EAST HARLEM — When one door closes another one opens.
Aguilar Library on East 110th Street will shut its doors on Nov. 3 for about six months for a million dollar update to its heating and cooling system, administrators said.
At about the same time, East Harlem’s 125th Street Library near Second Avenue will reopen.
“We timed it very carefully so we have 125th Street open before we close Aguilar,” said Sumie Ota, New York Public Library's Upper Manhattan network manager. “We are working hard to make sure [the closure] is as short as possible.”
News of the swap got a mixed reaction from East Harlem residents.
"This is a vital resource for me, I'm looking for a job," said Herb Quinones, 55, who uses the library's computers to look for work. "It does get hot in here. I can get behind biting the bullet for the repairs."
Others were not as flexible.
“It sucks, this location is very convenient for me,” said Quadasha Walker, 26, who uses Aguilar library to get access to a computer. “It’s going to get cold soon."
The 125th Street library, which was closed in October 2013 for similar renovations, was suppose to be open in "early 2014," according to a sign on the front door. However, the work was delayed and it won't open until Oct. 15, a New York Public Library spokeswoman said.
The city's Department of Design and Construction, which oversees the contracts for the renovation project, did not respond to a request for comment.
With the library on 110th Street closed, residents will have to use the 125th Street Library or other nearby branches like the one on 96th Street and Lexington Avenue or the one on 124th Street and Fifth Avenue.
Aguilar Library will get new air conditioning units, hot water pumps and a web-based temperature control system. The renovation is expected to cost $970,000, said NYPL spokeswoman Angela Montefinise.
The renovations are part of a larger effort to upgrade the city's public libraries, Ota said.
Public libraries throughout the city need $1.1 billion in repairs, according to a report by the Center of an Urban Future released in September.
“The average branch library in New York City is 61 years old, and a significant share of the branches suffer from major physical defects such as lack of light and ventilation, water leaks, and over-heating due to malfunctioning cooling systems,” according to the report.
Aguilar Library is more than just a place to check out books, Quinones said. The place is full of people during the day and fills up with students as soon as class is out.
"It's a defacto community center," he said.
