Haywood County staff told commissioners the Waynesville Branch Library will undergo a roof and heating/ventilation replacement that requires a full facility closure beginning Nov. 24, with an estimated construction window of 60–80 days.

Library and facilities officials said the closure will be a focused, two‑week hard closure when contractors need unimpeded access to upper‑level spaces and to bring equipment through the building; some mechanical work is already under way in boiler and mechanical rooms. Kathy Wassler, Library Director, and Tim Sisk, Facility and Maintenance Director, told the board they plan yard signage, outreach to local schools and alternative after‑school arrangements to keep middle‑school students from entering active construction zones.

“According to Kathy maybe 25 or 30 students on average… we want to try to prohibit those students from coming to an active construction area,” Sisk said, and staff plan to coordinate with the school system to notify families. The library expects to cordon off construction zones with fencing and build temporary plastic corridors through the work area to protect the collection in place; the mechanical contractor will run temporary air‑moving equipment to preserve books while the central HVAC is rebuilt.

Wassler said staff will remain on duty and that other county branches — Canton, Maggie Valley and Fines Creek — as well as Haywood Locker and the Fines Creek locker, will be available for holds, returns and limited services. She said the Canton branch is open Monday and Wednesday 9 a.m.–6 p.m., Tuesday/Thursday/Friday 9 a.m.–5 p.m., and Sundays 1–5 p.m.; Fines Creek is Monday and Wednesday 9–5, and Maggie Valley is Tuesday and Thursday 9–5. After the initial hard‑closure period, staff plan curbside-style holds pickup from the Waynesville circle drive similar to procedures used during the COVID‑19 pandemic.

Officials described the project as comprehensive: replacing original HVAC equipment and boilers in a facility built about 1980, installing new pumps and plumbing, and revising roof drainage and gutters. Sisk said the county has been given an 80‑day window but hopes contractors finish sooner; he cautioned the board not to “sugarcoat” the work, noting it is essentially rebuilding the heating and cooling plant.

Ending: Commissioners and staff described the closure as off‑season timing that minimizes impact on door counts, and they urged residents to use satellite branches and lockers for holds and returns during the closure.