Moses Lake library to add new bathroom

MOSES LAKE - Moses Lake Library's regional manager is giving up her office so the library can have a new bathroom.

The city council approved the estimated $7,700 project to install a bathroom compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The project was one of two suggestions city staff gave to the council for adding a bathroom to the library. Municipal Services Director Gary Harer said the least expensive option was to convert a janitor's closet into a bathroom. The option would involve moving a wall into the hallway. The option was estimated to cost $4,500.

The closet could be moved to the existing staff bathroom or the kitchen area, he said.

"The other option that (Regional Manager) Connie (Kuhlmann) is in favor of and that is converting the librarian's office to an accessible rest room," Harer said. "It has direct access out to the library instead of taking up room in that corridor."

The office won't be replaced. Since the office is a bomb shelter, the floors are made from about 16-inch thick concrete with rebar in it, Harer said. Drilling through the floor increased the estimated cost. City crews will handle the majority of the construction.

Kuhlmann explained the janitor closet option has been discussed for the past 20 years, and it wasn't implemented because it isn't a good idea.

"It obstructs the workflow of the library. It makes it more difficult for us to wait on patrons," she said. "That whole entire workspace from the librarian's office over to the men's rest room wall is about 15 to 18 feet, so if you're taking 4.5 feet out of that space, you can see how that considerably narrows down any kind of workspace we have available to us."

Converting the janitor's closet would make it difficult for the patrons as well, she said. They would need to go down the hallway and into a rest room which isn't visible to them.

"Even though I'm giving up my office and the office of future librarians after I retire, I really prefer the librarian's office option, even though it's a little more expensive," Kuhlmann said.

"It's much more accessible to patrons. They will have access directly from the main area."

It also provides a family bathroom for parents to take their children into, she said.

Her staff already developed plans for where they can place her desk, she said.

"I really encourage you to spend the extra $2,000 and make this so it's an attractive place for the people who need to use it," she said.

The council unanimously supported converting the office into a bathroom.