Structural problem temporarily closes Liberty Lake Library

The Liberty Lake Library closed this week after workers putting a new roof on the building found a structural problem.

The problem with the connections between a bearing wall and the trusses over the young adult section was discovered Tuesday.

“It was just precautionary,” City Administrator Katy Allen said of the closure.

The library shares the building at 23123 E. Mission Ave. with the Liberty Lake Police Department. Originally, city workers thought some services would be temporarily housed in the police station, but Allen said that won’t be necessary. She said the city ordered braces from the Tri-Cities that should be installed soon.

While workers have not noticed a problem over the police station, they are checking while they peel back the outside layer of the roof.

When the library re-opens Monday, Allen expects the affected area to be closed off to patrons.

The building was purchased by the city in 2008 after a bond to pay for constructing a new building failed. The 1992 building, which formerly housed Northern Technologies, Inc., was purchased for $1.968 million and was heavily renovated before the library and police department took possession in 2009.