By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
As the Wood County District Public Library begins its 21st year in the current building, Director Michael Penrod is doing everything possible “to maintain the buildings entrusted to us by the taxpayers.”
In addition to capital expenditures for roof repairs, new carpeting in three areas of the library and replacement windows on the Carter House addition, the 20-year-old parking lot will be revamped, prompting various closures for three months beginning Aug. 1, Penrod reported at the library’s board of trustees meeting.
The current entrance to the library parking lot and the north section of the lot will be closed starting Aug. 1. The north portion of the lot will be completely reconstructed with work needed on elevation and underground drainage. An entrance will be reconfigured into the south section while the reconstruction is taking place in the north section.
When the old city building is demolished, the library’s north parking lot will remain offline to provide adequate space for the demolition, Penrod said.
“We figured the southern half of the parking lot shouldn’t be 20 years old compared to the new north section, so the entire lot will be closed to allow the southern lot to be ground two inches before new pavement is added to the entire lot,” he said. The work is expected to be completed by the end of October.
The landscaping will also be updated during the process. Six trees will be removed due to construction of the parking lot and two new trees will be added to the area. There are six trees that will be removed from the parking lot area. Two of the trees are diseased and the others are Callery pear trees which have become an invasive species in Ohio. The replacement trees will be planted at the same time two new American elm trees are added.
“We are in a position to maintain and repair the building and grounds,” Penrod said. “We don’t want to put off the maintenance now and then have to get through a recession. We don’t want to not be able to buy books because of roof leaks.”
Penrod praised the Friends of the Library for their quiet but constant support. They provided $10,000 to support materials for the children’s are, donated $4,000 for the library’s major fundraiser, Novel Night on July 20, and $6,900 for the summer reading program. “They have had a big impact on services and our collections,” he said.
Michele Raine reported the library’s investment in OverDrive, over a year ago, seems to be paying off. A record 2,000. Items were recently borrowed in May. “OverDrive has a huge selection of materials and most of the time you don’t have to wait,” compared to other online access services, she said.
She also said the summer reading program is going well with nearly 1,200 participants registered. An added bonus is that the number of Volunteens has “bounced back” to almost pre-pandemic levels, including 11 at the Walbridge branch.
A collection of books including nonfiction adult reads on topics such as parenting, addiction, journaling and art, as well as fun fiction will be donated to the Cocoon.
