New Building News

The progress of your new library building!
View additional photos on our flickr page.
DECEMBER 11, 2008
We're moved in!

Even though it was scheduled to take this whole week, our movers got everything into the new building on just Monday and Wednesday!  We finished putting the last book on the shelf ("The First World Series," in the adult non-fiction section) at 7pm last night.  Now, we are unpacking boxes, adjusting bookshelves, setting up our LAN, installing new computers, and much more.









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DECEMBER 4, 2008
Lights

We've had lots of questions about the lights being on in the new building.

Even though it seems like it . . not all the lights have been lit 24 hours a day.  Since the building hasn't been occupied, our construction superintendent had to weigh security vs electricity to run the lights. Finally, the electricians (just today!) have set the lighting timeclock to turn the lights on and off on a more reasonable schedule.  We will be glad when library staff are able to operate the lights and lighting timeclock ourselves!

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NOVEMBER 26, 2008
Everything is coming together

It's starting to look like a real library!  The shelves are installed, computers are on their way, and much of the furniture has arrived.  This is a shot of some of the brightly-colored Youth Area seating, which came yesterday.

Today is the last day that the "old" Carnegie building will be open for business (as a library, at least).  Please stop by today and take a final look at the beautiful building that served Marshalltown readers for over a century.

Then, join us for a ribbon cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. on Monday, December 22 in the new building!

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NOVEMBER 18, 2008
Shelves installed today

Several staff members visited the new building to be trained on operating the security gates and the meeting room partition this morning.  We were wowed by the progress that has been made -- bookshelves are being installed, some furniture has arrived, service desks are complete, and more.  We're getting very close to the completion of the "construction" part of things, and will be down to just movers in the next few weeks.

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NOVEMBER 6, 2008
Updates

The meeting room is pictured above.

If you've driven by at night, you've probably already noticed that the interior lights are on and operable.

The service desks are complete.

There are just two elements of the building yet to arrive -- the meeting room blinds and the silver letters that will say "Marshalltown Public Library" on the exterior.  Once the blinds are here, a "flush-out" of the whole building will be conducted to clear out all the dust and particles that accumulated during the construction.

The architects will do a "punch list" walk-through tomorrow to verify building details.

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OCTOBER 29, 2008
Green today, greener tomorrow

The seeding with low-grow fescue was completed yesterday.  Here you can see a landscaper applying a protective green mulch over the seed, which will germinate with spring rains.

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OCTOBER 14, 2008
Resurfacing 1st Street

Did you see some large equipment outside of the building this morning?  They are resurfacing 1st street.

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OCTOBER 6, 2008
Reading Pavilion

As you enter the new library, one of the first things you'll see is this area we're calling the Reading Pavilion.  It's a beautiful, round space that will have great seating and natural light.

You can also see the carpet in this picture.  It has been laid throughout the adult area so far, and it looks really good.

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SEPTEMBER 29, 2008
It's a Beautiful Site

The landscaping on the new site will be going in this week, and will include native plants such as white oak, dogwood, redbud, lilac, and viburnum.  You may have already noticed some of the rocks and trees recently put in place.

Also, watch as the 14 lightpoles are installed.  You'll recognize them -- they match the ones downtown.

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SEPTEMBER 12, 2008
Staff Tour

Library staff just had our second tour of the new building this morning, and everybody agrees that it looks fantastic!  Most of the accent walls have been painted, some floor tile is in, and the open ceilings have been mostly painted white.  We're told that, after the ceilings have been painted, they will thoroughly dust the place in preparation for the installation of overhead lights.

Some of the millwork has started, as you can see in this picture of the back of the Circulation Desk.

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AUGUST 27, 2008
Paint!

If you drive by the new building, you should be able to see the first swatches of color inside! 

Here's a photo of the study rooms, taken during the Library Board's tour yesterday.

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AUGUST 25, 2008
Youth and Teen interior design
Kids will love the fun and colorful furniture selected for the youth department:



And the teen space will have lots of seating options and look something like this:

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AUGUST 5, 2008
Outdoor touches

The final cement goes in . . . the last portion of the parking lot, the bookdrop driveway, and remaining sidewalks are next up on the "to do" list at the new Marshalltown Public Library.  Here workers are readying the forms to pour the sidewalk along south 1st Street while, in the background, REEP attaches the last of the sunshades to the youth department's windows.

