KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The Alma Powell Branch library closed its doors in February, but according to library officials, a temporary location is on its way.
Since closing its doors six months ago, the branch has been on the go. "We were working with our mobile library to provide services," said Farrell Howe, head of communications for the Kalamazoo Public Library. "We had partnered with multiple different organizations, interfaith homes, Boys and Girls Club, to be able to provide some easy access to books as well as some pop-up programming."
For 39 years, the branch operated out of the Douglass Community Association building until the nonprofit made some security changes.
"They would have to sign in and show ID sometimes, and unfortunately, that doesn't work for a public library like ours because of the Michigan Privacy Act," Howe explained.
Now, they're working on renovating a building on West North Park Street "so we can restore library services as soon as possible. And by that we mean providing everything that they would have expected at the previous Powell branch library," she said.
The hope is to open the temporary location later this fall.
Howe said that resuming services in the Northside neighborhood is vital. "We want to make sure that the Northside residents can count on the library, as they have to get everything that they need, you know, in terms of not just books ... but everything that a library provides that a lot of people don't think about."
While breaking away from the Douglass wasn't easy, "it's a good thing, because now it's really kind of sped up the process of getting a permanent, bigger branch for the north side," she added.
Surveys were sent out to residents asking what they would like to see at their future permanent location, which should come in the next few years. Those are due Sept. 30.
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