Above: Construction at the Library is forcing the facility to fully close for one week. (images from Facebook)
The Southborough Library has been closed to the public throughout the pandemic. However, next week, the Library won’t be offering the usual curbside pickup and staff won’t be answering the phones.
Construction to restore the Library’s facade has proven to be too disruptive. The Library will fully close for one week. So, if you’re looking to check out materials, act quickly. The Library will still be open today and tomorrow – but curbside is only available today due to Saturday’s forecast.
The closure begins Sunday, December 6th. Library staff will return to the building on Monday, December 14th. Throughout that break, you can still take advantage of the Library’s many online services including ebooks and audiobooks. Read about those here.
Below is the Library’s announcement.
NOTICE: Due to the ongoing construction as part of the Library Façade Restoration Project, the Southborough Library will shut down completely next Monday, December 7th through Saturday, December 12th. Staff members will not be working in the building during this week and will be unable to answer phone calls. The library hopes to resume Curbside Pickup Service for the public on Monday, December 14th.
For the last month, the Southborough Library has been under construction. Residents may recall that back in 2017, the Library Director Ryan Donovan began working with the Southborough Community Preservation Committeeon a project to historically restore the library’s façade originally built in 1911. After an initial assessment, the library learned that there was significant erosion and weather damage to the library’s roof and front stairs. The scope of the project then expanded to include restoring these elements.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVjvF23YD3E
The Library Façade Restoration Project was approved at the 2019 Annual Town Meeting. The project is now on the road to completion. By the end of December 2020, the library’s front stairs should be completely repointed and historically restored. Also by the end of this month, the library should have a fully completed new roof. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused some delays to elements of the project, including new storm windows for the historic windows outside the Judy Williams Reading Room. Also delayed is the inscribed “Southborough Library” sign in limestone that rests above the original building entrance. Starting next week, the eroded limestone sign will be removed so that a replacement limestone sign can be installed. As a result of this, the Southborough Librarywill be without a sign for several weeks. . .
Even though the project will be largely completed by the end of December, the Southborough Library will still not be able to welcome patrons inside the library while infections of COVID-19 remain at current high levels. The library building will remain closed to the public. Library staff will continue with the current Curbside Pickup Service as long as the weather permits. If you are interested in Curbside Pickup Service, please click here: https://www.southboroughlib.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/sblib_curbside_stepbystep5.pdf
If you have questions or concerns about the Library Façade Restoration Project, please reach out to the Library Director Ryan Donovan at rdonovan@southboroughma.com.
Updated (12/4/20 11:58 am): Due to the forecast for tomorrow, the Library also won’t be offering curbside pickup this Saturday.
