If you’ve visited the Gadsden-Etowah County Public Library recently, you’ve probably noticed something missing.
Our elevator.
For the past five weeks, library staff and patrons have been navigating stairs while patiently waiting for the completion of a major elevator renovation project. While many people have assumed the project simply involved replacing a few worn parts, the reality has been much more complicated.
The library’s elevator had not undergone a major modernization since 2005. Over the past several years, it had developed an unfortunate habit of getting stuck between floors. While that certainly added excitement to the workday, it was not the type of excitement we were looking for. Staff and patrons occasionally found themselves stranded, and every breakdown required service calls, troubleshooting, and disruption.
As a result, Mayor Ford and the Gadsden City Council approved an $82,000 renovation project that replaced the elevator’s electronics, controls, belts, gears, and other critical components. The work began in late April and, according to the original schedule, the elevator was expected to be out of service for only about two weeks.
Then reality arrived.
The renovation itself went well. The elevator contractor completed the work and prepared the system for final inspection. Unfortunately, during testing it was discovered that the elevator, the fire protection system, and the building’s entrance doors were not communicating properly. Apparently, elevators, fire alarms, and doors need to be on speaking terms with one another. The solution sounded simple enough: install a relay switch. Unfortunately, the first relay switch was not quite the right relay switch. A second, more powerful relay switch was needed.
That second relay switch proved far more difficult to locate than anyone expected. Weeks later, we have all become unwilling experts in the fascinating world of relay switches, fire system integration, and elevator communications. I can honestly say that before this project began, I had never spent a single minute thinking about relay switches. Today, I could probably host a support group for people waiting on relay switches.
The good news is that we are nearing the finish line. Once the final component arrives and is installed, the elevator contractor and our security company can complete their work, state inspectors can perform their final review, and we can once again provide access to all floors of the library.
The elevator’s return will also allow us to move furniture and equipment that have been waiting patiently on the wrong floors. Most notably, it will allow us to continue preparing our new Genesis Makerspace, which has been delayed because moving large equipment up and down multiple flights of stairs is not nearly as much fun as it sounds.
So, if you’ve visited recently and noticed a few unfinished projects, please know that progress is being made.
The phrase “Pardon Our Dust” usually applies to construction projects.
In our case, it may be more accurate to say:
“Pardon Our Relay Switch.”
Trust me, nobody is more eager to see it arrive than the library staff.
Gadsden Public Library: 254 South College Street, downtown Gadsden (next to the U.S. Post Office). Phone: 256-549-4699. Genealogy Branch: 2700 West Meighan Boulevard, Alabama City (next to the Ritz Theater at the corner of West Meighan and Wall Street). Phone: 256-549-4688
Craig Scott is the director for the GPL.
