Howard County to close library building for short-term renovations, staff will provide limited services

County leaders announced a temporary closure of the Howard County library building to complete renovation work, including restroom tile and grout, painting and moving heavy book stacks. The presiding official said the closure will begin around August 3 and last roughly "about 2.5 weeks" while crews perform tasks that cannot be safely completed with the public in the building.

The chair said asbestos abatement in two former storage rooms is finished and that contractors rebuilt a partition wall between those rooms. Library staff will attempt to maintain some services by phone and through off-site meetings during the closure; the county will provide scheduling details on the library’s social channels. The court also noted that the judge and two commissioners meet every other Wednesday with the owner, architect and contractor to track progress; the next owner–architect–contractor meeting was set for Wednesday the 29th at 1:30 p.m.

"So, we'll be closed for about 2 weeks," the presiding official said, noting crews must move heavy, book-filled shelves and complete tile/grout work before reopening. The county advised patrons to consult the library’s Facebook page for service details and temporary arrangements.

The county did not provide a final re-opening date for public access beyond the approximate two-week window; officials asked the public to watch for posted updates and follow the library’s online notices.