Downtown Cedar Rapids Public Library closed until September because of fire

CEDAR RAPIDS — A small fire last week at the downtown Cedar Rapids Public Library will force it to stay closed until September as it moves employees and some services to other locations.

The fire started July 27 from a light fixture in the library commons area and was quickly put out with sprinklers and fire extinguishers. But inspectors are still investigating the fixture that caught on fire, and smoke soot is being cleaned up throughout the interior of the 100,000-square-foot library, said Library Director Dara Schmidt.

“That will take a while to repair, but as with any process, there are still ongoing investigations of the cause and origin and insurance and all of that,” Schmidt said.

She said all items in the library — including the carpet — will be wiped down and cleaned while the facility is closed.

“Think about if you've ever been in our children's area. There's little kids crawling around on the floor and putting things in their mouths like that, so it's not safe and healthy right now,” Schmidt said.

Library officials are waiting on a complete timeline for the lobby restoration, she added.

Schmidt said reopening the lobby area for hold pickups is her next priority during the library’s temporary closure. The library extended book due dates and holds, but patrons still can return materials to Hiawatha and Marion Libraries or one of the book drops at metro-area Hy-Vee stores instead.

Schmidt said the library’s 82 employees have been reassigned to work in the west-side Ladd Library, outdoor and vehicle outreach programs and at a cooling and computer center. An American Red Cross blood drive set for Friday also has been moved to the Ladd Library.

Cooling and computer center opened

With extreme heat hitting Iowa this week, the library opened a cooling and computer center at Waypoint in the Madge Phillips Center Shelter, 520 Fourth Ave. SE in Cedar Rapids.

The center offers public access to 10 computers through one-hour sessions. Wi-Fi and limited seating are available, but books and other library materials are not accessible there.

The center will open Thursday, a news release said. Its hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Public parking is available in the library lot on Fifth Avenue SE, or in metered spots outside the center, the release said

Returning in September

Several self-checkout and staff stations in the downtown library’s lobby were damaged by water from sprinklers during the fire, Schmidt said.

“Those are things that we'll need to replace over the next several weeks,” she said. “We're not sure if those desks can be salvaged or we need to actually replace the cubicle desk. It just sort of depends.”

Roasters Coffeehouse, the cafe inside the library’s lobby, will remain closed until the library reopens, Schmidt said. The cafe has another location in NewBo City Market.

Schmidt said she doesn’t know the cost of the damage yet, but Cedar Rapids city staff are negotiating with its insurance carrier, which is expected to cover the bulk of the cleaning and restoration expenses.

After the 2008 flood and shutdowns in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Schmidt said, the library’s employees are experts in crisis response and disaster recovery.

“From 2008 forward, the library has had to be incredibly flexible and responsive to community needs,” she said. “We know when we're not here in our building, that doesn't mean that our community doesn't still need us.”

Comments: (319) 339-3159; sabine.martin@thegazette.com