CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Clendenin residents could have a temporary library following the approval of a lease agreement by the Kanawha County Public Library Board of Directors at its meeting Monday.
The Clendenin library was destroyed in the June 2016 flood. The closest options for residents to receive service were the Elk View branch as well as weekly stops by the county mobile library.
The agreement would include renting the first floor of the former Clendenin Middle School building on Koontz Avenue, a 3,300 square-foot space. The library board will pay $1,500 per month to 25405 A New Clendenin Inc., the not-for-profit owner of the building.
Library director Alan Englebert said the board is not sure how long the library would use the site, but discussions are ongoing with other entities about renting out space on a permanent basis.
“There’s some interest in developing joint senior housing and library. There may be other possibilities in Clendenin,” he said. “We’re all cognizant that we have to be careful of being up off the floodplain, so working with other people on finding space will be very beneficial as well because the options are fairly limited in Clendenin.”
The library will be furnished with resources from other county libraries, and internet service can be provided when needed. Former employees of the Clendenin library still work for the library system, and the board has already allocated costs in case additional staff needs to be hired.
Englebert said they are in the negotiation process regarding the lease, meaning the board is unsure when the temporary space could open for use. He added he is still glad progress is being made to have a physical presence back in Clendenin.
“We’ve done a nice job of providing service to Clendenin,” he said. “We know that nothing will really fulfill the need the way a true branch would.”