Procter Library roof reconstruction wraps
A project to reconstruct a significant section of the Procter Library roof has been completed after 19 weeks – all without affecting visitor numbers or lending rates.
A 300-square-metre section of the roof, which enclosed the original two-room building constructed in 1974, had degraded to the extent that it leaked during heavy rain. The triangular structure of the roof was replaced with a mono-pitched roof and waterproof membrane during the works. The new roof has an expected lifetime of at least 25 years.
The reconstruction work began at the end of January and ran for almost five months. The Children’s section, Toy Library, Makerspace, public toilet, and staff room were all located under the works area, requiring some resources to be temporarily relocated and public access limited during the reconstruction.
A reduced selection of books from the Children’s and Adult Fiction sections were made available while the tin roof was removed, the rafters upgraded and a new roof membrane fitted. At the most intensive stage, the entire reconstruction area was encased in shrink wrap and scaffolding.
Despite this, visitor numbers still clocked in at more than 40,000 people from February to April. Most library programmes also continued uninterrupted during this time.
A big thank you goes out to the library community for their patience during the reconstruction, as well as to local businesses that went without their leased parking spots for the duration of the works. Procter Library staff celebrated the completion of the project and return of normal duties with a morning tea.
All sections of the library have now reopened to the public, including the popular Makerspace which is home to a 3-D printer, VR headsets and other robotics and creative kits. The carpark at the back of the library has also reopened.
Below - a bird's eye view of the roof reconstruction.
