Editor's note: This story was updated on Feb. 5 at 8:48 a.m. to reflect the address of the temporary relocation is actually 121 S. Santa Fe Ave. The originally reported address, 113 S. Santa Fe Ave., was listed in the meeting's agenda "inadvertently" according to a spokesperson from the Pioneer Library System.
The Pioneer Library System Board of Trustees voted to approve a 6-month-long lease agreement for the Norman Public Library Central’s temporary relocation at its regular meeting on Tuesday.
The board unanimously voted to lease an office space in downtown Norman at 121 S. Santa Fe Ave. to temporarily house some of the library’s services. The space, suite 119, measures nearly 2,000 square feet.
In November, the Norman Public Library Central was closed after black mold and fusarium were found in the building. The board then announced the library would be closed for the next five months and voted to relocate its services.
Lisa Wells, executive director of the Pioneer Library System, said the new location will open next week. She added the date is dependent upon final inspections and the approval of the certificate of occupancy.
“We’re moving equipment, so we're actively engaged in setting up the location at this point,” Wells said. “We looked at multiple locations and found that this one was what we thought was more ready than others.”
Wells said the new location will provide programming, the Maker Lab, Movie Boxes and popular materials from the central library. Three to four employees from each department at the branch will be stationed at the new location, according to Wells.
“We're not looking at a building that has lots of books in it, we'll be directing you to our other locations,” Wells said. “You can put them on hold (or) pick them up at the book locker that's going to be there.”
Wells said the lease is for six months, which was the shortest time span available. She added she is uncertain when Norman Public Library Central will reopen but is currently on track for remediation.
Kelly Sitzman, Pioneer Library Systems director of communications, said the new location will offer all library-goers services.
“It’s in close proximity to the original location,” Sitzman said. “It’s also the heart of Norman – the downtown area.”
Sitzman added many customers are still using the library’s services and the new location offers the Pioneer Library System a chance to reimagine Norman Public Library Central.
“We're a critical service to the community, and so it's our duty to be open and make ourselves available to the customers and taxpayers of our community,” Sitzman said.
Trae Carson, the Norman representative on the Pioneer Library System Board of Trustees and co-owner of 405 Brewing Co., said the relocation will allow the library to maintain Norman’s core customer base. He added the size of the new location could draw in newcomers.
“Asking people to change habits can be difficult, especially if you're asking them to travel across town,” Carson said. “It gives us the opportunity to engage with a different group of people that maybe have seen a large building and been intimidated. There’s nothing but positives about the location.”
This story was edited by Peggy Dodd and Anusha Fathepure.
