REVIEW Of WALK-THRU
OF
Overall the three closed branches are in good
condition. They are not handicap accessible but, for the most part, can be. It is my understanding of the American
Disabilities Act that these buildings would not have to be brought into
compliance until they undergo other renovations.
Below are some
of the impressions gained from our tour:
In
overall good condition. Very
spacious. The children's room is quite large and offers plenty of room
for children to work, mingle and do projects. We noted
fairly new flat screen monitors and newer computers in this room. There is a
large community room downstairs that is finished and would offer a great
meeting space for the local residents. There is also another large room in the
basement that can be used for storage. There are underground oil tanks, which might have to be removed or
overhauled. The heating system appears to be old but in decent shape. There is
some asbestos involved and it would have to be removed if the furnace was
updated.
In overall good condition. This building
is small but there is a lot next-door which belongs to the SLMA that could be
used for expansion or a possible parking lot. The heating and hot water system
is almost brand new.
East Springfield:
In
overall good condition. This branch, of the
three, probably appears to be the most "worn out". The heating and
hot water system is old and will probably need to be replaced. The basement is
crowded and has a crawl space on one
side. This branch also has a lot next door which could allow for expansion.
Although not officially handicap accessible there is a ramp to the door and a
handicap cut in the road curb with handicap parking signs.
A true
structural inspection would be needed to accurately ascertain the condition of
these buildings. The overall
reaction of the group that made the walk-thru, however, was that the buildings
were in good shape, they were in a good location to serve both pedestrian and
driving traffic, their collections were more than adequate for a branch library
and they have all served the needs of the neighborhoods well.