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CLOUDY Temp: 61 °F Wind: WNW at 5 mph Monday, September 29, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine Joy Magazine Tempo A & E RogueValleyAutoFinder RogueValleyHomeFinder Real Estate Showcase Wellness Connection Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Employment Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend September 10, 2003 Medford library opening delayed By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune Medford’s new 80,000-square foot library should open Jan. 11 under budget and two months behind an anticipated opening date. "It will be a sort of New Year’s present," said Ronnie Lee Budge, director of Jackson County Library Services. Most of the main work on the building — funded through $38.9 million in voter-approved bonds — should be done by Sept. 30, although there still will be landscaping, shelving and other projects to complete. In the latter part of December, the old Carnegie library will be closed down during a move-in period that will last at least four weeks, said Budge. Advertisement Although contractors predicted the new facility might open in early November, Budge said she always expected a late fall or early winter date. "It was just an unrealistic expectation on the part of the contractor that the work could be done in a speedier fashion than it was done," she said. While the library will come in under budget, Budge said a decision was made to cut an $88,000 fountain out of an adult garden area to keep the total garden budget at about $400,000. "We didn’t think the public would appreciate our spending so much," she said. A water feature is still planned for the front of the building, which faces Central Avenue. The library, five times the size of the Carnegie building, will swallow up the existing stock of books and materials. "The top and bottom shelves will be completely empty," said Budge. "The middle shelves will only be partially full." She said library officials designed the facility so it would take about 25 years to fill the shelves. An earlier suggestion that books be transferred from one building to the other by a "book brigade" is up in the air because of potential problems with the weather, said Budge. The library will open Jan. 11 for public viewing, speeches and other ceremonies. Patrons will be able to check out books on Jan. 12. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times