S. Butler Library renovation nearly done
SAXONBURG — There's a new edition of the South Butler Community Library, 240 W. Main St.
The library is nearly finished with a remodeling project that has its front room sporting a new look.
New shelves, paint, ceiling and furniture all have made the library's front area a more flexible space to serve the community's needs, according to Michelle Lesniak, the library director.
“The area has only been open since Monday (March 19). We are still doing little shuffles, still settling in,” she said.
“We started planning for it at the end of last year,” Lesniak said of the renovation.
“We received an estate donation from Robert Rhule of a little over $70,000. He was involved with the library from the beginning when it got started in the 1970s,” Lesniak said.
The bequest was used to buy compact shelves, remove a raised office from behind the circulation desk, buy new carpeting, painting, desks and lighting.
She said work started Jan. 29 “and they finished up about two weeks ago (March 3), Lesniak said.
“This bulkhead that was over the old computer area was removed,” said Lesniak. “When the building was Berger's Market it was above the butcher's area. All the lighting is LED, so it's energy efficient.”
“We repainted everything and got new carpet. It is put down in 2-by-2-foot tiles, so when we need to replace carpet in a high- traffic area, we can do the replacement in pieces,” she said.
The computer stations were moved to a side wall closer to the circulation desk.
She said Miller Construction of Cabot did the ceiling work, removed the bulkhead and installed the carpeting, while Clair Boring Painting and Services of Butler did the painting.Lesniak said, “We wanted this to be a dynamic space. We can move things around if we want to do an event.“We can sit 100 people in here for a concert. That, to me, is one of the largest things,” she said.She said the library was able to save money by taking old shelves out of storage, resurfacing them and placing them on casters for ease of movement.The compact shelving moves left and right on a track installed in the floor. Large cranks at the end of each shelf are turned to to allow access to the books.Lesniak said the library found a used set in New Jersey that only cost $1,600 plus the cost of installation.“That allowed us to do so much more,” said Lesniak, such as adding a new circulation desk that moves the staff closer to the patrons.“New tables that can fit together replaced the long conference tables,” Lesniak said.“They work for small groups for tutoring. People feel way more comfortable sitting down alone at a small table,” she said.Krista Bartmas, a library clerk, said, “Everyone keeps commenting how much bigger it seems in here.“We've been able to move about easier. We have more options for meeting spaces,” said Bartmas.During the renovation, many small changes were made. For example, Lesniak said all the electrical outlets were set high in the walls because of the building's former use as a supermarket.An invitation-only reopening event is planned for April 11 to thank the volunteers, municipal partners and county officials that added in the renovation.Lesniak said a reopening event open to the public will be April 12.
