Work has begun replacing the wheelchair lift at the Jefferson public library. The lift is located in the Carnegie library building and provides access to all three levels of the library.
During the installation of the new lift, the library’s basement meeting room is unavailable and the area around the lift in the children’s department is partitioned off. The project is estimated to take three weeks to complete.
The new lift will ensure that all library users will continue to have full access to all areas of the library facility and will meet current safety standards. According to library director Jane Millard, the original lift was installed in 1991. That model is no longer manufactured, replacement parts are no longer available, and repairs are very expensive or impossible.
The lift, combined with other features such as ramps, an accessible public restroom, and automatic doors meet the standards required for the Jefferson public library to be accredited with the State Library of Iowa, ensuring high quality library service to Iowa’s communities.
Millard has been fundraising for the lift replacement project for several months. A Greene County Community Foundation grant helped get the project started in March 2014. The total cost of the project is estimated to be $32,365. Grants and donations total $19,210. The city of Jefferson will provide the balance of the funds needed to complete the project.
The city has contracted with Access Elevator and Lifts (with offices in Des Moines and Omaha) and local contractor Jon Acton Construction to complete the project.
The library trustees thanked the following donors: Friends of the Jefferson Public Library, Greene County Community Foundation, Greene County Genealogical Society, Morning Star Lodge #159, Jefferson Rotary Club, Alliant Energy, Jefferson Telecom, Iowa Network Services, Midland Power Cooperative, Central Iowa Power Cooperative and Basin Electric.
