Reed Jackson//August 23, 2012//
While Multnomah County is waiting until November to puts its library funding issues to a vote, Washington County is moving forward with two projects to improve its library system.
The first is the completion of the Hillsboro Main Library, which was built in 2000 but was left vacant until 2007 because of a lack of funding. The second floor of the library is still vacant and will be renovated as part of the project. The project will include building a number of meeting rooms, study rooms and book and seating spaces, according to Linda Lybecker, assistant director of the library. With the addition of the second floor, the library will be able to move some of its book sections from the first floor to expand its children services area.
The second project is a complete renovation of the Hillsboro Shute Park Branch Library, which was built in 1975. The renovation will include adding new mechanical systems, such as heating and electricity, new finishes and replacing the roof.
Construction on the main library project is expected to start in November and finish in June. The branch project will start shortly after and is expected to finish in March of 2014.
Bidding for the project is still open, according to Lybecker.