NORTHRIDGE : Library Branch Damaged in Earthquake Reopens
The Los Angeles city branch library in Northridge reopened Monday, nearly six months after the Jan. 17 earthquake.
“Our patrons are very happy that we’re open,” said reference librarian Carmen Lofrano. “It’s wonderful to be back again. It’s like being reborn.”
Besides the repairs, workers also installed quake-resistant ceilings and light fixtures and added more electrical outlets and upgrades to accommodate modern library technology. The library also got carpeting and was repainted for the first time since 1975. Shelves were bolted to the floor to prevent them from toppling in another temblor.
The library will be open from 12:30 to 8 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays.
The Chatsworth library will reopen later this month, and branches in Granada Hills, Woodland Hills and North Hollywood will be back in service in August.
The Granada Hills library was hit particularly hard. It sustained serious structural damage and required a new roof and ceiling. About 25,000 children’s books were destroyed.
The North Hollywood regional library and Los Feliz branch also remain closed because of quake damage. A library spokesman did not know when repairs would be completed.
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