Friday, June 29, 2012

Progress on the Library Project

This June the General Contractor’s progress on the new library reached the 75% completion mark. The Town recently received its third grant payment from the Mass Board of Library Commissioners Public Library Construction Grant Program. To date we have received $3.3 million in state funding, which is 90% of our total grant award. Exterior site work is underway with the construction of a low stone wall that runs parallel to High Street. We have hopes that the stone lintel from the original 1901 building, now part of the entrance area of the current library, can be moved intact and incorporated in the new wall. You can expect to see the project trailer removed sometime in July to allow for further site work. Work is now focused on light installation on first floor. The impressive wood and metal ceilings are beginning installation. Bathroom tile work is underway. Exterior gutter, downspout, flashing, and chimney work are all ongoing. We are awaiting delivery dates for carpet, furnishings, and shelving. The Library staff toured the building in early May. Fresh paint and wood trim made the rooms and offices look very inviting. The staff was delighted with the size of the new Children’s Department and especially the inviting children’s program room. The Library’s book and audio-visual materials collection is being “tagged” item by item to enable our new radio frequency identification (RFID) system to more efficiently manage the circulation of materials. Two book chutes, one outside the building and one in the inside lobby area, will connect returned materials to an automatic conveyor and sorting system. Eight Minuteman Network libraries are using RFID technology. Westwood will be the first to use the auto sort system.