The Culver-Union Township Public Library hopes to make some facility upgrades, while refinancing some of its debt.
The Marshall County Council gave permission Monday for the library to issue about $1.3 million in bonds. $900,000 of that will be used to refinance a bond issued in 2000, according to Todd Samuelson with accounting firm Umbaugh and Associates. The other $400,000 will cover some upgrades and repairs at the library.
Library officials said the facility includes the original 102-year-old Carnegie Library and a 15-year-old addition, which are now in need of some work. Some of those items include roof and window repairs at the old building, exterior painting, courtyard upgrades, carpeting, new computers, and parking lot repairs.
Library Director Colleen McCarty said the facility’s HVAC system, in particular, could use an upgrade. “We have a humidification problem,” she said. “We’re a library. It’s not healthy for the people. It’s certainly not good for the collection. So we need to do something with our chillers to dehumidify the air better when the air conditioning is on, and we have a Windows 95 system running the HVAC. So we have to replace that. I think you’re all aware how old a Windows 95 system is.”
Although the library plans to raise $400,000 for the work, it’s only expected to cost between $240,000 and $350,000.
