Portales' library moving temporarily

The Portales Public Library closed on Monday for roof repairs, and most operations are moved into a temporary location that librarians are not ready to reveal yet, because decisions are still pending on what services can be offered.

The library’s head librarian Tawna Luscombe also said on Friday that programs for elementary and secondary students are being held in the auditorium at the Portales Memorial Building, at 200 E 7th St.

Luscombe added, however, that the auditorium will only be open for those programs.

“The whole roof is being repaired,” she said of the library roof project. “We had leaks and the roof has needed replacing for years.”

The library roof is one of three roofing projects approved by the Portales City Council in June. Public Works Director John De Sha said at the time all three roofs had received hail damage in recent years.

A Clovis contractor, WWRC, Inc., was chosen to conduct the repairs. Besides the library, the contractor was also scheduled to do roof repairs on the Memorial Building and the Yam Theater.

All three roofing projects were purchased through the state Cooperative Educational Services, a statewide purchasing cooperative. Total cost for repairs on all three roofs was put at $1.2 million.