Library officials made a plea to the Marion County Board of Supervisors Tuesday for a temporary location as the Broad Street facility remains closed because of tornado damage.
A new roof isn't expected until the end of April, and more interior repairs may be required after that before the library can reopen.
One of two tornados that struck Columbia Dec. 16 ripped the roof off the building, and hard rains that night caused extensive water damage. The library has been closed since, and books have been boxed up and moved out.
The closure has caused angst among frequent patrons.
“We get calls every day. We get stopped, any of the staffers everywhere we go: What is the status of the library? When are we going to be open? Where can I send a fax? Can I make copies; I just need to make one copy,” Mona Swayze, branch manager of the Columbia-Marion County Public Library, said.
Swayze and Ryda Worthy, director of the South Mississippi Regional Library System, which oversees the libraries in Marion and Jeff Davis counties, spoke to county officials Tuesday.
Worthy asked the board what the status was of the new roof, saying she had not been told anything regarding the status of repairs.
County Engineer Jeff Dungan said the bidding for new roof will open Feb. 4 and once the bidding process and construction is complete the library should have a new roof by the end of April. Discussion was also held about the repairs on the inside that cannot start until the roof is replaced. Swayze said the temporary roof has had some leaks, too.
“Our biggest concern is how long are we going to be shut down? If it going to be an extended period of time, do we need to look for an alternative location?” Worthy asked.
“The next step is flooring; how do we go about that?” Swayze inquired.
Board President Tony Morgan said flooring would have to wait until the roof is done.
Swayze said it would be more than just the floor because some of the rooms had paneling and the paneling had water damage. Worthy said the kitchen would need new cabinets because the others had water damage and also wood and laminate countertops would need to be replaced. She acknowledged it was going to take some time to do all of the repairs.
Dungan asked Worthy if the insurance has been processed yet for an adjuster to come and see what is going to be covered. Worthy responded the only insurance policy the library carries is on the electronic equipment. She said they have provided the insurance company with an inventory and photographs; now they are just waiting on that insurance, but everything else falls under the building which is under the Board of Supervisors' insurance. The building is owned by the county, and the library operations are jointly funded by the city and county.
Dungan made the recommendation to hire an architect to look at everything so when the insurance comes back with an estimate there is a professional opinion to say the estimate is correct or not.
Board Attorney Drew Foxworth said it may end up a lot of the interior work has to be bid out.
Swayze said the copier took on water for three days because water had collected on the ceiling tiles and when the tiles were removed the water fell.
She said the only thing functioning now is the WiFi, which people continue to park outside and use the wireless internet service on their own devices.
Library Board Member Cheryl Bourne asked, “Being it looks like this is going to take a long time, do you guys have a suggestion of maybe we could put the library temporarily? Is there a county building useable for that?
"When you consider getting bids for the roof, bids for the flooring that will take an extended period of time. We have some many people who come in and use the computers and checking out books. A lot of people, especially out in the county, they get stacks of books every couple of weeks. I am just wondering if you gentlemen could come up with an alternative working solution for the library.”
Beat 1 Supervisor Blue Green asked if they did find a temporary place how long would it take for them to be set up. Worthy said everything is pretty much boxed up. She said as long as the location had internet they could set up and at least offer some limited services.
Beat 4 Supervisor Tater Rowell asked Worthy how much space would be need. She said she could make 1,500 to 2,000 square feet work.
Another complication is the library cannot pay rent on a building with public funds, Worthy said.
Bourne asked if anyone toured the inside of the library. Swayze said Rowell was there the night it happened, and Beat 5 Supervisor Calvin Newsom also visited. The other board members said they had not been inside yet to view the damage.
Foxworth said he would check with the insurance agent to see if is any provision about moving into a temporary location. Dungan recommended checking with area churches and seeing if any would be willing to open their gym for the library.
Worthy said the office continues to operate but would prefer another place to set up.
“We are operating out of the back room with debris falling down all around us. We operate two other branches out of this office,” Worthy said.
Worthy said she would contact the city as well about a temporary location.
In other business, Steve Mercier with GatorFest said the festival will be held this year on April 4 at the original location of the Columbia Water Park.
And John Smith and Tom Porter, co-chairs of the Columbia Youth Football League, introduced themselves to the new members of the board and thanked the board for its support.
Pictured Above: Inside the Columbia-Marion County Library, showing the extensive damage caused by the Dec. 16 tornado. | Photo by Susan Amundson