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JULY 23, 2008
Sunscreens

REEP Inc. has begun installing sunscreens on the large exterior windows.  Special high-performance glazing and sunscreens have been incorporated into the large window areas to allow maximum access to exterior views and daylight while minimizing the amount of heat that passes through the glass to the library's interior.

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JULY 12, 2008
Solar Panels Are Up

As part of our LEED certification (and just because it makes sense!), the library is incorporating a roof-mounted solar panel photovoltaic array that will convert sunlight to electricity.  The system will be capable of providing 2.5 percent of the energy cost of the building!  We've heard that there will be a monitor somewhere in the library, where you'll be able to see how much power the panels are generating at that moment.

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JULY 8, 2008
Interior Design


Our interior designers visited the library yesterday for a Furniture Committee meeting, and presented their (pretty much) final selections for finishes and fabrics!  The above fabrics are for the adult lounge chairs that will be placed along the walls of the library.

These are what the bookshelves will look like in both adult and youth areas.  The shelves will be grey with bamboo end panels and silver accents.  Special end panels with acrylic insets (with real pressed leaves and wood embedded in them -- see bottom left) will be randomly placed throughout the library.  They will be a pretty unique feature to our library!

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JUNE 27, 2008
Site Progress

Here's an update on the building site's progress, from Jaime and Bret:

  • R.H. Grabau Construction has grouted and installed door frames.
  • Blocking is complete for windows, doors, etc.  
  • Loose ends pertaining to the steel erection were also completed this month. 
  • Grabau is currently working on sheathing of the interior shear walls.  
  • Con-Struct will return to the site to begin final grading along the north and east areas of the site next week.  Concrete Technologies will follow shortly thereafter to pave the north book drop drive and complete phase 2 of the south parking lot. 
  • Carl Schuler Masonry completed setting stone around the east, north and west elevations.  They are now working on the south elevation and also on some interior brick piers.  They expect to be 100% cmplete by July 11. 
  • Central States Roofing is now complete at all areas, with only the sheet metal flashing to complete. 
  • HSI is 75% cmplete with hanging drywall and very little framing remains.  Soy based spray foam insulation will be complete in the next day or so.  Fiberglass insulation will also complete in the next day or so. 
  • Preparations are being made to have Roger Oliver Floor Coverings begin setting tile in mid-July. 
  • Midwest Automatic Fire Sprinkler Co. will be finished with rough-in by the end of the week.. 
  • Plumbing rough-in is complete and has passed inspection.
  • NAI has almost completed the fire alarm and power rough-in.
  • Some lighting rough-in has begun, but it should accelerate next week.

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JUNE 19, 2008
Vision Iowa feature
Marshalltown is a featured community in the Vision Iowa 2008 Status Report for the library and several other projects that won funding.  Other projects include the Orpheum Revitalization Project, the Nature Center at Grimes Farm, and the YMCA.

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JUNE 14, 2008
Rainy Update
I just talked with Jaime, the construction supervisor, who said that all the rain has set them back a few days.  The limestone is fully up on one side of the building, and they continue to work on that.  They've also got the windows in the south side, and will follow the stone work around the building until those are all in place.  Inside,  gypsum board and drywall are being put in. 

The last I heard, the estimated completion date for the building is October 15, but of course that will shift depending on how the weather cooperates this summer.

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JUNE 5, 2008
Chair Samples

If you stop by the library's local history room, you'll notice some new furniture additions.  These are samples of just a few pieces that our interior designer is considering for the new building.  Please Note:  these are NOT our color or fabric choices!!  But you're welcome to come test them out and see what you think!

From left to right:  an adult/teen area lounge chair, a chair for study tables, 2 chairs for the youth area.

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JUNE 5, 2008
Limestone

Masons have begun to lay 814 pieces of limestone to the exterior of the new library.  Work began at the northeast corner of the building and will continue around the building, with the entire process taking a minimum of 6 weeks.  As the limestone is finished, windows will be installed.  Inside, workers continue to install plumbing, drywall, and electrical fixtures.

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