The Tuscarawas County Public Library System's Main Library in New Philadelphia remains closed as it undergoes a $5-million makeover. (Stacey Carmany, Tusco TV)  

NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) - Tuscarawas County Public Library officials are trying to keep everyone accommodated while the Main Library remains closed during restoration work. 

Director Michelle McMorrow-Ramsell says the library’s parking lot is under construction, forcing them to close until they can provide handicapped accessibility again. But she says the spring rains have slowed progress.

“During this time that we were closed, there was extensive work taking place with our parking lot as they built up the cement areas that created space for the drive-up window and the drive-up book return and also as they reorient that entire parking lot,” she says.

Once finished, visitors will access the parking lot from North Broadway. McMorrow-Ramsell says they expect work to be completed sometime during the week of June 17th. She says until then, patrons can pick up reserved materials at JIM’s Place Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

“We also are a go with summer reading activities because most of our activities were planned for offsite locations. We were planning morning and afternoon storytimes at our Main Library building but what we will do until we reopen is those will still happen. They just will happen at JIM’s Place,” she says. 

Ramsell says work will continue throughout the main branch once they reopen the parking lot, with the entire $5-million restoration project expected to finish up this fall.

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