CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Staff at the Kanawha County Public Library downtown branch received additional tours of the near-finished multi-million dollar renovated facility on Tuesday.
Erika Connelly, Library Director of Kanawha County Public Library System told 580-WCHS that staff learned important safety procedures for the new building such as where exits and fire extinguishers would be, and where exactly they would work in the building.
Connelly expects staff to be moved in by the end of February, less than three months from the scheduled opening of the new digs of May 1.
“Some things we’ve been able to move in while they are finishing construction like the books and like the new furniture. But as far as staff and occupying the building, we have had to wait for that substantial completion,” Connelly said.
The $32 million project includes renovations, added space and rooms and a skywalk to a nearby parking garage. The square footage of the facility will go from 53,000 square feet to 81,000 square feet.
Work left to do before the grand opening to the public of May 10 includes cabinetry, installing end panels, installing end of book aisles and computers, as well as putting in self-checkout machines.
Around 200,000 volumes of books were moved back into the library in recent weeks. Bill Overton, a consultant from Boston, helped with the move.
Connelly said the excitement is building and the Tuesday tours showed it.
“For them, it’s dramatically changed. These are people that have worked there for many years. To see it very different, very modern, I get excited to hear their excitement as we moved floor to floor,” she said.