SAN ANGELO, Texas — The Tom Green County Library North Angelo Branch is closing its doors for almost a year, but the reason for the closure may not be what you think.
The library is receiving much needed renovations for the first time since its opening in 1975.
“Hopefully this will be it for a while. It'll be a huge upgrade. And then we can move forward and won't have to close again for a long while,” North Branch Librarian Chelsea Preas said.
After years of fundraising, library officials were able to get local grants, state grants and donations to make the renovations possible.
Costs are estimated at more than $1 million and Tom Green County Library System Director Jill Donegan said the library has the potential to be great for those in the community who are in need of resources.
“We want to make this library something like our library downtown. To do that, we need better technology and public internet access. Some of those basic services that people are without at home is what we want for our North Branch,” Donegan said.
Some of the changes in the renovation are to expand computer and mobile access, replacing old furniture and updating the layout.
Preas said the North Branch itself is vital to people who don’t have as much access to the other libraries in town.
“This is their library. It's right on the way in from Grape Creek. That's another reason we wanted to stay on the main road, stay here in this area. It's well-loved. It's right at a bus stop. It's on the main road. All of those things. When we asked people and when we got our task force together, they said that's what they wanted,” Preas shared.
The last day the north branch will be open is July 16. The revamp can be seen by the public in six to eight months.
Books that need to be returned can be taken to the other TGC library branches for drop-off.