Library To Close For Three Weeks During Renovation

Sat., Aug. 8, 1998

By Marny Lombard marnyl@spokesman.com (509) 927-2166

(From Valley Voice, August 15, 1998): The Valley Library will be closed for renovation Aug. 24 through Sept. 12. An earlier edition of the Valley Voice indicated an incorrect date.

The Valley Library is closing later this month for three weeks worth of repairs and renovation.

The work will include new paint and carpet inside, as well as repair of surface cracks on the outside walls.

Valley Library, 12004 E. Main, will be closed Aug. 24 through Sept. 11 as this work is done.

“While we would have preferred not to close the library, it’s virtually impossible to recarpet and remain open to the public,” said Mike Wirt, director of the Spokane County Library District.

A few measures are in place to lessen the inconvenience to the public.

First, books and other materials may be returned to Valley Library even during the closure.

Also for these three weeks, hours at the Argonne Library, 4322 N. Argonne, will be increased to include all of the Valley branch’s usual hours.

Third, staffing will be beefed up at Argonne, and also at the reference desk of the North Spokane Library during the work. To reach the North Spokane reference desk, call 467-5250.

“The time we chose for this project is the time of year with the least amount of library use,” Wirt said. The idea was to sandwich the project in at the end of summer reading programs and before school homework assignments grow too intense.

The closure will also allow for repair to the subfloor of the older part of the building and replacement of the second floor service desk. Also, the library parking lot will be resurfaced.

The district has budgeted $215,000 for the work. The money comes from a library bond issue passed by voters in 1996.

“There’s been a lot of wear and tear on this library since it reopened in 1986 after a major expansion and remodeling project, and we need to take care of that,” Wirt said.

The work involved in moving the shelves of books will be minimized, thanks to special equipment designed to move library bookstacks.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.