The North Pocono Public Library's 113 Van Brunt St. building in Moscow will close its doors for good after one last story hour at 11 a.m. Tuesday.
The current library facility will cease operations from noon until the newly constructed building at nearby 1315 Church St. is ready to open, according to library director Susan Jeffery.
Ms. Jeffery had previously pegged June 4 as the date on which the new library would open, but she said the date is now likely to be between June 12 and June 18.
The delay is because of a miscommunication with Verizon that resulted in a later Internet and phone hookup date, she said.
Many people come to use the computers, the library's circulation system relies on the Web, and reference librarians would be unable to take calls to answer questions, Ms. Jeffery explained.
"Opening without the Internet would be a nightmare," she said.
Library officials have put the Van Brunt Street building on the market for $98,500 and plan for the revenue to defray the $3.2 million cost of building the 8,000-square-foot Church Street site.
Ms. Jeffery said the 1,300-square-foot Van Brunt Street facility, which was once a liquor store, should be an attractive commercial property.
She noted the building has a parking lot and is in Moscow's business district.
Librarians are planning to develop children and teen programs that the existing building did not have space to offer. The director said a teen advisory group's members will help develop their own programs.
On Saturday, the new library added "The Reading Tree," a $15,000 storyteller's chair donated by a local family.
The sculpture was created by Rachel Slick, Ms. Jeffery said. She described the tree as unique, "something visible and something new" that she was excited to include at the new library.
Contractors broke ground on the library project April 28, 2012, after library officials had discussed building a new facility for years.
Features of the new library will include a 90-seat community room, a large children's room, a "business entrepreneur center" for people who like to work at the library, an area dedicated to teens and a study room.
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