Starting to see the finished product!

The crew has been busy sheetrocking, taping and sealing.  Here you see some great craftsmanship becase the conractor has provided a very large seam over the tape.  (See the wall with the large white stripe)  James, our Construction Manager, told us that the larger the seam the better the job!  This is also an up close view of our new children's puppet theater!!  This is going to be one of the big highlights of the room!  Can't you just see children climbing in and out of the little cubby in the back to

hold a fabulous puppet show!   

Here is the makings of our Avon Marketplace Store Front- the opening to the Storytime/Program rooms!!  In the end the openings in the front will become great displays for books, puppets and more.  The door way over the left is the entrance to our brand new Family Bathroom!!   

"SHHHHH!! I'm trying to work!!"  Need a quiet place to study or work on a group project- here's a view of one of the many new study rooms the library will have to offer. 

That beam everyone signed is sure going to some good use!  Check out those data cables that will help bring the Internet to computers throughout the library 

The new back stairs!  Still waiting for a fresh coat of cement.

The Mainframe waits patiently for CL&P to bring it to life but with our recent visit from Irene we may have to wait a little bit still.

This is the view from our new study tables and atrium.  Outside will be a beautiful landscaped courtyard!

 

 

Touring the new space part 2

Check out how much has changed since the last tour!



Interior Walls and Doorways have been framed
This is one entrance to the new storytime room
On the left is an adult sized door and on the right is a kids sized door!! 
(We LOVE this! And we know the kids will too)

Here is outside of the new storytime room
This will be the future site of our Avon Marketplace

Another favorite- the outside of our new
Puppet Theater!!



Side view of our puppet theater
(A fun hideaway for kids to climb through and hold a puppet show!)




Inside our 2 storytime rooms- The beam located at the top will hold

a movable partition to make 2 smaller storytime rooms and open to make one large room



Our craft area side of the storytime room- cabinets and sinks will go here



Location of our new window seat
We have insullation!

   

Outside the children's librarians office

We have a parking lot!!

After a crazy 6 months (not to mention the 20 years before that) of having little to no parking available- We have a great new LARGE parking lot!!!  Our new lot has more than double the parking spaces our old lot had plus a great new location for handicapped parking.

We also have extended our center island to include more lighting for nighttime parking plus many new plants and foliage.

**Please be aware that the driveway closest to our front door (to the far right when you pull into our parking lot) is "ONE-WAY".  Signs have been posted and arrows are labeling the correct direction to follow.  Help us keep a safe and easy moving parking lot by following the arrow signs when travelling in the lot AND, as always, please do not park in the front circle as it can cause a traffic jam.  Thanks!  

Part of our new extended island

Here you can see the one way arrows

Layer on the Bricks

The front of the new construction is starting to look like the rest of the building.  The new brick was chosen very carefully to match the old brick to make the building look uniform and complete.  If you had never been to the library before you wouldn't even know that the new part wasn't always there! 

 I'm even getting so used to it I forget it wasn't there just 6 months ago! 

The First Official Week of Summer!!!

Things are a hustle and a bustle outside but would you believe it's just as busy INSIDE?!?!?  Even though outside the library looks different, inside is business as usual! 
Summer Reading has kicked off and even without central air our patrons are still 

showing support for their library!  Thank you everyone!

Kids enjoying one of our most popular programs
ART MART!  Every Thursday from 10-12!  Stop by and see what its all about!

Take a break and play some Chess!

Check out our great collection of kids graphic novels!

Spaces fill up quick at our Early Literacy Stations! 

Game computers great for ages 2-11!

 

Tour the new space with Peter and James!

Yesterday I had the privilege of touring the new space with our architect Peter and our construction manager James.  Come along and see our new space! 

The New Basement

We have space!!  Those raised platforms are to hold our new

geothermal heating and cooling units.  To the far right you see the beams that will help create the walls for our IT work room, the Friends of the Library Storage Space

and a supply closet. 

More Geothermal Space

Safety First!  Our new plumbing for our sprinkler system!

The First Floor

To the left is the space for our new large community room!  To the right you see where the temporary entrance will be when we occupy the new space and renovation

of the old space begins. 

A new reading nook!

The beautiful atrium!  What wonderful natural light!  Outside will be our new courtyard. 

Looking up from 1st floor to the 2nd in the atrium

Future Reference Offices and Services

Looking out over future stacks, computers and reading areas

The Second Floor!!! 

New Storytime Rooms! One on the left and one on the right with the big triangle in the middle of the two.  A removable partition will go down the middle to allow for opening up to make a large program space.

Space for Children's Built in Puppet Theater

My New Office! (Hope I don't bang my head!)

Standing inside the new Staff Room looking into Board Room!



Raising the Roof

WELCOME TO OUR CONSTRUCTION SITE!!  We have really begun feeling the, shall we say "issues" that can arise while being on a construction site.  Noise, heat, dust, heat, leaky ceilings, racoons and did I mention heat?  Luckily we are all still pumped to drive through this so that we can see our beautiful new library!  Our eyes are still on the prize and what a prize it will be!! 

Construction is still in full swing (despite the wettest spring on record) and we see more and more of our new building every day.  We now are seeing the beginings of our new roof! 

Coming over the next few weeks! 

The Crew will begin to "Ice and Water" the roof to make it weather resistant. "Ice &Water shield is an underlayment for sloped roofs that resists water penetration due to water back-up behind ice dams or winddriven rain."  

Demolition of the current roof will begin including patching spots that need a little "refreshing".  By the end of July we will have a weather tight roof.  The exterior walls and sheathing will be put up and interior walls will be layed out and framed.  Our new windows will be delivered and when the ceiling is weather tight and exterior framing is done they will begin installation of the windows.        

 

What's New?

I know, it's been far to long since there's been an update on what's new with construction but here's one for the books!  We've got so much going on it's hard to get it all in one post.

Despite the never-ending amounts of rain we received, the cement was poured!!! (Can we consider those 2 weeks of rain our Spring because I think Summer is here now!)   This layer of cement is the top portion of the composite steel deck floor system mentioned in the earlier post.   




Example of Roof Trusses





Following the pouring and setting of the cement, the crew began installing the wooden roof trusses.  Roof trusses are structural building components used in residential and commercial roof construction. Typically, wood trusses are characterized by their triangular shape and are constructed by securing pieces of lumber together with metal fastener plates.  They come to the construction site completely pieced together and ready to install!  This helps save money because you decrease on-site waste disposal charges, theft, vandalism and they dramatically reduce construction time!

                              

                            

And last but not least, the enclosure for the new elevator!!  

From the Ceiling to the Floor!

Ex: Composite Steel Deck Floor System

The new construction at the library now has levels!!  The crew has been working hard to get in the Composite Steel Deck Floor System.  This consists of a high strength structural steel deck- that's all those corrugated metal sheets you see layed on the new "floors".  When this is complete, a structural concrete slab will be poured on top of these sheets.  Composite Metal Floor Deck is typically used for multi-story buildings and creates a reinforced concrete slab that serves the dual purpose of permanent form and positive reinforcement.  In other words, it'll be extra sturdy!!