Chestnut Hill Library closed due to renovations

A sign posted on the Chestnut Hill branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia announced its 11-day closing. Monday was the first day of the closure and come June 15, the library will open again.

The closure is due to renovations—more specifically, the installation of a more adequate air conditioning system.

Antoinette Hoagland, Northwest Administrator for the Free Library of Philadelphia, said that the Chestnut Hill branch had an outdated air conditioning system and is due for a better one.

“The closure is necessary and it has to do with the complexity of the work and safety issues,” she said, adding that libraries citywide must close if the heat and humidity index reaches over 80 degrees.

The new system, she said, has been in the process of being installed over the past several months and is in its final stage of installation.

Due to major electrical rewiring, the library could no longer remain open.

“It is a major expense for the city,” she said, of the cost. “It’s part of our Capital Projects Program.”

In the meantime, avid readers can visit the Andorra branch, located at 705 E. Cathedral Road, or the Lovett Memorial Branch, located at 6945 Germantown Avenue.

The Andorra branch is located 2.5 miles away from the Chestnut Hill branch and has a parking lot.

The Lovett Memorial branch, located 1.9 miles away, has free parking off Germantown Avenue and Sedgwick Street. Residents can take the 23 bus off Germantown Avenue directly to the library.

Library patrons also have the option of paying fees and renewing materials online under the my account tab on www.freelibrary.org.

However, Hoagland said patrons with high in-demand items such as best sellers or DVDs.