New year, new look

By Janet Jacobs

January 03, 2009 07:51 pm

— The Corsicana Public Library will reopen Monday, after two weeks with the doors locked, which allowed for them to recarpet, the first time the floor has been replaced in 17 years. However, while it was closed, the librarians took the opportunity to rethink how the facility is used, and how to make it more user-friendly.
Except for the clean, non-wavy new carpet, the biggest change is the relocation of the children’s section to the front south corner of the library, directly in front of the restrooms. The children’s section is still one of the largest collections of books, and probably takes up a third of the massive central room, but kids won’t have to go through reference anymore to get to their own spaces with its smaller tables and chairs.
Young adults also have their own small space near the back wall, with a table and adult chairs. Nearby, is another table with plugs specifically for laptop computer users.
“One of the complaints from the users was there was no quiet place to sit and study and think and read because of the children,” said Rod Bland, head librarian. “But now we have three tables between adult fiction and non-fiction.”
For decades, the library has had general seating, with tables and chairs in long rows, primarily in the mid-northern part of the building, near adult books. Now, the tables are arranged to allow like readers to sit with like readers.
Periodicals, once located in different areas around the library, are all now in one place. A row of newspapers and magazines sits near a table and some more comfortable reading chairs just outside geneaology, where children’s books used to be.
“It’s all right here, right at your fingertips,” Bland said.
Specialized books have also been shelved together, such as books on tape, Spanish-language books, and large-print books.
The front, just inside the second set of glass doors, is now a media area with CDs and videos, while books on tape are shelved nearby, Bland pointed out. All 14 of the library’s public-use computers have been moved into the computer lab room, just beyond the front desk.
The purpose for the changes was the library’s former gray carpeting, which had gotten wrinkled beneath the 17 years of foot traffic and book carts. Because it was glued down when it was installed, the carpet couldn’t be restretched to straighten out the waves in the floor. The new flooring is in 24-inch carpet squares that can be removed and replaced if a stain or tear develops in one square.
The civic room in the library was also recarpeted with a maroon and green roll-type carpet.
The Navarro Community Foundation donated $40,694 to have the books moved, the old carpet ripped out, new carpet squares laid, and the books replaced. Although the movers helped take the books out, reshelving them fell primarily to the librarians, who worked long hours to get ready for Monday’s opening.
“I’m proud of what the staff has accomplished,” Bland said. “I think it feels like a good place to come, and that’s what we were shooting for.”
Except Sundays, the library opens each morning at 10 a.m. It remains open until 8 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, until 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, and until 4 p.m. Saturday. The library is closed on Sunday.
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Janet Jacobs may be reached via e-mail at jacobs@corsicanadailysun.com

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