Library completes Carnegie renovations

PENN YAN—Work on the Penn Yan Public Library was finished with the reopening of the Carnegie Building, Friday afternoon, Feb. 18.
Lynn Overgaard, library director, said this work started just after Thanksgiving of last year. It included renovating the youth services section of the library in the Carnegie Building. Overgaard said workers removed two suspending ceilings so the rooms are now 15 feet high again. She explained you can now see the arches that were hidden for 30 to 60 years. The Carnegie portion of the library was first built in 1905.
Shelving in the new building was lowered closer to the floor. Overgaard said the library bought a new “early learning station” computer for children to use. It had access to educational games. Overgaard added the youth programs are back now that the space is renovated and specifically that March would feature several programs for teens. The library also completed improvements to a public meeting room and lighting in the Carnegie Building.
The library previously finished other improvements in June 2009. The library was closed for several weeks to for renovations to the lighting, the bathrooms, painting, carpeting and doors.
The Penn Yan library budget for 2011-12 will also be voted Tuesday, April 5, from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. There will be a public hearing on the proposed budget, Tuesday, March 29, starting at 6:30 p.m.
Overgaard said the library board already approved the budget, but it needs the public vote. She explained the total is $581,128. Overgaard added it is a 2.8 percent increase in the tax rate.
“We’re talking about a $10,000 to $11,000 total increase in the budget,” she said.
Overgaard said a large portion of the budget is used for salaries. She explained the library made cuts in other areas of the budget to try offsetting the increases.