Claremont branch library reopening delayed two months

Michael Pearce, owner of The Elmwood Café, holds up a poster announcing that the Claremont branch library will be a beneficiary of the restaurant’s charity — if customers vote to choose it

The reopening of the Claremont branch of the Berkeley Public Library has been pushed back two months because of construction delays.

The Claremont branch will now reopen in late March or April next year, rather than late January or early February, according to Donna Corbeil, the library director.

“It looks like it is four to eight weeks behind our originally anticipated schedule,” said Corbeil.

The delay is a result of some vendors not delivering items on time, Corbeil said. For example, the new windows are taking longer to arrive than expected.

So far, there are no cost overruns for either the Claremont or North branch projects. The North branch remodel is expected to be completed in March or April 2012 as well.

The library will start the bid process for the new south branch on December 16, said Corbeil, and will open the bids in January.

Fundraising for furniture for the libraries is continuing. On Monday, the Elmwood Café on College Avenue held a party to celebrate the 90^th birthday of Ozzie’s Soda Fountain, the former tenant of the restaurant space. Elmwood Café owner Michael Pearce announced that the Claremont branch of the library would be one of three non-profits to which customers could choose to donate a percentage of the café’s profits. The café gives half of its profits to charity and the library is one of its latest selected recipients.

For photos and updates about the branch library reconstruction, visit the library blog. To make a donation to help buy furniture for the library, click here.

Frances Dinkelspiel