Some of the 1.4 million books housed at the central branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library are set to move to less distinguished digs: a 40,000-square-foot space in a Westport warehouse.
The temporary relocation is expected to start in the spring, as work gets underway on a nearly $115 million renovation of the central library building, said Enoch Pratt Director of Communications Roswell Encina. The project, planned to proceed in stages and finish in 2018, includes new bathrooms, mechanical systems, restoration of the architecture and updates to the property's technology capabilities.
The 1930s-era building is to remain open to patrons during the renovation, with a selection of books on-hand. A small fleet of trucks will transfer any requested materials to and from the warehouse, located at 1915 Annapolis Road.
"The site will be a construction site so it's going to take a lot of maneuvering," Encina said.
The library has not settled on which items will be sent off-site. But, he joked, "If you want the 50 Shades of Grey trilogy, we'll make sure that's available [at the central library]."
The 52-month lease, signed last month, starts Dec. 1. The library plans to spend about $250,000 to make the warehouse book-ready, installing items such as a computer service and new heating and cooling system, Encina said.