Closed for two years, Illinois Valley Library reopening Saturday, Sept. 5
From our weekly issue dated August 26, 2009
Branch manager Noretta Jacobson (left) toured the Illinois Valley branch of Josephine County Libraries in Cave Junction on Friday, Aug. 21. With Jacobson are Linda Naydol (center) and Mike Mitchell. (Photo by Michelle Binker, Illinois Valley News)
Efforts are underway to prepare the Illinois Valley branch of the Josephine County Library in Cave Junction for its Saturday, Sept. 5 re-opening.
The facility has been closed since May, 2007, which means that it’s been more than 27 months since the public last entered the building.
On Friday morning, Aug. 21, Library Director Russell Long toured the branch, along with Linda Naydol, Mike Mitchell, I.V. Branch Manager Noretta Jacobson and a few others.
It was the first time Jacobson, recently hired for her position, had ever been inside the building. Jacobson, a Wilderville resident, began working for Josephine Community Libraries Inc. (JCLI) on Tuesday, Aug. 18.
She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattisburg, has worked as the director of the Magdalena Public Library in New Mexico and as a research assistant at the Josephine County Historical Society.
Long said that computer and phone lines were slated to be installed on Tuesday, Aug. 25. New hardware and wires also will be added to the building, he said.
Throughout the past month, volunteers have cleaned the inside of the facility, as well as its yard.
“The foyer looked like the entrance to a haunted house,” Naydol said.
Naydol said that having a firm opening date has helped motivate people to help prepare the library for its opening.
Plans are being made to host revolving art displays in the building, Naydol said, adding that the library will participate in Cave Junction’s November Art Walk event. Children’s art also will be promoted.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony will kick off at 11 a.m. on Sept. 5. A reception will be put on by the Illinois Valley Friends of the Library, and will feature cake.
“There’s so much to do,” Naydol said. “It’s just coming down to the wire.”
Hours for the library will be 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday and Friday and 12 to 4 p.m. on Saturday.
Also new to the library will be an in-house bookstore in an old storage area.
JCLI is hoping to open the Williams branch in November. That is consistent with the group’s year-long goal of opening all four branches.
Long said that opening the Williams branch “should also be comparatively easy.”
“Nothing is finalized there yet, of course,” Long said. “Until we have a completed lease in hand, we can’t go beyond preliminary planning.”
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It is hoped that the Wolf Creek branch will expand its hours as well. That branch never completely closed, as grant requirements called for it to open a minimum of four hours per week as a reading room.
Long said the goal is to open the Wolf Creek branch in early January.
“That is still not completely settled,” he said. “It’s possible that date could change. The Josephine County Library Foundation owns that building, and, once again, we don’t have a lease yet.”
Volunteer opportunities are still available for the Illinois Valley branch. Those include manning the JCLI membership table and circulation desk, book shelving, housekeeping and grounds keeping, and aiding with the children’s library programs, events coordination, public relations and fundraising.
Also needed are volunteers to participate in JCLI’s bagging day at the ShopSmart in Cave Junction on Saturday, Aug. 29. Volunteers will bag customers’ groceries to raise funds for the library system and promote the Illinois Valley branch opening.
Three two-hour shifts are available, from 12 to 2 p.m., 2 to 4 p.m. and 4 to 6 or 7 p.m. For more information on the bagging day, phone Becky at 592-6168. To learn more about JCLI, visit josephinelibrary.org.
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