Air conditioning failure forces main Kennewick library to close indefinitely

The Mid-Columbia Libraries main Kennewick branch may not have a fully functioning heating and air conditioning system until spring 2023.

Most in-person services at the branch closed June 1, and no date has been set for when the library may have adequate cooling to fully reopen this summer.

The city of Kennewick, which owns the library building at 1620 S. Union St., is looking at some limited steps it can take to make the building more comfortable.

They include window tinting, which will take several weeks to complete, and buying and installing commercial fans to mix the air.

However, fan motors for the project have been difficult to find, and the fans may not be installed until the start of September.

In the meantime, other options for the summer heat are being investigated, and some small fixes have been made to the current HVAC system, said Evelyn Lusignan, spokeswoman for the city.

The 32,500-square-foot building, which opened in May 1999, needs a new heating and cooling system.

The city is having one designed by the end of the month, Lusignan said.

The new system will have to go out to bid and then the HVAC system is expected to be delivered in six to nine months.

The library on Union Street continues to offer limited services. It houses about 40% of the collection of the Mid-Columbia Libraries, which has 12 branches.

Materials can be reserved through the online catalog at midcolumbialibraries.org and picked up in the lobby or with curbside service.

There also is a high interest collection available in the lobby, with an emphasis on children’s materials.

Patrons who normally would browse the aisles can order a grab bag of books, audiobooks and DVDs collected by library staff.

They can order a grab bag loan by providing information at midcolumbialibraries.org/grab-bag-request on what they’d like to receive.

Internet service is available from the parking lot.

Kennewick library well used

The Kennewick library branch is usually busy during the first two weeks of June.

The last June before the COVID pandemic, 17,345 items were checked out from June 1 to 15.

That dropped to 4,734 items the first 15 days of this month, as people were limited to pickup up holds or chose from the limited high interest collection in the lobby.

During the partial closure of the branch on Union Street, hours have been temporarily expanded at the other branch in Kennewick, Wash., the Keewaydin Park library at 405 S. Dayton St.

People can go there to pick up holds, use public computers and wi-fi, browse for books and materials and attend programs such as storytime for children.

The temporary hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday to Friday; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday.

Library survey

In another Mid-Columbia Libraries initiative, the library system is asking people to give their opinion on library services and future needs.

More than 1,300 people have answered the survey, but the library system is hoping for more responses, particularly from men and from Latinos, both of whom are so far underrepresented in survey responses.

Surveys are available in English and Spanish at midcolumbialibraries.org.

This story was originally published June 18, 2022 at 5:00 AM.