Bye bye books, Rapid City public library will close its doors for a week

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - Rapid City’s public library is briefly closing their doors to bookworms for the week following the new year.

City officials say the library was remodeled in 2002, and now it’s long overdo for the front entrance doors to be replaced.

Originally, the maintenance was slated to be done earlier this year, but COVID-related budget cuts pushed it back.

While closed, staff will still be present. So, ordering and returning books will still be possible, as well as the library’s drive thru and online services.

Darrell Shoemaker, Rapid City’s Communications Coordinator, adds the reason entry won’t be allowed is due to safety concerns, and giving the crews space to work.

”It takes a handful of days to get that done. This is probably the best time. It’s the first week of the year. [The library is] still maintaining a wide array of services. So, if people need to utilize the library... if they want to check out a book, check out a video... any of those particular items that they’ve used the library for, they can continue using it. Except, they just won’t physically be able to go into the facility Monday through Friday of next week,” Shoemaker says.

Shoemaker says the structure has needed bits and pieces of work since it was put in place in 2002, and that booking the much needed repairs for the new year will hopefully get the front doors on the same page as the rest of building, and prevent the need of frequent repairs.