The building of Logan County’s new public library, located on Armory Drive in Russellville, is on schedule, and if all goes as planned, should be finished by Nov. 14, 2013.
“We are on schedule,” said King Simpson, assistant library director. “Depending on additional days, which the contractor can ask for, we should be in the new library by the end of this year.”
Simpson said he felt most of the bad weather was behind and further felt the project would be moving along hopefully without any hitch. The actually move may take a couple of weeks to a month after the building is complete. But Simpson said it will be no longer than they have to.
“Everybody is very excited, me included,” said Simpson. “We have heard a lot of positive feedback from the community since the construction began, and I think the public is going to be really excited as well to see all the changes the new facility will have. I think they will like the larger and better areas, as well as the additional parking.”
Simpson said there have not really been any significant delays since the construction project first began this year. “There have been the general delays and issues like with any project, but it has pretty much gone smoothly,” said Simpson.
Redlee Construction out of Louisville is serving as the contractor for the $3.9 million project. The library board sold $2.9 million in bonds to begin, with the rest donated and raised by the library.
The new facility will have 14,503 square feet, which includes future expansion prospects up to 20,000 square feet if needed.
As far as flooding issues, which some critics have said would occur in the area the new facility is being built, Simpson said there have been none out of the ordinary.
“Back when there was a lot of rain, we had a small amount of water like anywhere,” said Simpson, adding the contractors put in a drains and built up the area to keep flooding for happening. “The area where the building is should be fine,” Simpson said.
The idea of building a new library has been in the works for several years, said library director Linda Kompanik. The board of trustees have been collecting funds and applying for grants for some time now, in hopes of having enough start-up money to begin.
The library received a $500,000 grant from the Carpenter Foundation to add to the already donated $200,000 from Tilly Perry, an anonymous donation of $50,000 from a retired teacher, $5,000 from library board president Obie VanCleave, and a $100 donation per month from another anonymous donor, along with donations from the public at large. The library has received two Carpenter Foundation grants. They were awarded a $100,000 grant to help purchase the property the new library is located on.
The library is a taxing district and receives funds each year from the citizenry of Logan County. In the 2011-2012 fiscal year the library brought in $1,026,324 in revenues.
“We have all worked for a long time on this project. This is not something we could have done without the community’s support. I commend our forward thinking citizen board and I admire them for thinking this project through,” said Kompanik, adding she doesn’t think one can measure the importance of a library.
When the library is moved, some of the circulation material won’t be making the trip. It will be material that isn’t used very often. New material will take its place, along with new equipment, said Simpson.
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