What began as a dream roughly 60 years ago will become a reality Tuesday for patrons of the Albright Memorial Library, executive director Jack Finnerty said.
"The stars aligned," Mr. Finnerty said. "Mars and Venus were where they were supposed to be."
Library officials have been trying to build an elevator in the historic building since at least the 1950s, but disagreements over where to put it and a lack of money stalled the project.
In August, the project finally began with the elevator being built outside the building and its shaft covered with stone almost exactly like the kind used in the 1890s. The project was funded with nearly $500,000 that was in the John J. Albright Fund, a reservoir of cash that can be used only for the physical needs of the library.
"When you pick up that power saw and start going through the limestone, no going back now is right," Mr. Finnerty said with a laugh.
But there was a cost involved with the project that had nothing to do with money: the loss of some patrons.
The project required three holes in the building. One of them already existed - cut into the back of the building when a disabled-access ramp was installed in 1990. The hole was the perfect size for an elevator door, but to build the lift, that ramp had to be closed. Members were notified that disabled access to the library would be limited to the children's library next door, which affected some patrons, Mr. Finnerty said.
But he's hopeful for the future. Once fully operational, the new elevator will give disabled and other library patrons access to the first and second floors for the first time.
That's good news for anyone who has difficulty using stairs, said Keith Williams, a community organizer at the local Center for Independent Living.
"It's really going to be a welcome addition for people with disabilities in our area," Mr. Williams said.
Though the elevator will be in working order Tuesday, an unveiling is not planned until mid-March, when the finishing touches will be done, including placing stained-glass windows above the elevator door.
"For the meantime, there's no reason not to let the public who needs to use it, use it," Mr. Finnerty said.
Contact the writer: jkohut@timesshamrock.com, @jkohutTT on Twitter