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Belgrade Community Library to close building in February for move; will offer off-site services and gather public feedback
Summary
Library staff announced a planned month-long closure in February to complete a move into a new building, with off-site services at the senior center, curbside pickup in March, a volunteer "book brigade," and multiple ways for patrons to give input via comment cards and QR-code surveys.
The Belgrade Community Library announced it will close its building for about a month in February to move collections into a new facility, with a phased return of services afterward. Alina (library staff) told the advisory board the closure is planned to allow a professional moving company to transfer the collection and for staff to complete trainings and set up the new building.
The library will provide off-site services during the closure. Kathleen (library staff) said staff will operate at Belgrade Senior Center on Mondays through Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for computer use, a food pantry, tax forms and newspapers; patrons also will be able to pick up one-item holds at the senior center and use the library book drop for returns. The library plans curbside pickup beginning in March and said phones are being moved, so email will be the preferred contact method during the closure.
Why it matters: the closure affects routine services for regular patrons, but staff described multiple mitigation steps — off-site service hours, curbside pickup, and continued programming at alternate community locations — intended to maintain access while the collection and furnishings are relocated.
Library staff said movers will begin bringing the collection to the new building on Feb. 10 and estimate the mover team will take about a week to transfer materials, after which inventory and setup will follow. Staff reported some furniture delays that pushed some furnishing deliveries toward February; the public reopening date is tentative and expected shortly after spring break, but the library has not announced a firm public opening date.
The board discussed volunteers and an organized "book brigade" to assist with lighter tasks around the move. Kathleen said the library will have a volunteer liaison and a team specialist to coordinate volunteers; staff asked advisory members to help recruit volunteers when the brigade is scheduled. Alina said the library will rely on one professional mover experienced with libraries; staff described equipment that moves shelves and stacks to speed transfer and limit handling by volunteers.
The library plans a range of training and preparatory work during closure, including in-person safety and de-escalation training, emergency response and fire safety courses, and development of volunteer and makerspace guidebooks. Staff also said they will maintain active communications via FAQs on the library website and social media, and they will place signage at the senior center and other off-site locations describing available services and book-drop instructions.
The board reviewed how the library will collect community feedback about the new facility. Staff are preparing a short patron survey and comment cards, with QR codes placed around the new building and in community locations; printed surveys will also be made available for patrons who prefer paper. The draft questions include patron connection to Belgrade, what patrons value most about the community, what library features they anticipate using (collections, makerspace, meeting rooms, programs) and an open-ended comment field. Board members suggested separating program-specific feedback from general facility feedback, expanding the space for open-ended comments, and avoiding subjective phrasing such as "does it make you feel a certain way?" on a general comment card.
Board members asked about outreach to high-traffic community sites; staff said they plan distribution via the Belgrade News and at local schools, daycare centers, grocery stores and coffee shops. Staff also said some programs will continue at alternative locations during the closure (for example, children's "Get Up and Move," yoga, and Qigong at local gyms and community spaces).
Votes at a glance: the board approved the previous meeting minutes by voice vote and later approved a motion to adjourn. Neither action recorded a roll-call tally in the transcript.
Looking ahead: staff said they will announce the formal public opening date once it is finalized, will notify volunteers when the book brigade is scheduled, and will continue to update FAQs and social channels to keep patrons informed.
