of the building, on the Goethals side, to integrate the old part of the building with the new shear wall. The shear wall is the part of the building that gives both stability and flexibility for seismic regulations.

In order to integrate the two walls, every other brick was cut in half, creating a sort of stair step effect. The salvaged bricks were then set, at half places, to create a smooth look and a sturdy structure. Salvaging the bricks was a very time consuming process, involving removing the bricks intact and cleaning off the dirt and old mortar. The task was quite time consuming, but in the end, we hope that our efforts will pay off in a building that seamlessly integrates the old and the new, while providing for a better future for all.

Theresa

Second floor... fiction, magazines and so much more

If you've driven past the construction site in the last few days, you might have noticed lots of people working on the new addition's second story. (a bit of library humor there) The reinforcements for the floor have been put in, and the slab has been poured. They are also beginning to do some prep work for the roof.

Framing in the old part of the first floor is moving along quite rapidly. They have framed out the staff offices on that floor, as well as working on the four new study rooms that will be available to students. It is also easy to see now where the coffee shop will be, and where the new Friends of the Library will be located.

Having learned our lesson in this temp location (ask us someday about "Fire Walking") we are making sure that the fire alarm system will be installed properly, and to that end, the sprinkler piping is being shop fabricated. The HVAC work is continuing, with the old duct work being removed and the new duct work installed.

All of the major steel work is finished, but some of the miscellaneous perimeter steel work still needs to be done, and they should start that next week.

Lisa & I have been to the job site several times now to take pictures for this blog, and every time we go there it is absolutely thrilling for us to see how dedicated and committed our construction people are to creating a quality building. Last time we were there, I could really see where everything will go. The shaft of sunlight beaming down on the spot where Kelly will hold her wonderful story times. I could hear the hiss of the espresso machine making that 20 oz triple non-fat latte (hot, no flavor) to give me a boost in the afternoon. The cozy nook on the second floor that will be a perfect place to curl up and spend the afternoon reading your favorite classic (or edgy thriller, or hot romance, or whatever else catches your fancy). We really hope that when this building is finished, there will be something for all Richland residents to find and enjoy.

Theresa

Bed of nails?

If you have driven by this week, you have probably seen sparks flying. There has been a lot of welding going on - there is a LOT of steel in the building because of the weight of the books. This week has been a busy week for the workers, but you can't see a lot from the street. Several library staff and project team members were treated to a tour on Friday, August 8th. It is exciting to see all of the activity. Some cool pictures to show you - most of the steel flooring for the second floor has been installed and now the rebar supports are being put in before the concrete pour. The rebar sticking up looks somewhat torturous, like a bed of nails! There is also a cool view of the elevator shaft with the sky above, and the impending storm.