NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — It's been more than two months since a fire sparked at the downtown library parking garage on June 10, closing the downtown location and cutting off its services to the community.
People who use the downtown library find its resources essential, whether they are applying for jobs or just getting out of the heat. But the library has been closed since the fire, and restoration work continues with reopening dates repeatedly pushed back.
"It was early summer and then it's been pushed back several times and someone even wrote on the scaffolding 'when is it opening,'" said Taylor Sewell, who reads at the park across from the Main Library while waiting for its doors to reopen.
"There is just so many movies and it is weird to walk by there and you're like please just let me in," Sewell said.
Nashville Public Library said they don't have a reopen date because the building needs outside safety reviews before it can reopen. The library is working with restoration experts who specialize in this type of work to reopen as quickly and safely as possible.
But Sewell knows some people rely on the Church Street location for essential services.
Dayzunique Scott is among those affected. She wants to get back on her feet and was planning to use the library's resources.
"I was going into apply for some jobs," Scott said.
But she needs a computer to get a job, and the closure has left her searching for alternatives.
"I don't know what is going to be the best place for me to go right now," Scott said.
With information from the Nashville Public Library, Kim Rafferty mapped a bus route to the North Branch location just two miles away. The walk would take 31 minutes, but Scott said she can take the bus.
At the North Branch, Nashville's Office of Homeless Services said library staff can help get Scott connected to resources.
"I guess I'll be okay," Scott said.
The Office of Homeless Services has been working as a partner with the library during the closure. Through September 8, a coordinator with the office is scheduled to conduct 10 office-hours sessions at four branch locations, including the North Branch and the Hadley Park branch, located approximately three miles from the main library.
Library staff at all locations are trained to assist people and connect them to supportive services that Metro and the Nashville community offer year-round.
Despite the main library closure, the library system has maintained services across its 20 locations in Davidson County. Library employees who usually work at the main library are temporarily working at branches, where they continue to serve their regular customers. Borrowing of books and materials from the library collection is holding steady, and the system just finished a busy summer reading season with hundreds of free programs and events.
Sewell just looks forward to opened doors.
"I see them working all the time so I hope its soon," Sewell said.
Have you been affected by the downtown library closure? Share your story and tell us what library services matter most to you by emailing kim.rafferty@NewsChannel5.com. Watch the full video report to see how residents are adapting while waiting for the main branch to reopen.
In this article, we used artificial intelligence to help us convert a video news report originally written by Kim Rafferty. When using this tool, both Kim and the NewsChannel 5 editorial team verified all the facts in the article to make sure it is fair and accurate before we published it. We care about your trust in us and where you get your news, and using this tool allows us to convert our news coverage into different formats so we can quickly reach you where you like to consume information. It also lets our journalists spend more time looking into your story ideas, listening to you and digging into the stories that matter.
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