Peterborough Public Library DeLafosse Branch Will Remain Closed Until Further Notice

The Peterborough Public Library announced that the DelaFosse Branch will remain closed until the structural assessment is complete.

FILE PHOTO COURTESY PETERBOROUGH PUBLIC LIBRARY

Earlier this week it was announced that the Main Library would be returning to pre-COVID hours and that the DelaFosse Branch would be reopening on August 24, 2021. However, a draft report outlining a significant structural concern with the library floors' load distribution and weight-bearing has changed those plans.  

Earlier this summer, the Peterborough Public Library Board discussed the Library's 2020 Service Review results, which looked at the DelaFosse Branch. At that time, a motion was approved for an updated building condition assessment of the DelaFosse be completed.

According to an early draft of this report, the floors in the DelaFosse Branch were constructed to support a weight distribution of 60 pounds per square foot, and the weight of the collection and shelving are currently exceeding that weight restriction.

"Library staff were excited to get back in the building and welcome our members," said Jennifer Jones, Library CEO. "We have been advised that it is a health and safety risk to reopen the facility at this time. The safety of both the community and our staff is paramount, we will be looking at ways to redistribute the weight immediately, but it will not be enough to safely reopen the DelaFosse at this time."

The Library Board will review the full report once it is completed. They will then discuss the next steps and determine when the DelaFosse branch can reopen safely.

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