Library reopens to rave reviews
RATHDRUM – “It’s great!” “It’s huge!” “Wow!”
These were just a few of the comments visitors gave to Rathdrum librarians when they asked “What do you think of our new library?”
The library reopened on Monday, after having been closed a week for construction. It is one of the four libraries in the Kootenai-Shoshone Area Library District, including those in Athol, Spirit Lake and Hayden, that have been undergoing similar expansion and renovation work since last summer.
Exterior work on each of the libraries has been recently completed, and construction crews are now working to complete the finish work on the inside. An open house or opening celebration of some kind is being planned for each library once work is complete, but in the meantime, the libraries are open and visitors are enjoying the expanded space and new layouts.
During the week the Rathdrum Library was closed, all books were removed from the building, stored in nearby storage pods and then returned once the new addition was completed. Children’s Services Librarian Sharon Bateman said they “visualized” where everything should go when they first walked in the front door, and then went to work.
The new layout greets visitors to the library with a sense of spaciousness, and rows of empty shelves give the promise of new books to explore. With two study rooms, an enlarged children’s area and two rows of computers yet to install, it is hoped the library can now meet the needs of the growing community – and end the lines of those waiting to use a computer.
Despite the fact they still need to “button up a few things,” Spirit Lake branch manager Kathleen Gizdich said the library has become busier since the renovation began and said library patrons are already using most of the improvements. Those improvements include “doubled space for collection (books), a nice large workroom, an enlarged meeting room that can now hold a large group of people and more children’s programs,” she said.
Gizdich, who has been branch manager for five years, said she is seeing a big increase in book circulation and “lots more use of the computers.” She is sure the five computers that will be installed once renovation work is complete, will be busy as well.
Gizdich said she is also looking forward to filling up some of those empty new shelves with additional books, a project that could take up to a year.
Athol’s new librarian, Barbara Broughton, who began as branch manager in October, said the library is open for business as well. “Although the work is not quite done,” she said, “they enlarged everything – the main space, additional book space, computers and the meeting room.” As with the others, Broughton says there will be some kind of an event when it is done, but in the meantime, she invites everyone to “Come check out the new library yourself.” The Athol Library also will be open on Saturdays beginning in January.