The library in Easthampton, Massachusetts, remains closed to the public after dead bats were found in the building last Thursday.
Katya Schapiro, the director of the Easthampton Public Library, said small critters are no strangers to the building, which was built in 1881. There has previously been a bat colony in a decorative tower on top of the library, which has no access to the building’s interior.
“Generally, critters don't bother us, we don't bother them,” Schapiro said in an interview Tuesday.
But the discovery of dead bats inside the building concerned the city's health department, given the possibility of bat-borne illnesses. So the building will remain closed until experts can come and assess the situation.
“We have someone coming in to do some work on Thursday, which will hopefully give us more information,” Schapiro said. However, she stressed that she still doesn’t know when the library might be able to reopen.
In the meantime, library staff are hanging in there. They're working on a volunteer basis, aware of the risks, Schapiro said. For now, the library is offering curbside services between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., weather permitting. And staff are monitoring for any other signs — like bats flying inside the building — that might cause them to vacate.
In recent years, Easthampton has explored options for moving out of the historic building, which was previously known as the Emily Williston Memorial Library and Museum. The building is not in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, with large sections inaccessible to those using wheelchairs, for example.
Last year, BankESB offered to donate its Main Street building to the library for free. Schapiro said the library is working on turning the space into an annex and that it’s the most promising location for a future library — with more rooms, services and full accessibility.
