Too hot at my library
The air conditioning at Reading Public Library is busted (I think it has been since the end of last summer), and steps were taken to fix the issue before it got hot. Despite all the forethought and preemptive action, the library A/C unit is still busted, and the new unit which was s’posed to arrive last Monday is still on a truck somewhere.
Our director, Ruth Urell, did arrange with our custodial staff to have several portable standing A/C units brought in in the interim, even before we found out that the library’s central unit would not arrive on time. However, the portable units, try as they may, couldn’t compete with this heat. Extra units would brought in to supplement the original set, and window units were installed where possible, given that the building is an old school, and isn’t quite equipped for window units.
Ruth also had Nancy, the awesome secretary of the library, go out and buy us fresh cut fruit, lemonade, juice, ice pops and other frozen treats, to help keep us all going. It was funny answering reference questions with a melting ice pop in one hand and a glass of lemonade in the other! We did manage to stay open all of our hours through Friday, but come my Saturday shift, we closed 2 hours early because of the heat. Today the library opened at 9am, and closed at 11am. We’ll be playing the rest of our hours by ear until the A/C is fixed.
Even with the heat and the madness, we all came to work, we all did our best, and the patrons blessed our hearts for it every time they spoke to us. Ruth has had our backs the entire way, and really did make every effort to plan for and take care of the yuck ahead of time.
Yet another reason why I love my library, even in all this heat.
Tags: work
