[MSN] Safety issues force closure of Providence Forge library

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Safety issues force closure of Providence Forge library
 
Wednesday, Jan 09, 2008 - 02:37 PM Updated: 03:39 PM
 
By MELODIE N. MARTIN
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

The Heritage Public Library abruptly closed this week, leaving residents of
New Kent and Charles City counties without a place to check out books or
access the Internet.

The library's board of trustees voted Monday night in an emergency meeting
to close the building, near U.S. 60 in Providence Forge, after an inspection
revealed potential safety problems related to its fire-suppression and
electrical systems, library board chairman Lee Tyson said.

The closing has also cancelled children's reading programs, adult book
clubs, computer classes and free homework assistance and has left Girl Scout
troops, a chess club and other groups without a meeting place.

"This is really a drastic step, and the board recognizes that. This was the
last resort, but the report raised enough issues in our mind that we didn't
feel comfortable having patrons and staff in the building until we could be
sure it could be safely occupied," Tyson said.

New Kent County Administrator John Budesky said his staff helped line up
electrical contractors who could calculate the repairs necessary to make the
library safe and are working on other solutions such as temporarily moving
the library to another building.

Contact Melodie N. Martin at (804) 649-6290 or mmartin at timesdispatch.com.