Claudette Olivier / The Church Point News
The Church Point Library is catching up with the times with a $435,000 renovation.
Acadia Parish Library Director Ted Landry said, “It’s a 40 year old building. It was time to update it. It has served us very well those 40 years. It was time to bring it into the 21st century.”
He continued, “When these buildings (the parish’s libraries) were built back in the ’70s, the library board had the foresight to start saving a little bit of money every year, knowing one day that these buildings were going to need work. We are able to fund the project through those savings at no additional cost to the taxpayer. We didn’t have to go to anybody for the money. The library saved the money for this particular need.”
There are seven libraries in the Acadia Parish Library System, and the Church Point Library, which houses more than 12,000 books, serves the town of Church Point and the surrounding areas. The next closest library is located in Rayne.
Before work began on Aug. 1, popular title books and the high speed internet accessible computers were moved to the library’s temporary location at 332C N. Main Street in Church Point. E-books and e-magazines are also available at the temporary location.
“Word has spread about the move, and we are getting pretty good business at the temporary location,” Landry said.
Landry said the renovation is scheduled to be complete in January, and a grand reopening event may beheld in February.
The current library building was constructed in the mid-1970s at a cost of $168,000, and this is the structure’s first remodel. Landry said all of the parish’s libraries will see some work during the next few years, and the Rayne branch will be next to undergo an update.
Landry said the Church Point Library was first on the list for updates for several reasons.
“It really had the need with liability and the fact that the disabled people couldn’t access a lot of the areas,” Landry said. “That (library system) savings, we will use that over the next few years to spruce up all the buildings and keep them going for another 40 years.”
“The Church Point building needs better access for disabled people, and the bathrooms will be ADA compliant. There will be a designated handicapped parking spot in the parking lot. We are going to just about double the parking spaces. The remodel will also give the building a more open floor plan. This will help us with our children’s program. This year, we had as many as 80 or 90 kids for the summer reading program. It was getting so cramped in there, they were (almost) sitting on top of each other. Now (seating for the programs) will be able to expand out.”
Landry also said the raised area where the library’s public access computers were located will be removed to allow everyone to access the computer area. A work area will also be added to the building, giving the library’s staff room to process materials, and the structure’s electrical wiring and computer wiring will be updated. The renovation work is being done by Lavergne Construction.
“Our business is growing,” Landry said. “There are just some things you just can’t do without a computer. If you want to apply for a job, at McDonalds or one of the plants, you can come here and do it. You can even file your taxes here.
“The Church Point Library is very well used. It is a heavily used library. That was the reason for having a temporary location. We couldn’t go six months without it, without having local access. You would have to go all the way to Rayne. That’s a burden on some people. We are excited to have a new place to showcase here in Church Point.”
For the latest updates on the renovations, visit the Acadia Parish Library’s Facebook page.