WARREN — The renovations of the George Hail Free Library continue apace with an anticipated end date some time in the middle of the fall.

Director Chris Matos recently led a tour showing the improvements being made to the historic building on Main Street, including the addition of a couple of American with Disabilities Act upgrades to the lower level.

The library is remodeling an area in the basement that previously housed its old oil furnace and tank. Now that the 136-year-old structure is heated by gas, the location is being converted into an ADA-compliant restroom and maintenance closet.

In addition, Matos mentioned the new exterior ramp being constructed, connecting the parking lot with an entrance to the same lower level area to allow patrons with disabilities easier access to the library.

"It's going to be nice to have a handicap entrance at last," Matos said.

While they were at, the director said, a few other repairs of note are also being done.

A new cement skirt was poured around the bottom of the building and rubber coating was installed on the roof of its eye-catching tower. Water was leaking into the basement on the ground floor and into the director's office on the second floor.

"We just figured we'd rip the band-aid off all at one time and get it all done," Matos explained.

Deslandes Construction of Warwick is performing the entirety of the work. Its project manager, Kyle Peahl, said the anticipated completion date on all aspects of the effort, which began at the beginning of August, to be sometime in early November.

The majority of the funding for the improvements came mostly from savings stored away over the years by the Hail Library board of directors as well as an $85,837 grant from the Champlin Foundation in 2023.

More library notes
Besides the anticipation of finishing the renovations, Matos said she is eager to engage with residents through a survey she recently issued seeking input a
five-year plan for the library.

"I'm just trying to get a direction on what other improvements the residents of the town think we need," Matos said.

The director made note of some other planned interior improvements to the main floor. Staff has already purchased equipment, which will allow for greater usage flexibility.

"We have some new furniture coming in to open up this tiny little space, to make it more mobile," Matos elaborated. "We're going to put things on casters so we can more easily move them around. So people have a space where they can gather."

One last item of interest the director mentioned, staff continues to make adjustments to the Charles Whipple Greene Museum on the second floor of the library.

Matos noted the museum has an abundance of a historical items that she and her colleagues have "just started inventorying."

A digital catalogue and tour can also be accessed on the library website.

Youth notes
Regarding the rest of the library, its Youth Services Librarian Michaela Hutchinson said a lot of her plans are on pause with all of the renovations taking place in the basement area where the children's programs are housed.

However, she expects the earlier collaboration between the library and local artist Mallory Angell, owner and designer of "Rare Revivals" on Main Street, to resume shortly.

This past winter Angell painted the first part of a mural on the wall located in the lower level children's section. Kids in grades Kindergarten-Fifth were involved in the finish painting effort that took place in February.

Hutchinson is hoping to be able to bring Angell back sometime in November to begin the second part of the mural in the teen section. She also anticipates engaging with older students of middle and high school age, as well, to complete the mural at that time.

Adult notes
As for the grownups, Meredith Richards, Hail's Reference Librarian and director of adult programs, said she is in the beginning stages of a grant submission process in support of adult digital literacy education.

Richards intends to submit an application with the Public Library Association, a national organization, seeking $5,000 to be used to offer classes on such things as computer basics, cellphone basics and other introductory aspects of tech. She said there's the potential for partnering with Senior Center to gain the grant.

Currently, Richards highlighted the library's two continuing book clubs: "Friday Favorites" and "Books on Main."

Friday Favorites takes place on the first Friday of each month, in October the 4th, from 11 a.m.-noon when patrons can discuss any book they've either read or have an interest in.

"It's fun. It's pretty popular. It's a nice thing," Richards said of Friday Favorites.

Books on Main is Hail's regular book club, which meets around mid-month, upcoming on Wednesday, Oct. 23, from 6-8 p.m. Pick up this month's selection, "Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II" by Liza Mundy, at the Circulation Desk in advance of the discussion.

For more information on all of the goings-on at the library visit www.georgehail.org.