I just received an e-mail from the Cedar Rapids Public Library. It sounds like they're making a little progress, but still aren't able to accept book donations yet.
Dreamer
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Readers Rebuild!
Post flood message from the Cedar Rapids Public Library
You are receiving this e-mail because you have been identified as a friend and supporter of the Cedar Rapids Public Library (CRPL).
The CRPL staff, Board of Trustees, and support organizations report the following.
- As you might expect, the West Side Branch is busier than ever. This Friday, August 1, a Grand Opening will be held for the “West Wing” – additional space at Westdale Mall that will be used to expand the adult and youth areas. Join us anytime 10 am-9 pm! Door prizes & refreshments all day. Clifford the Red Dog and Curious George greet patrons from 3-5 pm.
- This Saturday, the CRPL Foundation will have a booth at the Cedar Rapids Downtown Farmers Market being held at Green Square Park. Look for the booth across from the Presbyterian Church on Fifth Street SE.
- The first floor of the downtown facility has been completely cleaned out and stripped down to its cement floors and steel beams. We imagine it looks like it did 25 years ago when it was under construction. The mechanical and electrical systems were destroyed and will have to be replaced.
- Library materials from the second floor children’s department are being slowly retrieved and placed back in circulation.
- The Board of Trustees is seeking additional temporary space. The square footage available at Westdale Mall is simply not enough to accommodate programming and approximately 100,000 items that remain in the library’s collection.
- No one knows if and when we will be able to return to the downtown facility. Planners and engineers are assessing the flooded areas and buildings and expect to have a report this fall.
- CRPL continues to provide basic information about programs and library status via its temporary website
http://crlibrary.info We are working on getting our website and other services back online. We hope sooner than later.
- When Friends of the CRPL have secured new storage space and a drop-off location for used books and other library materials, we’ll let you know!
- Monetary donations are being accepted by the CRPL Foundation, 500 First St. SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401. We are humbled by and grateful to the many individuals, groups, businesses and organizations that have made contributions.
- Last but not least: Tell us how you use your public library. Do you have a story about using the CRPL for business research, online job application, employment or college searches? E-mail your story to
m.devries@cedar-rapids.org
We plan to send library updates monthly or whenever we have CRPL news. Thank you for your attention and for supporting your public library!
Marie DeVries
Cedar Rapids Public Library
External Affairs Coordinator
(319) 286-5982
m.devries@cedar-rapids.org