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Library resets reopening date
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| Sheila Henderson (seated) rallies her troops while the new Pasadena Public Library renovations are under way. |
By YVETTE OROZCO
While the new renovated additions to the Pasadena Public Library building were completed on schedule, opening dates have been slightly thrown off track.
Originally set to open its expanded doors earlier this year, February is the current tentative date to reopen.
“The construction itself is complete,” said Henderson.
What’s left of preparing the new building, said Henderson, is fine-tuning that completion: securing new locks, making sure all the windows have blinds and all air vents are working properly.
Those are the easy things.
The library is not merely undergoing a cosmetic makeover, but a service expansion and technological update and so the entire electronic system has to be wired into the new building.
“What is critical right now is that we don’t have the security gates, we don’t have the video system and we don’t have the computer system for the integrated library system,” said Henderson. “These are critical, we can’t open until we get those.”
Much of the library’s materials remain housed at the Fairmont Parkway branch, but the opening date for the main building is getting closer, despite hurricane setbacks.
“It’s ready in terms of the building, the structure itself,” she said. “Ike set us back a little.”
Established in 1962 and expanded in 1974, the Pasadena Public Library’s main branch on 1201 Jeff Ginn is now in the process of building on the future.
The addition to the old structure creates a stark contrast to the building with which Pasadena residents may be more familiar.
The former narrow mid-entranceway has given way to a vast entryway branching out in several directions, including a larger children’s department, a teen room and a café, and the view from the front of the building has gotten much longer.
The shelves are stacked, the staff is settled in renovated offices, dozens of boxes full of new material wait to be unpacked and the phone service has just been installed.
But the final touches will until at least February continue, said Henderson.
While the staff is excited, the delays have been frustrating.
The project, which began more than two years ago, was an uphill battle from the beginning: first convincing the city to approve the expansion, then securing the funding, and finally — getting it done.
“We’re all worn to a frazzle,” said Henderson. “We’ve had to do a lot of our pushing and shoving and moving, so we’re kind of worn out, but we’re persevering.
While the new construction is nearly 100 percent complete, the public can still help to make the library’s services as expansive as they want it to be.
“This has never been our library, this is the community’s library,” said Henderson. “We (staff) work for the public, its their tax dollars and its their use of the library that keeps it going.”
For more information on the Pasadena Public Library services, call 713-477-0276.
Originally set to open its expanded doors earlier this year, February is the current tentative date to reopen.
“The construction itself is complete,” said Henderson.
What’s left of preparing the new building, said Henderson, is fine-tuning that completion: securing new locks, making sure all the windows have blinds and all air vents are working properly.
Those are the easy things.
The library is not merely undergoing a cosmetic makeover, but a service expansion and technological update and so the entire electronic system has to be wired into the new building.
“What is critical right now is that we don’t have the security gates, we don’t have the video system and we don’t have the computer system for the integrated library system,” said Henderson. “These are critical, we can’t open until we get those.”
Much of the library’s materials remain housed at the Fairmont Parkway branch, but the opening date for the main building is getting closer, despite hurricane setbacks.
“It’s ready in terms of the building, the structure itself,” she said. “Ike set us back a little.”
Established in 1962 and expanded in 1974, the Pasadena Public Library’s main branch on 1201 Jeff Ginn is now in the process of building on the future.
The addition to the old structure creates a stark contrast to the building with which Pasadena residents may be more familiar.
The former narrow mid-entranceway has given way to a vast entryway branching out in several directions, including a larger children’s department, a teen room and a café, and the view from the front of the building has gotten much longer.
The shelves are stacked, the staff is settled in renovated offices, dozens of boxes full of new material wait to be unpacked and the phone service has just been installed.
But the final touches will until at least February continue, said Henderson.
While the staff is excited, the delays have been frustrating.
The project, which began more than two years ago, was an uphill battle from the beginning: first convincing the city to approve the expansion, then securing the funding, and finally — getting it done.
“We’re all worn to a frazzle,” said Henderson. “We’ve had to do a lot of our pushing and shoving and moving, so we’re kind of worn out, but we’re persevering.
While the new construction is nearly 100 percent complete, the public can still help to make the library’s services as expansive as they want it to be.
“This has never been our library, this is the community’s library,” said Henderson. “We (staff) work for the public, its their tax dollars and its their use of the library that keeps it going.”
For more information on the Pasadena Public Library services, call 713-477-0276.
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