Temporary downtown library facility humming along
Terry Lewis
ALBANY, Ga. — As major interior renovation work is set to begin soon at Dougherty County’s Central Library branch, the library’s temporary facility is humming with activity and has met the approval of patrons.
Located on North Jackson Street, literally across the street from the main facility, the temporary library contains some of the most popular books and periodicals and maintains more than 20 computer work stations.
“I like this place a lot,” said patron Willie Ball, who was seated in a stuffed chair reading a magazine recently. “I come to the library a good bit and aside from this place being smaller, I can’t tell a lot of difference between the two places.”
The main library’s renovations will cost $5 million and are being financed through Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax VI money. Interim Library Director Mary Antoine says once started, the renovations should be completed in six to nine months.
“Traffic (at the temporary facility) has been very heavy,” Antoine said. “The patrons seem to like it. They are not losing any services, and that was their major concern. Overall, we are pleased with the way things have turned out so far.”
While limited resources are available at the temporary location, patrons may continue to request items from the system’s other branches, Northwest and Tallulah Massey, or from an online catalog as well as from other PINES libraries.
“If a patron wants something that is not available here, we’ll find it for them and have it available the next day,” Antoine said.
“This place is very comfortable to me,” patron James Johnson said while working at one of the computer stations. “I think they’ve done a great job of using the space that was available.”
Antoine noted that the transition has been seamless and trouble free.
“We’ve not had any problems so far,” she said. “We’ve not had to make any adjustments, and the whole process has been smooth so far.”
The temporary facility’s hours are the same as they were at the main facility: Monday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Tuesday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; and Sunday, 2 p.m.-6 p.m.
Related Articles
Small actions can help save big on utility bills
The high temperatures of July and August can bring scorching utility bills as air conditioners hum to keep houses cool. Albany Utilities Residential Conservation Auditor Willie Jackson offered some tips on making summer cooling bills more manageable.
Bigger budget will mean improvements at Dougherty County’s landfill
“It’s certainly an opportunity where we can grow and make this very beneficial for years to the community. It’s a service that we provide for the community and I want to prolong that resource for the community. It’s not just fill it up and close it.”
Putting on the Ritz: The rise, fall and renewal of Albany’s Harlem District
On July 7, the Albany City Commission unanimously approved final construction drawings for a comprehensive restoration of the Ritz Theatre and Cultural Center, clearing the way for the project to move into competitive bidding after years of planning and preservation efforts. The decision marks the latest chapter in a decades-long effort to preserve one of Southwest Georgia’s most significant African American landmarks.
