Cold, Colder, Coldest

Lacking a topic for today's entry, I asked our library page what topic she would suggest. She is wearing gloves to shelve the books today. She suggested that I either address the growing invasion of Box Elder bugs or the fact that the children's department is freezing, even after they "fixed" the furnace. I told her that I believe that the two topics are related.

The little bugs are coming into the building trying to escape certain death from winter's freezing temperatures. Diane in the Literacy department said that her office walls are moving as the invasion seems to be centered on the south side of our building where the Literacy office is located.

Every staff member has a space heater under her desk, that we will use all winter to keep the winter chill off, we have been known to wear fingerless gloves to keep our hands warm and still allow us to type or checkout books.

What does this mean for all the library patrons? Last winter we had several people comment on the temperature of the building. People expect that a public building will be comfortable, that browsing the bookshelves at the library should be pleasant and that sitting and reading should be soothing. However, they are often surprised that wearing a coat, is often the best way to spend any amount of time here.

There is a part of our building that is warm, even hot. If you have ever attended Story time or another program in our library auditorium you know that it can be sweltering. The temperature is generally kept high in the auditorium because the rest of the basement does not have heat, including our director's office. She turns it up high hoping it will drift down the hall and take at least the frost from her desk.

Why such inconsistencies? First, it costs thousands of dollars a year to heat and cool our building and in an attempt to control our budget our director likes to keep the thermostats set at a lower setting. Second, our building has little or no insulation. This building was built and remodeled at a time when single-paned windows and drafts were the norm, and because of the awkward configuration of the 1978 addition, heat does not circulate to the areas that need the warmth. It's too bad that we are not all Box Elder bugs, the temperature inside would feel like a blessing.

Good news, however, is that we now have a non-profit status and will be applying for some grants and corporate money to remodel and perhaps add onto the library. It's not the new building we were hoping for but maybe we can create a setting that is comfortable for staff and patrons alike. And if anyone has a sure fire way to get rid of the Box Elder bugs, let us know ASAP! before Diane and the Literacy department disappear completely behind a wall of massing bug bodies trying to stay warm.

Michele, Children's Librarian