By Michael Howell
Everyone who works there and everyone who visits the North Valley Public Library (NVPL) in Stevensville breathed a collective sigh of relief when the doors opened on December 29 and patrons finally had full access to the library once again. It was a little bit hard (maybe that’s an understatement) on everyone when what began as a modest month-long improvement project turned into a four-month-long major restoration project. It took a lot of patience, civility and accommodation on everyone’s part. But in the end, what an improvement!
The modest improvement project included replacing the old ceiling tiles and installing new lighting in the circulation/computer/reading area and some work on the heating system in the Children’s Room. It also included installing some ceiling insulation and replacing some single pane windows with double paned.
Then, as NVPL Director Denise Ard tells it, they discovered some rotten floor joists and had to pull up the entire floor. When they did, they discovered mold and asbestos. That really slowed things down. It also added to the cost. The removal of asbestos requires costly professional services.
According to Ard, it also greatly hampered use of the library. It cut off access to the Children’s Room, and shut down the computer area. It was a long four months. Three laptops were made available for use in the stack area of the library by the front door. Usage was limited to 15 minutes. Some children’s books were moved out of the inaccessible Children’s Room into the adult section of the library to make them accessible.
Now however, as the new year begins, if you haven’t visited the library in a long time, you really should. You’ve got to see it to believe it.
The total cost of the improvements done so far comes to about $70,000. According to Ard, a majority of that cost was paid for by money that has accrued over a long period of time in the Library Depreciation Fund.
When added to the other improvements made over the last few years, the strides being made are significant. It began with the painting of the building’s façade and installation of new outside signage. This was followed by an update of the heating system and the addition of air conditioning. Then the Community Room underwent a major transformation. Now with new carpet and a paint job, courtesy in part of Trapper Creek Job Corps, the room is comfortable and fresh and smartly dressed with hangings by noted quilter Pat Hastings that celebrate the state’s history.
Other recent improvements include fixing the back door so that it functions properly as an emergency exit and remodeling the front door entrance way, making it accessible to people with disabilities. These improvements came at a cost of $18,498.40. Some grants cut those costs down. The Stevensville Community Foundation donated $1,630, the Rapp Family Foundation donated $2,000, and the Annie Maclay Leffingwell Foundation donated $5,521 to the project.
Despite all the accomplishments, Ard has her eyes on what still needs to be done. Some lighting and ceiling tiles in the Children’s Room still need to be replaced and the Stack Room needs new shelving, new lighting, and a re-orientation of the aisles to make the books more accessible. With the Library Depreciation Fund almost depleted, the library will have to look elsewhere for the estimated $100,000 needed for these future improvements.
