Closure of Middletown Library delayed thanks to volunteers

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Middletown Library will not close for good this weekend as originally scheduled after a deal was reached between city officials.

Saturday morning, Louisville Free Public Library Director Lee Burchfield informed a member of Metro Council that the branch will remain open temporarily.

Metro Councilman Markus Winkler, D-17th, represents part of the east end and has been fighting to delay the closure.

Both the Middletown and Fern Creek branches were scheduled to close for good on Monday, June 3, as a result of Mayor Greg Fischer's budget cuts.

Winkler was pushing to keep the branch open until the new Northeast Regional Library opens on June 24.

Volunteers are being recruited to help pack and move the Middletown branch so its employees can stay on the job.

"What we'd like to do is use volunteers to help in that ramp down period by breaking down boxes, boxing up books, that would allow us to keep the library staff focused on staffing the library, and we could close much, much closer to that 24th deadline," Winkler said.

As a result, the branch will remain open until at least June 19.

The library will still be closed on Monday, June 3, as originally scheduled, but will reopen Tuesday.

"Our libraries are a critical resource for our community. During this budget challenge, the offers of help from volunteers, businesses, schools and nonprofit partners to step up and address gaps have demonstrated our community's deep social muscle," Mayor Fischer said in a release Saturday.

Winkler said the goal is to shorten the gap in service for students on summer break.

"This is a testament to what happens when we work together for the good of our city, and I am grateful for this outcome," Winkler said in a statement.

Officials say library hours could vary depending on how much staff is available, but visitors can still pick up items on hold and have access to library computers and Wi-Fi. Updates will be posted on the library website here.

Additional summer programs for kids have also been planned, including a community bookmobile and pop-up storytimes until the Northeast Regional Library opens.

Below is a schedule of those activities:

Crosby Park:

June 5: Bookmobile visit from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and storytime at 10 a.m.
June 12: Storytime at 10 a.m.
June 19: Storytime at 10 a.m.

Public Bookmobile Visits - to include materials for checkout and a summer reading program:

June 8: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the parking lot/park/porch of the Northeast Regional Library.
June 10 and 17: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the parking lot/park/porch of the Northeast Regional Library.

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