Liquor store now a library
Published 9:45 am Thursday, December 3, 2009
Six years after getting its first community library, Emmons is getting a new community library in the former liquor store building.
The city had been looking for a new home for its library, said Imogene Opdahl, city councilor and a member of the library committee. Since opening in the old Emmons school building in 1993, the library has had inadequate heat and lacks bathroom facilities, she said.
Meanwhile, the liquor store had closed, and the building had been sitting empty for a year.
“The owner asked if the city wanted to buy it,” Opdahl said. “He gave us a good price.”
Volunteers have been busy refurbishing the building.
“It’s a brick building, so they’ve insulated and sheet-rocked,” Opdahl said.
Because it was a liquor store, volunteers had to tear out the cooler. There were also three layers of ceilings, which were torn out. “It was really a dirty job, but it’s very nice now,” she said.
Most all the labor was donated and for those things that weren’t, the contractors gave the city a good price, Opdahl said.
She said whenever she stops to see the progress on the building, the volunteers have been getting the work done, but they’ve also been having fun doing it.
This week, the subfloor and floor were going in. Once that was done, the shelves could be installed. After that, the books can be moved in. Opdahl said many people have volunteered to move and shelve the books.
The building is a good size for a library, Opdahl said. Shelves will go around three walls with room in the center for more. There will also be two computers for public use and one for library workers’ use.
The council member said the people she’s talked with are very happy about the new library. It’s a huge plus for a community of Emmons’ size to have a library, she said. Now it will be downtown, within walking distance of the post office.
Right now, the library is open on Tuesdays and Saturday mornings. With the new building, there is the potential for more usage and the hope is to have it open additional days, Opdahl said.
The community library is run by volunteers. Anyone who wants to help can contact Opdahl or stop by the library and let the volunteers know.
It is the hope to have the new library open by Christmas.
“We’re really looking forward to it,” Opdahl said.
From the start, the library has been a community effort. All the books have been donated. Large-print books come from the Albert Lea Public Library once a month.
The building also has a basement, which will be used to display Emmons school memorabilia, including trophies.
“That’s a winter project,” Opdahl said.