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Behind Closed Doors, A Library Takes Shape

BY DOROTHY EVANS

In small proportions

We just beauty see,

And in short measures

Life may perfect be.

--Ben Jonson

There is a message of hope in these few lines that are reproduced on a bronze

plaque outside the new Cyrenius H. Booth Library entrance, and it is a message

that right about now, Newtown residents of all ages need very much to hear.

After 16 months of ongoing construction activity, they are longing to once

again set foot inside the familiar building, though it has been greatly

changed, expanded and updated.

The wait goes on, however, and the doors may not open for the public-at-large

until after the new year. ( See separate story.)

A second temporary Certificate of Occupancy (CO) was granted November 24, and

a permanent one is sure to follow as soon as the newly hired contractor, O&G

Industries, completes the final parts of the job: a little ductwork, a lot of

painting, a few more adjustments to those cranky old steam radiators in the

old building that date back to 1932.

Inside, library staff members and volunteers have been hard at work for three

weeks now, unpacking boxes and putting everything in its proper new place.

But the people for whom the waiting has been hardest, the Booth Library

patrons, are still locked out.

They need a quick fix, a dose of hope, a small glimpse or two of the

perfection that awaits when the library addition and renovation project is

finally done and the permanent CO is granted so the doors at 25 Main Street

can be opened again.

Then "life may perfect be."

Drive-By Library Tour

To make the waiting easier, Newtowners might want to take five minutes to

drive into the library parking lot behind the addition, simply to admire the

landscaping. They could see the children's garden and bench, the white pines

planted all the way around the parking lot and the row of sturdy Bradford pear

trees that line the rear entrance walk.

They could imagine how beautiful those pear trees will look in the spring when

they are covered with white blossoms, or get out of their cars and read the

commemorative bricks.

Peek in the windows of the children's room downstairs and take heart from the

activity of staff and volunteers. Note the growing pile of empty boxes in

front of new shelves that are filling up daily with lengthening lines of

books.

"We're still in the middle of the process, but it's beginning to look like a

library!" Library Director Janet Woycik stated with certainty on Monday

morning.

Shelving Magazines

On the second floor where non-fiction and reference books are stored, much of

the shelving work has already been accomplished.

Of course, the last items to find a home will not be the books and magazines.

They will be the library's large collection of art objects and antiques, the

doll house, the many old paintings and statues, the exhibits, the chairs,

small tables and mirrors. Many of these items are clustered now in the center

of the genealogy room, away from the side walls where painting is still being

completed.

Downstairs, in the periodicals room to the right of the entrance, the staff is

"really making headway," observed Mrs Woycik.

Shelving the magazine collection was an all-day task that occupied many staff

members working in assembly line fashion Monday, unpacking and putting away

huge stacks of current periodicals.

" Home Furniture , House Beautiful , Internet World , Kiplinger's , Ladies'

Home Journal -- where in the world is Internet World ?" asked Maureen

Armstrong.

Better to make the small decisions now, rather than move things around a

second time later on.

As they worked, the staff discussed their options.

"Shouldn't we keep the professional periodicals back in the office where we

can get at them?"

"Should we line up the current issues with the oldest to the left and newest

to the right?"

"That's the best way for us to shelve them and easier for patrons to see the

date," decided Children's Librarian Alana Meloni.

"If you can't see the date, it's no use," Juanita Fisher agreed.

Milton Adams of the Public Works Department stopped in to confer and make

adjustments on the placement of shelves.

"He's a Jack-of-all-trades. He's always here," Marie Walker said gratefully.

Technical Services

Almost Ready

As Marie Walker, Alana Meloni, Juanita Fisher and Judy Craven were bringing

order to the periodicals room, B. Gill was working back behind the glass

partition of Technical Services, the area located immediately behind the

circulation desk.

This large office will house staff members' desks, computers and the library

director's office in the rear. It will be staffed by Maureen Armstrong and

Diane Warner.

Despite the clutter of unpacked papers and equipment that covers every surface

including numerous plants yet to be hung, the Technical Services office has

the look of an already functioning space.

"It's a real working room," B. Gill said.

Library Director Janet Woycik sat at her desk talking on the phone behind a

mountain of papers, lists and equipment that she had not yet had time to put

away.

The pictures and plants could wait. Getting everything else up and running,

coordinating staff and contractors so they could work efficiently side by

side, doing everything possible to hasten the day when patrons could finally

return and check out books -- that was the first priority.