Group hopes for new library in Moses Lake

Current structure no longer suitable

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Public Library hosted an open house Monday afternoon to inform the public of the need for a new facility.

There are several issues raising a few eyebrows around the library.

There is no bathroom for people with physical disabilities. But there will be in the janitor's closet.

The janitor's closet is to be transformed into a wheelchair accessible bathroom, Librarian Connie Kuhlmann said. The janitor's closet is going to be moved to the break room, reducing the size of the space and wiping out the kitchen area. When the single toilet bathroom is installed, the patron must pass through a computer area, through swinging doors and the employee work area, where the public is usually off limits. The patron must also be escorted, she said.

Popular program, Baby Story Time, may face elimination.

The room for story time is in the basement. There are stairs leading to the basement but there is nothing to accommodate those with a physical disability, former librarian Glenna Bingham said. She faces difficulty walking down them herself, she said.

The library must know who is coming to story time to make sure everyone can be accommodated. Kuhlmann fears one day they won't be able to accommodate everyone, forcing them to move the program or eliminate it.

The wiring in the library is another issue.

Kuhlmann refers to the wiring as the "spaghetti factory" because it is a tangled mess.

A $7,000 wall had to be installed to conceal jumbled wire and to meet fire code, she said. There are many other installations around the library containing wiring linked to computers.

The shelves cause problems too.

The fronts of the shelves are falling off and they had to be reinforced to hold the weight of the books, Bingham said.

Rods run through the shelves to keep them from collapsing into themselves, she said. It makes it a hassle to shelve books in proper areas due to the various positions of the rods running across the shelves.

The men's bathroom in the basement had a baby change area installed six months ago, but there isn't one in the women's bathroom due to lack of space, Kuhlmann said. Women must use the men's bathroom to use the baby changing area. There is also damage to the men's bathroom, including excessive paint peeling away from the walls.

The library was built 43 years ago and several remodels later, the library is in need of a new space, Bingham said.

The Moses Lake City Council plans to discuss the library at their February retreat.