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June 9, 2010

Lower Township library branch renovation nearly complete

The Press of Atlantic City

By DEBRA RECH, For The Press

The Lower Township branch of the Cape May County Library is nearing the end of a $1.9 million renovation. If all goes according to plan, it should reopen at the end of July.

Temporarily, the branch is located at the Bayshore Plaza between the Acme and Big Lots in North Cape May, at 3845 Bayshore Road. Work on the library facility's upgrade began in January. The Lower branch that is undergoing renovation is at 2600 Bayshore Road, Villas.

Renovations included expanding the library 2,500 feet by putting on an addition that includes another public meeting room with a bathroom and small kitchen, two new study rooms and a larger reference area.

Extensive work was done on the outside of the building, including repaving the parking lot and adding a driveway and making the building more handicapped-accessible by getting rid of stairs. The entranceway was enlarged to allow easier access for wheelchairs. There is also a new heating and air-conditioning system in the building, which was built in 1982.

Ed Carson, branch head of the library, said the Lower branch is one of the busiest in the county system.

"We do two-thirds of the business of the main branch, so we are very important to the library system," Carson said. "Lower is a heavily populated area, especially in the summer, so we are well-used. We have a lot of groups that like to use our meeting room and we only had one before. The library also puts on many new programs, so we needed the extra space as well. The problem was with only one meeting room, groups that had signed up had to be bumped sometimes for library programs. That shouldn't happen anymore."

Marian Malec has been the library assistant at the Lower Township branch for two years. She said the temporary move hasn't been bad.

"It's actually very nice," Malec said. "All of our patrons are very pleased so it's been really great, but everyone, everyone asks when we will be going back. And we're very excited about going back. We'll have so much more to offer at the new site."

Carson said what he likes most about the new library is that it is more handicapped-accessible, and he also prefers the new layout. What used to be the children's room will now house the library's special collection of books such as new arrivals and the new reference section.

"The new layout puts all the noisy area near the main entrance, not where people are trying to study or work," Carson said. "The circulation desk, the children's room and young adult area are also closer to the main entrance. Those are the areas that tend to generate the most traffic and noise. As you move into the other section of the library, it will be more quiet and subdued. The public can come in and study, bring a laptop maybe and work without all the noise and people moving around them."

Carson also likes the addition of the two new study rooms, which are large enough to hold about four people. The community can sign up to use the rooms for two-hour periods.

"People who have to take exams used to have no privacy here, but now they have a room to themselves," Carson said. "High school kids or those doing projects can also sign up to use a room. It will be on a first-come, first-served basis."

The new group meeting room is spacious and has direct access outside, something else Carson said was needed. Groups that used the meeting room before and ran past closing time had problems, because the library staff had to lock the doors so they couldn't get back into the library to use the bathroom.

"The new room has direct access outside, and since there is a bathroom included, that won't be a problem anymore," Carson said. "Now the groups can come and go as they wish through the door leading outside. There is also a small kitchenette so people can bring in food if they want to or make coffee. It just provides a nicer place for large groups like AARP and the Taxpayers Association to hold meetings."

One problem the library staff faces during this temporary move is that they only have about a third of their books; the rest are in storage. Carson said he misses the collection of art books and maritime books the most.

"It's hard, because someone will come in and ask me for a book, and I say, 'Yes, we have that,' and then I have to say, 'Oh no, we don't, it's in storage,'" Carson said. "We can get books on loan from other branches, though. The patrons also miss our video collection. We brought the DVDs but not the videos. We're in a storefront now so we really don't have much room."

The updated library also features a few more parking spaces, since the old islands were removed and access is easier thanks to a new driveway. A sidewalk now runs all the way around the building. Carson said the new addition also looks like it's always been there because the builder did a good job matching the bricks.

Although Carson said the library has picked up some new patrons at their temporary location, everyone is anxious for the upgraded library to open.

"I know I want to come home," Carson said. "I'm ready to get back to business. I think the community will be happy with all the changes."

Library hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays. Call 609-886-8999 for more information.

Contact Debra Rech:

609-463-6719

DRech@pressofac.com

Posted by tumulty at June 9, 2010 6:31 AM

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