Warsaw Library Swamped As New Addition Opens

If anyone ever doubted the importance, popularity and demand for Warsaw Community Public Library, they should have checked it out Monday.

After a two-week closing to accommodate the transition from the old facility to the new, the downtown library was swamped for the entire day.

It was a literary madhouse from start to finish as patrons eager to see the new facility returned books and videos and began looking for new materials.

Still coping in a state of transition, library clerks worked behind a makeshift circulation desk and received upward of 10,000 books and videos during an 11-hour span, the highest volume recorded in a single day.

At the same time, patrons checked out 4,707 items. On a typical busy day, about 1,200 items are checked out.

"That's utterly amazing," said library director Ann Zydek.

Previously, the busiest day was believed to have occurred about 15 years ago when the library closed for one week to install new carpet.

But Monday represented far different circumstances as staff and patrons adjusted to the surroundings of the 28,000-square-foot expansion. Visitors coped with a lack of parking (which will be alleviated in a few months) and meandered through construction to enter the new entry on Main Street.

One woman was seen returning items in a milk crate, and so many materials were returned that workers stacked books in every conceivable area behind the circulation desk.

At 7:30 p.m., people continued to wander in, and the line to check out materials was a dozen people deep. Dozens of others milled around and sat in the expansive second floor reading area.

Compared to earlier in the day, "this is very calm," said library director Ann Zydek, who looked as harried and tired as some of her staff.

"It was rewarding that people were able to come in and be able to have more space and more places to sit and read," Zydek said.

She said she was warned by other libraries that it was impossible to be totally ready when opening a new facility.

That turned out to be true, but Zydek said she appreciated everyone's cooperation and patience.

Patience will be needed for a few more weeks. An office and apartment building north of the library will probably be torn down in January to make room for library parking.

Sidewalks and drives along the new entrance will be completed this week, Zydek said.